Page 16 of Savage Surrender

“Yes. Keep up, you stupid bitch.” He smacked his fist on the armrest of his chair. “The dean’s office.”

“I have nothing to do with the dean. I never go there or have to visit those offices.”

“Well, you should.” He grimaced as if I were the worst disappointment he could ever face. “I’ve heard—from your guards—that the dean has ties with a couple of up-and-coming politicians who’ve been on my radar.”

“Okay.”

“Okay? That’s all you can think to say?” Shaking his head, he took a moment to collect himself. “If you can manage a simple task, you need to keep that in mind. Owen Nolan, the dean. I expect you to keep your eyes open around him.”

“I’ve never seen him.”

“So what? Snoop around his office and watch for anything you can learn about his connections with Marcus James and Eric Benson. Do I make myself clear?”

Great. Now I need to try to spy on a couple of politicians? And the dean?I nodded. “Yes.”

Even though I left shortly after his order, the gloom and funkiness that came from speaking with him followed me late into the night. I was on edge, annoyed, and feeling so stuck in my life that I gave up on reading or studying in my apartment and went to the library.

Whenever I came here, I tried to snag one of the “good” spots. Up on the second floor, near the corner. So many tall bookcases stood in here that it felt like an impenetrable maze. Unfortunately, those “good” tables were all in use, despite the late hour.

I was forced to sit at a more open table near the center. As soon as I shed my coat and got my books out, I found that I couldn’t concentrate here, either. The burn of someone’s attention on me bothered me. Someone was watching me.

One look around provided the source. Andre Ilyin, one of the familiar faces among my father’s rivals, stared at me from a table on the opposite side of the room. Without a book, notepad, tablet, or laptop on the table in front of him, he stood out. Helooked out of place, a lone man dressed in all black, just staring at me.

Andre wasn’t merely looking. He was checking me out, smiling wickedly as though he could use X-ray vision and see what I wore beneath my sweater and jeans.

It didn’t make me feel good. Having his too-hungry gaze on me left me feeling soiled and damaged. Like he wasn’t only staring at me but touching me, and that wasn’t a caress I wanted to experience. Ever.

Sighing heavily, I tried to ignore him, not even glancing in his direction. It wouldn’t be the first time a Mafia man—even a rival—had given me once-overs like that. At parties, balls, and galas. At dinners and holiday events. I’d been around them before, and I’d learned to just accept that they would look all they wanted. Treating women respectfully wasn’t something that happened in this world. We were to be used and owned, nothing more.

Until I can leave. Until I can kill him and disappear…

The pep talk that I’d only need to put up with Mafia men until I ended my father’s life didn’t prompt me to feel much better, though.

What did was spotting Professor Remi in the corner.

He was there, reading or pretending to. And it washisstare on me that distracted me from the life that I didn’t want. Having his smoldering gaze on me lit me up. Letting him check me out gave me a sense of worth. It tricked me into assuming he would value me. He would want me—and it would just beme. Professor Remi was just a man, a hot one, one I shouldn’t want, but he was not affiliated with the Mafia, as far as I knew. If he was associatedwith any Family, the guards would report about it and tell my father.

I smiled, tracing the tip of my pen along my closed lips, reveling in how good it made me feel that a sexy man could see me as a woman, not as Igor’s daughter.

That good feeling stayed with me all night and into the morning. On the walk to his lecture in the morning, I breathed in deeply, letting my lungs fill with the crisp morning air.

I felt more alive. I was more excited for the day, not worrying about how slowly it would drag. The excitement and anticipation of being able to see Professor Remi—especially after witnessing his interest in me last night at the library—had that much of a difference on my mood.

Arriving early in the hopes of getting a good seat up in the front, I strode into the hall and sipped my coffee, an essential for every morning here. Taking a longer walk, since I had the time, I headed down the corridor that would bring me past his office. I had no reason to go there. I doubted I ever would. No professors saw me in their offices because I was—on paper—an excellent student who never needed tutoring or extra help. Even though I was at college as a role to fulfill for my father, I was a good student with little assistance to maintain good grades.

Still, I knew where Professor Remi’s office was. I neared it now, slowing down in case I could treat myself to an extra eyeful of him. When I reached his open door, though, the vision that greeted me wasn’t one I wanted to savor.

A tall redhead leaned in toward him, angling her head up and closing her eyes in preparation of bringing her face close to his.Just as I set my foot down in the hallway, the heel of my boot clicked loudly because I was so surprised.

Whoever this woman was, dressed in an office-chic pantsuit with the lowest cut possible, she had every intention of kissing the professor I couldn’t stop myself from desiring.

As she slanted toward him, likely trying to capitalize on the element of surprise, Professor Remi shifted his head a little to dodge her reaching him.

“Oh.” I let that interjection pop out of my mouth like I meant to saywhoops. “My bad. I didn’t realize this was a private moment.”

The woman straightened before she could fall from Professor Remi’s evading her. As she faced me, with him holding her back at arm’s length, she shot me a beady glare that suggested she wished I’d drop dead or buzz off.

I’d interrupted their moment. She was pissed. But as my professor met my gaze, I couldn’t tell whether he was annoyed or grateful. It wasn’t clear if he begrudged me for interrupting or if he was irked with this woman for making a move on him like that. He didn’t look happy, that was for sure. But was he bothered by me or her?

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