Page 32 of Save Me the Trouble
How? How did he know?
“You weren’t the only one learning over the last two weeks, Grace. I’ve seen how you work. I’ve seen your dedication. I’ve seen your tenacity. What I haven’t seen is the kind of woman who’d up and leave her master’s program on a whim.”
My head started to shake, the rest of the room around us fading.
“You looked into me…”
“You saidnot again, and I needed to know why. It didn’t take much digging into your program to learn about Joseph Sheetz and the previous complaints filed against him.”It didn’t take long for him to realize I’d been another victim.
Killian took my shoulders in his hands when I started to step back and then reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “This was delivered to the university this morning, and I received a phone call from the president confirming it.”
My hands shook as I unfolded the sheet. My eyes bulged. It was Professor Sheetz’s resignation letter.
“What did you do?” I was reeling. Really, really reeling.
“I made it clear that leaving would be in his best interest.”
Oh god.He’d threatened Professor Sheetz to quit. To resign. To lose his tenure. His prestige. All for me.
“You shouldn’t have done this.” I tipped my head from side to side, gratitude and anger rioting in my chest. “I can’t—I don’t need you to save me.”
“And what about after you? What about the next woman he takes advantage of and cripples her future?”
I went to reply but found I had nothing to protest. He was right. Even if I did get back on my feet and finish my degree, it didn’t change Professor Sheetz’s position. It didn’taffecthim or what he might do in the future to someone else.
But Killian had.
For me.
“I don’t want to save you, Grace. I just want to fight with you. To be with you. By your side.”
My heart swelled, the seams threatening to explode.
“I’m not like him, Grace. And I’ll do anything to earn your trust.”
Just as his lips were about to meet mine, something caught my eye. A woman, dressed in a sleek black dress, entered the gallery right on time.Alicia Cortez.
Air bottomed out into my stomach.
“I can’t—we can’t.” One more moment, and I’d be a goner. I’d be the girl I’d been six months ago. The girl who slept with a man who had the power to ruin her at his whim. The girl who sacrificed her future for her present without a second thought.
It didn’t matter if he was nothing like my professor who’d seduced me. He was still my client. I still had aprofessionalobligation to him—the only thing I had left to lose.
Maybe not the only thing.My heart thudded.
“Grace—”
“Please, Killian,” I begged as I turned and smiled, waving for Ms. Cortez to come join us.
He followed my gaze, his brow furrowing. “Who’s that?”
“I’m sorry.” I swallowed hard, forcing myself to step back, to put the distance between us that should have been there all along. “That’s Alicia Cortez,” I said, my voice sounding hollow even to my own ears. “She’s the first…match on your profile. Your possible future wife.”
His sharp breath was like a knife through my heart. “Grace. What are you talking about?”
I forced myself to swallow. Forced myself to breathe. Forced myself to not break into a million pieces in his arms and beg for something I could never have.
“You said it wasn’t live yet?—”
