“No… I…” I deflated. His brows pinched together, and I slumped back onto the couch, avoiding his gaze. It seared into me and my face flamed.
I had needed it. And I had wanted it. More than a distraction from my panic, the effect of human touch and physical connection soothed an ache I hadn’t noticed taking up space behind my ribs and festering in the tender meat of my internal organs. The isolation had slowly sunk beneath my skin and began squirming, needle-thin and worm-like. His presence, his touch, acted as a bandage on the wound of loneliness infecting my mind and body.
My head dropped into my hands, and I huffed.
“Yeah, it helped. I’m… I’m sorry.” A beat passed.
He scoffed and turned to his desk. I gnawed on my bottom lip, watching him pivot around the corner and stand on the opposite side of the bulky piece of wood. It became a barrier between us, as if he needed a wall to protect himself from further backlash.
I hadn’t intended on biting his head off post-orgasm, but the rush of adrenaline and endorphins had unmoored me. Thecome down and the chemicals stormed through me and briefly transformed me into a harpy.
He had helpedandrocked my world.
Professor Quinn picked up a folio on his desk, flipping idly through pages as the silence stretched. It was then I realized the late hour. I had stayed out too long, skipped too many meals once again, and… seen things impossible to describe. Lost in the claws of panic, Professor Quinn was there for me. No matter how unorthodox the method, he had found me in a moment of need and helped me through it.
I should leave.
But I had too many questions bombarding my skull.
“What were you doing out there?” I asked.
Ocean eyes trailed upward, flicking over my face. “I work on campus, Miss Ashcroft. It’s not too far-fetched to imagine I’d be in the vicinity.”
“You’re always there, aren’t you?”
The corner of his mouth twitched.
“Nearby when I need you, I mean.” I swallowed and stood. “Always lurking about.”
He shrugged. “I look out for good students. You do well in your field.”
“That’s not all you do. You’re everywhere. Watching me.” My heart faltered as another rush of fear hit me. “Are you following me?”
His mask dropped and his expression darkened.
“I found you having a panic attack outside the library. I merely stepped in to help, as you needed.”
“Well,” I stuttered for a retort before snapping, “there’s no need. I could have helped myself.”
“Don’t bullshit me, Miss Ashcroft. You were screaming your head off—”
“I didn’t!” I stomped a foot before realizing it.
“—You were!” The professor swerved around the desk, coming to a stop right in front of me. The sweet tobacco and spice scent of him twirled around me, and I had to resist insensibly swaying into him. He grinned viciously as I shrunk under his intense stare. “I warned you about this place, and you didn’t listen. Now curiosity is coming after you, isn’t it?”
An undertone in those words reached from beyond and gripped me tight. No longer a simple argument, it morphed into an exchange hiding sinister intent. A secret volleyed back and forth with neither of us willing to unwrap it and face the truth.
“Yes, you warned me. And you were right, I was panicking. Something out there scared me. Something unbelievable.” I waited for him to dissuade me from that train of thought. Instead, he arched a dark brow in interest. “Why were you out there so late, Professor?”
“I was hunting,” he said, laying the first breadcrumbs guiding me toward the truth.
“Hunting what?”
“A stolas.” His expression remained hard as he dropped a bomb on my head.
I backed up until my legs hit the couch. My heart ricocheted around in my ribs.
“A… a what?”
