Page 8 of Cheaters: A Dark Romance Anthology

I almost winced on her behalf.

But I had to set this precedent now. The rules might be a bit gray as a visiting professor; however, I had no desire to toe the line or engage in anything unsavory.

Besides, these females were too young for me.

Jenica included.

Although, she didn’t appear all that young now as she walked toward my desk.

The door shut behind Emily, leaving me very much alone with Jenica.

“You were going to leave without speaking to me?” I asked, adding a teasing flair to my tone.

She didn’t smile, her bag instead falling to the ground beside my desk as she crossed her arms again. “Was there something to say?”

My brow furrowed. “Hello, maybe?”

“Hello,” she repeated. “Anything else?”

Now I was scowling. “What’s with the attitude?”

“I don’t have an attitude,” she returned. “I’m asking what you want, Pierce.”

I almost corrected her with Professor Pierce, which made no sense since I’d just told the class not to call me that. But I found myself wanting to hear it from her lips.

Which was precisely why I needed her to drop this course.

“Look, I appreciate you showing up to support me”—even though she hadn’t been all that supportive yet—“but you don’t have to take this course for my benefit. I’m sure there’s something else you would rather study instead.”

Now it was her turn to frown. “I’m not taking this course for your benefit. I’m taking it for mine. And there isn’t another course I’d rather study.”

Well, shit. That wasn’t the response I’d expected at all.

“Okay…” I needed a new avenue, then. “Surely you can see how this is a bit of a conflict of interest. I mean, you’re like a little sister to me. Grading you feels wrong.”

“But I’m not your little sister,” she bit back, her tone one I’d never really heard her use before. Yes, she sometimes showed her irritation at being teased. But this was different somehow. This was… more. “There’s no conflict of interest, Pierce. You’ll grade me on my performance. End of discussion.”

“No, not end of discussion,” I retorted, a bit miffed by her dismissal and the manner in which she’d delivered it. “Look, Goldilocks—”

“I prefer to be called Jenica here,” she interjected, her irises reminding me of liquid fire. “I’m also turning twenty-two in ten days. I’m not a kid anymore, Pierce.”

Okay, wow. “That’s a nickname I’ve used—”

“Since I was a child,” she finished for me. “Yeah. I know.” Her arms tensed across her breasts, her body completely closed off, just like her expression. “I’m not a kid. I’m not your sister. I’m not Goldilocks. I’m a student. An adult. A woman. And I would appreciate you seeing me as such. Now, if we’re done…” She trailed off, bending to pick up her bag and dismissing me again.

“No. We are not fucking done.”

She paused and then straightened again, arching a brow. “Excuse me?”

“What the hell has gotten into you?” I snapped. “Did you have a rough day? Did that Carver guy say something to you?”

Her brow crinkled. “Carver?” She shook her head as though to clear it. “What? No. My day was fine. At least until you attempted to make me drop your class. Which I won’t be doing, Pierce. I can handle your course. I’m a good student.”

“I never said otherwise.”

“No, you just implied it by saying I was only here to support you. This is an advanced course. I had the grades and background to take it, and it suits my curriculum for graduation. I have no intention of dropping it.”

“You can’t take my class, Jenica.” Steel underlined my tone. Because I could not handle her here all semester. Especially not with this side of her coming out to play. She was checking all my “bratty sub” boxes right now, making me want to bend her over this desk and paddle her ass until she was a sobbing, wet mess and begging for my cock.

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