Molly clears her throat. “Okay, I think I get it now,” she says, blissfully unaware. “I need to be clear and own my idea.”
I nod, grateful for the interruption. “Exactly.”
Calvin exhales, something deep, long, and unnerving. “Your coffee is getting cold.”
I look down at the mug in front of me, untouched.
I don’t remember ever picking it up. And I don’t remember ever feeling this aware of a man simplyexistingin the same room. My thoughts and emotions are all over the place. I try tomentally ground myself by pressing the sole of my shoes into the hardwood floor, but it doesn’t help.
Especially when a phone blares in the silence.
Calvin mutters something incoherent, and answers it, finally stepping out of the room and leaving Molly and me alone.
Thank God.
“Sorry my dad is intimidating,” Molly lets out a sigh. “He’s just kind of intense like that. Though, I swear he’s harmless.”
I force a smile. “Of course. It’s fine. He’s just being a good, watchful dad.”
Her brows knit together as she makes a face. “If that’s what you want to call it, I guess.” She turns her attention back to her paper. “I’d like to try another essay, on maybe something else?”
I nod. “I was actually thinking of having you cover Hamlet… It’s a short read, similar in a lot of ways in structure, obviously…” My voice trails off as one of the doors slams somewhere in the house. I try to shake it off and reach into my bag, grabbing the new assignment and copy of Hamlet. As soon as I hand it to Molly, Calvin reappears.
“Time for this to end,” Calvin’s voice booms through the kitchen, jarring me sideways. “I have a work call.”
I turn to him, noticing the visible strain on his face. “Everything okay?”
His entire face hardens. “Everything is fine, you need to go. Molly is supposed to be at her mom’s anyway.”
“After—”
“Now,” Calvin cuts off Molly and the urgency has me gathering my things before I can even mentally process what I’m doing.
“I’m so sorry,” Molly jumps to her feet, as I sling my bag over my shoulder. “My dad sometimes has work emergencies, and he doesn’t like me staying here alone…”
“It’s okay,” I reassure her, my heart throbbing in the side of my head. “Things happen. We’ll set the next session after class tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” Molly calls to me as I head for the front door.
Calvin Bradford stands at exit, his towering figure more intimidating than ever as he whips the door open for me. I pause in front of me, peering up at the icy eyes that seem to cut through every fucking defense I’ve ever put up.
You could just ask him about your brother,the thought pops in as we stay locked in. But as he nods toward my car…
My body obeys him.
And I feel like thismightbecome a problem.
Chapter 11
Bradford
“That wassofucking rude!”Molly bursts into my office, vibrating with frustration. “I don’t understand why you just had to kick her out like that!”
“You need to go to your mom’s,” I grit out, quickly shutting the open file on my desk. “I need to be on call right now. I don’t have time for this, and your session was basically over. She looked extremely uncomfortable, anyway.”
“Youmade her feel that way.” Molly folds her arms across her tiny chest, shaking her head. “Why were you so mean to Dr. Williams? What did she do? Breathe wrong? Be pretty? You literally stared her down the entire time, then got pissed and made her leave!”
“Itold you,” I try to keep my voice calm, as my phone starts buzzing in my hand all over again. “I really need you to go to your mom’s right now.”
