Page 22 of Ruined Vows

“What about the boy band member in the back?”

“Dae? I shouldn’t have even put him on the list. You saw how all the girls in class swoon over him. He’s got his hands full.”

“He didn’t have eyes for any of them. Only for you.”

I feel my cheeks heat. That was always the impression I got during class with the way Dae watches me so carefully, but I was hoping I was wrong. “If anything, it’s just a schoolboy crush.”

“Schoolboy crushes don’t write their teachers about violent fantasies and deliver bloody animals to their well-fortified bedrooms.”

I shudder at the reminder.

“Sorry,” Isaak whispers harshly under his breath. He drags a hand through his hair. “I hate you being so exposed in front of all of them, knowing that any one of the little pricks might be the one writing that shit.”

I look over at him, seeing the muscles in his neck flex with how tense he is.

“Hey,” I say, reaching out but stopping right before making contact with his hand. “It’s gonna be okay. Isn’t that what you said last night? Or were you just blowing smoke up my ass to make me feel better?”

I know I might feel like an old soul, but he probably sees me as a whiny little kid, young and immature, like I see my students.

His eyes flash up to mine. The guilty look in his eyes tells me, yup, he said it to make me feel better.

But then he covers it with a smile. Ah, he’s someone who knows a thing or two about putting on a persona, isn’t he? So what are the shadows that he keeps so carefully hidden?

“You’re good at what you do, Professor.”

“Oh.” I blink, surprised. I wasn’t prepared for a compliment. Isaak’s much easier to handle when he’s pulling out little quips or infuriating me with some misogynistic nickname. “Well, I try, anyway.”

“You do a good job. You’re really engaging.”

“Oh. Um. Thank you. It’s a good group of kids. I’m proud of how far they’ve come already this semester.”

“Does the Professor have time to go grab a cup of coffee?” he asks, and my breath catches a little as I look up into his searching, gray eyes. Maybe he doesn’t see me as just a bumbling kid after all?

“Why?” I ask, too blunt, as always. At least with him. I’m much better everywhere else in my life, my persona firmly locked in place.

He chuckles. “Tuck your panties back in, Red. It’s not a date. I just want a more complete list of names. And I thought it might be nice to grab some caffeine before we head over to make the police statement about the break-in.”

“Just when I start to think maybe you’re a decent guy, there you have to go again opening your mouth.”

“Well, there’s your problem. I’m definitely not a decent guy.” He holds out his arm in an overly formal manner. “Shall we, dear Professor?” he asks mockingly.

I ignore his proffered arm, rolling my eyes and sweeping down the aisle of the classroom without glancing back over my shoulder. “Do try to keep up.”

SEVEN

ISAAK

I wasn’t kiddingabout her being an engaging teacher.

I was supposed to be keeping my eyes on the students, but I had difficulty keeping my eyes off her while she was at the front of the class.

If I knew they had teachers like her, maybe I would have been more motivated to actually get my ass to college. Not that being hot for teacher would have gotten me anywhere.

Although, it does make me wonder.

“You ever crossed that line with a student before?”

She makes an offended noise. “Of course not!”

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