Page 56 of Reckless Temptation

I shook my head and went to face the music. Like the last time that these baseless accusations were reported against me, I had the time stamped video of where I really was during thetimes that I was supposedly sleeping with a couple of adjunct professors. I had been at the Humane Society, then talking to Elise, during the time that I had allegedly met up with these men. It helped that they denied it, too, and I ended up apologizing to them for this.

“Truly, I’m sorry,” I told the younger man, a new adjunct who taught a contracts course.

“I don’t evenknowher,” he exclaimed to the head of the department. “She’s not a student of mine.”

“Yeah. Me neither,” the other adjunct instructor said. “I’ve never met her.” He narrowed his eyes. “Who filed this complaint? I’ll be damned if my name is dragged through the mud like this.”

His heated reaction saddened me more. “It’s not an attack on your character,” I told them. “It’s an accusation to hurtme.”

The first instructor frowned at me. “This isn’t the first time this has happened to you?”

I gave the head of the department a dull stare. “Nope.”

The head of the department, an older man near retirement, winced.

“Who filed these complaints?” the second instructor asked. “I’ll sue for slander. This is bullshit.”

The department head cringed. “That’s not necessary.”

I stood, sick of this. “What he means is the same female student who has reported multiple baseless accusations like this is someone you wouldn’t beat in court. You could sue and lose, because Tiffany Lor?—”

“That’s enough, Miss Rosario,” the department head said, shuffling papers as he lowered his gaze. “We can just sweep this under the rug as a misunderstanding.”

Like last time?

I rolled my eyes and left, impatient not to miss more class time for this stunt. No one here would dare to stand against the Lorsens. This head of the department wouldn’t tell George Lorsen. This pushover was about to retire anyway, and it was clear his hands were tied. That was how much power and clout the Lorsens had here.

I returned to class and wished I could feel triumphant at Tiffany’s scowl. She huffed as I reclaimed my seat next to Maxim, probably so disappointed that I wasn’t expelled from that bullshit accusation.

After class, she proved how bothered she was about it.

“I can’t believe they even let you be a student here,” she snapped at me in the hallway.

“Get over it,” I bit out.

It seemed my de facto approach to her bullying had faded since sleeping with her stepbrother. I wasn’t in the mood to turn the other cheek or ignore her.

“No. You need to get over it.” She cut me off, sneering at me as she faced me and blocked me from walking further. “You need to get over this stupid idea that you can excel here.”

I shrugged. “I already am.”

She gritted her teeth, fuming. “Then get over your hope to have that intern spot.”

I stared her down, wishing I hadn’t engaged in this conversation with her at all. Because the idea of dropping out of the runninghadbeen on my mind. I only hated that she could claim the glory of making me quit.

“Rescind your application,” she ordered.

“No.” I said it deadpan, yet firmly.

“Fine,” she snarled. “Then I’ll never stop making your life miserable.”

She spun on her heel, stalking away and meeting Rachel at the double doors that would lead out to the sunshine out on the campus square.

I curled my fingers over the strap of my bag tighter. Mom had found this old one in the closet, and gripping the fabric was a feeble physical reaction of venting.

I wanted to make a fist and punch Tiffany for all the hatred she spewed at me.

Instead, I simmered with this rage, watching her leave.

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