Page 108 of Kings & Corruption

The more I thought about it, the more insane it seemed. More than once, I contemplated using the out Neo had given me, but my pride wouldn’t let me take him up on the suggestion that I sit this one out.

The Kings already thought I was some kind of weak Mafia princess who couldn't hold her own in the game. For some reason I didn't understand, I was more determined than ever to prove them wrong.

I hadn't registered a single thing during class by the time it was over, and I hurried to gather my things and get to lunch to meet Claire.

I wasn't too worried about missing notes. I'd always been lucky that way. It was one of the only things I had that and Emma hadn’t: I always did well in school with minimal effort while Emma had to work extra hard just to get passing grades.

I couldn't take credit for the ability, but with all the distractions I had going on, I was grateful for it.

I was edging my way out of my row in the lecture hall when Professor Ryan called up to me from the front of the hall.

“Everything all right, Miss Russo?”

I stopped in my tracks. “Uh… yeah, definitely. Why do you ask?”

He smiled. “Why don't you come down here so we aren't shouting at each other across the lecture hall?”

I wasn't really in the mood to chat, but I also didn't want to be rude. No reason to piss off Professor Ryan when he was in charge of my grade and I was barely paying attention in his class.

I stuffed my laptop into my bag as I made my way down the stairs.

“That's better," he said when I was standing in front of him. His gaze was appraising, and I didn't think I was imagining the fact that it kept dropping to my cleavage before he quickly remembered I was a student and forced himself to focus on my face.

“You seemed distracted during class today,” he said.

“Yeah, sorry about that.” Was he going to ding me on the participation portion of our grades just because I wasn't paying attention one day in class?

But instead of scolding me he looked at me sympathetically. “I'm sure it's been quite an adjustment,” he said.

“Being here at Aventine?” I contemplated telling the truth, telling him that it actually hadn't been that bad, that I’d gotten used to being at Aventine a lot faster than I’d expected.

But why ruin a perfectly good excuse when — between the game and trying to figure out what happened to Emma, not to mention my three hot new roommates — it was more than likely that I would be distracted in class a lot this semester?

“It's definitely different.” I laughed a little.

“Have you been into town at all?” he asked. “Sometimes it’s good to get a change of scenery, remind yourself there’s more to the world than Aventine.”

I forced myself not to roll my eyes. I was pretty sure I’d been on more continents in the past year than Professor Ryan had visited in his entire life.

Still, there was no denying that he was hot, his dark hair just long enough to make me want to slide my fingers into it, the 5 o'clock shadow on his jaw just present enough that I knew it would be scratchy against my thighs.

Which was why I was surprised to find that I wasn't turned on. Like, at all. I mean, I could acknowledge that he was cute and everything, but he seemed almost too nice, too… weak.

The thought sent a thrum of worry through my body. Was I actually getting used to all the alpha-male bullshit in the Kings’ house? Was I starting to think nice guys were boring?

I saved those questions for another time and focused on Professor Ryan's question.

“Just once or twice,” I said, thinking about my first trip into town with Oscar and the fight at the Orpheum.

He hesitated. “I'd be happy to show you around sometime. I know a great used bookstore tucked away at one end of town and an even better place for lunch.”

I guess the invitation shouldn't have taken me by surprise. I was technically an adult, and Professor Ryan had made his interest in me pretty clear. It was unethical, even though I was over eighteen, because he was a professor and I was a student and that was a fucked-up power dynamic, but in any other situation I would've been more than happy to take him up on his offer.

But this wasn't any other situation and I just wasn't interested.

“It’s nice of you to offer but I'm super busy getting ready for midterms and everything. Maybe some other time.”

I hated myself for adding the last part. It was something all women did at one time or another — try to soften the blow of rejection for the men who constantly hit on us.

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