What has he done to Luca? Why is Hilman expressing fake concern?
There’s something there, somethingwrong,but I can’t ask Luca. If he was a mess because this scumbag touched him, I can only imagine how he’ll break if I ask why he came undone whenever Hilman was around. I listen to my gut and decide to wait, hoping my little lamb trusts me enough to tell me if Hilman ever did anything to cause him discomfort.
There will be no end of hell if he did. I’m not above eliminating anyone who hurt that sweet man.
Standing to my full height so he has to crane his neck to look at me—it pays being six foot six—I cross my arms over my chest. “He’s fine.”
I don’t give more information, don’t allow him to worm his way into knowing anything about Luca that Luca doesn’t want to share.
“It’s just…” He sighs, tucking his hands into his pockets and shaking his head like his next words are painful to share. “He’s a troubled kid. So quiet, always alone. I had dealings with him during his freshman year. I know how things can get to him.”
Anger like nothing I’ve ever felt before flares through me. How dare he try to stake a claim onmylittle lamb? I don’t give a fuck what hethinksthey had. Luca is mine.
With effort, I tamp down my vexation and simply tick up an eyebrow. “Good to know,” I say in a forced, bored tone.
Hilman’s eyebrows dip. He’d probably expected me to fall for his bullshit charm like the rest of the bastards on campus. If he knew what I’d been through—living a life with someone who only showed me the best parts of them—he’d know I could sniff that shit out from a mile away.
“Well,” he sputters, looking around as if to find his words on the ground. “Be that as it may, your handling of him was highly inappropriate. One could say that you were too familiar with a student. You?—”
“What were you planning to do?” I ask in an even tone. “From what I remember, you said he looked ill and you were going to take him to your office.”
His face pales slightly and sweat appears above his upper lip. He wipes it quickly as he gathers himself. “Yes, well, as I stated, we had dealings his freshman year and?—”
“And he’s my current TA,” I interrupt again. “He and I have built a rapport. He was perfectly safe with me.”
“Where did you take him?” he asks, dropping all pretenses of politeness.
Walking around my desk, I stand in front of him, watching his eyes flash as he has to crane his neck to maintain eye contact. When I’m a few inches away from him, I stuff my hands in my pockets, mirroring his pose. “Thank you for stopping by and checking on Luca. But I can assure you, he’s fine.”
I stare him down, refusing to look away first.
After close to ten seconds, he drops his gaze, but not before I see a tick in his jaw.
Clearing his throat, he says, “Well, I’m glad you were there to offer assistance. Might I suggest next time?—”
“You may not,” I practically growl, my first slip. “Mr. Archer is an adult. He can handle himself… and any trouble he stumbles upon.”
Hilman grunts and leaves without another word.
Yeah, there’s something there, something I don’t like. But what is it? Why is he so worried aboutmyTA?
Some way, I don’t know how, I’m going to get to the bottom of Hilman’s bullshit.
The question is, how much will it hurt Luca when I do?
“Hey, Professor,” Luca says shyly as he steps around me into my house. “How was your week?”
I give him a sardonic smile. “It was great, little lamb. Yours?”
“Same,” he mutters.
In that shy, timid way he does, he walks over to me, stands on tiptoe, and kisses me gently. With a soft sigh, he says, “I missed seeing you today.”
Luca had some sort of presentation, so I hadn’t seen him. It’s something for grad school, so I didn’t hesitate to give him the time he needed.
“How did it go?”
He shrugs. “Good, I think. I’ll know for sure in a few weeks.”
