Page 26 of The Professor's Possession (Crystal River Billionaire Brothers)

I cautiously make my way back downstairs, hoping I don’t run into the frizzy-haired boy, but there’s no sign of him.

I find Ava in the crowd. She’s with Luke and some other of his male friends. No Michael in sight, thankfully. When I appear by her side, Ava’s boyfriend rolls his eyes at my presence. I ignore him.

“Olivia!” Ava greets me warmly. “You’ve survived the crowd. I thought I’d lost you forever.”

“I’m not feeling too well,” I tell her, lying. “I think I’m going to head home.”

“Oh, crap. Hang on, I’ll come with you,” my roommate says, nodding toward the exit. “I hope you’re okay.”

“I’m alright. I just want to get back to the dorm.”

My roommate nods empathetically. “I understand. I was getting bored of this party anyway. I’ll make sure you get back fine.”

“Stay here,” Luke growls at Ava, stepping up to us.

“I’ll take her home,” Ava replies to him. “She’s sick.”

Luke’s about to say something else, but I interrupt. “It’s okay, you should stay here, Ava. Have a good night. I’ll go on my own. I’d prefer it, anyway.”

“You sure?” my roommate asks me, concerned. “I’m happy to come with you if you want me to.”

“I’m okay, you stay here. Honestly. Thank you for inviting me out tonight. I hope you have a good time. Sorry for ruining things.”

“You’re not ruining anything,” Ava whispers in my ear as she hugs me tight. “Message me when you’re back home. I want to make sure you’re safe.”

“I will,” I whisper back as I notice Luke standing behind my roommate’s shoulder out of her sight, glaring at me with those cold and hateful eyes of his.

12

OLIVIA

The first thingI do when I get back home from the house party is change into my gym gear. I want to take my mind off things. Take my thoughts firmly off Michael and that weird interaction. Take it off Luke and his obvious strange distaste for me.

And, besides, it’s time for me to try out CRU’s gym. I haven’t been there yet. Us students all get free use of it, and I’m guessing everyone’s going to be at the party or somewhere else late on a Saturday night, so there’s a high chance it’s going to be empty.

After messaging Ava that I’ve made it back okay, I leave the dorms and make my way across the campus to the gym. There are no staff manning the gym reception desk at this time of the night, but it’s thankfully open all hours. Just for the crazies like me.

And, just as I’ve guessed, the gym is empty. Just the way I like it.

I drive straight to the squat rack. It has been a hell of a long time since I did one of these. Sometimes I feel intimidated in the weights section at the gym because of the ever-present big muscle men grunting away, so it’s good I have free rein tonight without a single soul in my proximity.

This is so much better than the party.

I insert my headphones and put on some music to keep me going through this workout. My personal playlist of cheesy, 80s-era gym classics. I like a good power ballad.

And I muscle through a set of squats. My knees buckle under the weight of the bar on my shoulders, but I stay strong. I can stilldothese, even if it makes me sweaty and red in the face. I smile at myself in the mirror, proud of my achievement.

I can do this. I am strong.

I fit the bar back to its usual position on the squat rack and take a long, refreshing drink from my water bottle.

And I hear, through the music blasting in my ears, the door of the gym opening and closing behind me.

Someone has entered the building. No big deal. Everyone’s entitled to this space, although I would’ve loved to have been on my own...

I glance up through the mirror to sneak a look at the new visitor.

And it’s him.

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