Chapter 2

I was supposed to go straight to the elders. And I was going to, I swear. I even picked up my car, which I have special dispensation to use on the island to get there quicker. But somehow, when I set foot on campus, instead of heading to where my vehicle is parked, I found myself standing outside the girls’ dormitories, staring in through the windows.

Well, one window to be specific. I’m not some peeping Tom.

I looked at the security camera footage we installed in her room but I wanted to see with my own eyes.

And now I’m glad that I did. Because what I’m seeing is not the girl I met at the bar. It’s not even the student I tormented in my class. She’s unrecognisable. A shell of herself. And it doesn’t sit well with me for some reason.

But there’s no way we’re to blame for this.

Something happened.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and when I pull it out I see it’s an email update. The thing is set to automatically update when it connects to the campus wi-fi, but I never usually check my emails outside of office hours. Something makes me click on the mail icon today though. Probably because I’m so distracted by the waif of a girl in front of me.

Instead of the usual avalanche of bullshit correspondence that floods my inbox every time I open it, today there’s only one unread message. And it’s from her. I click it and scan the short message.

Dear Professor,

Due to unforeseen circumstances and health reasons, I need to withdraw from your class with immediate effect.

Regards,

Malia-Tarni Van Der Zee

Fuck that. Her generic message is complete bullshit. My anger quickly bubbles to the surface, and I unleash the curse under my breath. Usually I try to be the calm, level-headed one of our group, masking my emotions for their benefit. But they’re not here, and I’m not about to let Malia slip through our fingers.

I want eyes on her at all times, and I want to see her for myself. She isn’t withdrawing from anything. I quickly hack into the university’s email system – which is as easy as sliding a hot knife through butter thanks to the software Reef set me up with – to scan for correspondence from Malia-Tarni to my co-workers. She’s sent the exact same email to all of her professors asking to switch to online learning for ‘health reasons’.

With my anger rising even further, I step out from the bushes I wasn’thidingbehind, and stride towards the entrance to her dorm with purpose. Some students are exiting the building as I approach the doors, and they giggle when they see me.

“Hi, sir,” one of them says. I don’t spare them a glance, reaching for the door before it closes.

“God, he’s such an asshole.”

I grin to myself at her complaint. Yeah, I’m not interested in winning any teacher of the year awards. I give less than zero fucks about popularity and niceties. As soon as our mission is complete, I’m out of here.

“Shame, he’s such a snack,” the friend replies as I slip through the door into the dorm.

“The cute ones are gay and the hot ones are always dicks.”

The door closes behind me before I can hear any more of their conversation, but it does make me smirk. Cove is such a pretty boy he’s been mistaken for being gay several times, and Bhodi is definitely what girls apparently consider hot, and he’s absolutely a dick, so maybe those girls outside were right.

I walk along the corridor until I get to Malia’s door, and knock. There’s no answer, but I know she’s inside having just spent the last twenty minutes staring through her window. Knocking again, I let my fist fall a little harder against the door this time to show my annoyance. And persistence. I’m not going anywhere until she opens the damn door.

“I told you I just want to be alone, Sum—oh. It’s you.” Huge saucer-like eyes stare up at me, and her jaw hangs open. It’s almost comedic or it would be if I wasn’t staring at those full lips and imagining feeding my cock between them. Fuck. I need to get a grip.

I step past her, pushing my way inside her room and gazing around the space with feigned disinterest.

The only decoration or personal item in the entire place is the wooden surfboard hanging on the wall and some fairy lights strung around haphazardly. Even the bedding is university issue, and the whole place feels…sad. Impersonal. Who is Malia-Tarni? Fucked if I can tell from this dump. The bed looks sufficient for what I’d love to do to her though…

“Erm, what are you doing here, sir?”

“Professor.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m your professor, not your Sir,” I clarify, ignoring the way my dick twitches its interest at the title. Nope. We are not going there with a student. I definitely worded that wrong. Even though ever since finding out the enigma in the bar is my student and quite possibly the key to saving my people, it’s done nothing to curb my obsession with her.

Even now, I know I shouldn’t be here in her room, but it’s like I can’t help myself. A glutton for punishment, I’m compelled to torture myself with visions of what can never be.

“All the same, could you answer my question please?” There’s no fire in her statement, no spark in her eyes. She’s standing by the still-open door, arms hanging limply by her sides. I long to take her into my own arms and…what? Shake some life back into her? Fuck it back into her more like. Rut her down into her mattress until she screams my name and comes undone on my dick.

“Close the door,” I grind out from between my gritted teeth. She does, without question, which does absolutely nothing to diminish the hard-on I’m sporting. I’m pretty sure the girl I met in the bar would have had a lot more to say about me issuing orders like that – especially with a couple of drinks inside her – but this girl gives me…nothing. It’s as alarming as it is arousing.

I need a fucking drink.

“Professor—”

“I got your email.” I cut her off before I can do something crazy like beg her to call me Sir after all and kiss the shit out of her.

“Oh.”

“And I’m here to tell you that you can’t withdraw from my course.” Because I can’t bear not to see you every day.

“Why not?”

“The deadline has passed.”

“When was the deadline?”

“Last week. I gave a reminder to my students in the lecture.” This is bullshit. I did no such thing because I don’t care if they transfer out or stay and fail. But I also know that she doesn’t know this, so I can pretty much say whatever I like at this point.

“Oh. I wasn’t there.”

“I’m well aware of your abysmal attendance, Miss Van Der Zee.” The barb slips out before I even formulate my response. What is it about this girl that brings out the worst in me?

Wanting her and knowing you can’t have her. Being unable to think straight because your dick is so hard. Blaming her for the bluest balls in history.

Her shoulders slump with her disappointment, and I almost feel regret. Where’s her spark, her fire? Why isn’t she challenging me on this? We could have so much fun if she got her spark back…if things were different.

Literal sparks flew the last time she faced off against me. Where’s that passion and heat now? It’s a sobering thought, and I fucking hate being sober.

I have to tamp down the urge to press her against the wall and devour every inch of her, to see if that will bring her back to life.

Forbidden fruit is always that much sweeter and I bet she’s the sweetest of all.

“Do you know why I was off?” she asks quietly.

“I do not care for the pathetic excuses of my students, of which there are many,” I sniff.

God, I’m being such an asshole but I can’t seem to help myself around her. It’s not a case of ‘treat ‘em mean to keep ‘em keen’, more, keep her at arm’s length to avoid dicking a student and fucking up the entire mission. She’s just one pussy. You shouldn’t be tangled in knots over her like this. Get a grip, Vance!

“I’m sure whatever excuse you’ve concocted will be no less creative than the last. How students choose to squander their education is entirely up to them. I get paid either way.”

“I was in hospital.”

“Like I said, Miss Van Der Zee, I do not care. Clearly whatever it was wasn’t fatal as you are still here. I am simply here to tell you that I expect you in my class first thing tomorrow morning. Do not be late.”

“I need to switch to online learning!” she blurts out as I turn to go. I pause. My back is to her so she can’t see the triumphant grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. There she is. I school my expression before turning back to her.

“And why is that? Are you suddenly suffering from some contagious ailment which may infect the rest of the student body?”

“I have agoraphobia.” She thrusts a sheet of paper at my chest, and I catch it easily.

There’s some bullshit diagnosis form signed off by a Doctor Parks. Interesting and useful. I mentally file the name away to have Reef look into later.

Holding out the paper to her with a dissatisfied shrug, I wait for her to take it back from me. When she doesn’t, I allow it to float to the ground between us like a shot-down white flag.

Neither of us are backing down.

Bring it on.

“I’ll see you tomorrow morning, first thing and in person, Miss Van Der Zee.”

The fairy lights flicker, and I pause. That’s odd. Almost magical. The air is certainly charged now as I stare back at the anguish on the mask that is Malia’s face.

“You can’t do that! You have to make allowances for my condition. You can’t discriminate.” There’s almost passion in her tone. Light the fuse. Set off those fireworks. Claim her. Combust.

“Discrimination would be treating you differently to the other students, Miss Van Der Zee. Clearly, I am not.” I study her carefully for her reaction but nothing happens. The lights remain steady. I almost wonder if I imagined it. Disappointment floods me.

“But—” She opens her mouth to argue but I stop her by stepping close, too close, and placing my hand over her lips. They’re so soft, and the temptation to taste her is overwhelming. But I know that if I started, I’d never stop.

“Malia,” I sigh, slipping up by using her first name. Too personal. Too caring. It makes her breathing hitch though. My gaze drops to her heaving chest. Fuck. I take a step backwards, trying to put some space between us to make up for my slip.

She freezes and eyes me warily.

“It’s not in my character to give a damn about my students, so please don’t take this the wrong way. Do you really want to push me on this? Take it further, threaten to go to the board, or the campus counsellor, or whatever it is disgruntled children do these days? Be my guest…I. Don’t. Care. I think this diagnosis is bullshit, this ‘doctor’ is a charlatan, and you’re dangerously close to flunking out of SCU entirely, based on your attendance alone. Do better. Prove me wrong about you.”

I take her spectacular goldfish impression as my cue to leave and walk out of her dorm without a backwards glance. I’m almost by the main entrance before I hear her door slam shut, and it makes me grin. Door slamming is good. Progress. It means I’ve rattled her a little. Brought her out of her shell a tiny bit. And I’ll do whatever it takes to get her back to that feisty girl who wasn’t afraid to challenge me.

Reef was right, though. She isn’t the same at all and I do need to bring this to the attention of the elders right away.

With that rather sobering thought, I jump in my car and race away towards the north westerly coast of the island. Nickel Creek’s ‘Destination’ blasts through my speakers and as I navigate the roads, I realise I need answers and – I’m not afraid to admit – help on this one.