I turned and scurried down the hallway, evening my breaths. Russell was testing me to see if he still had any power on my body. I couldn’t believe I was still hot for the bastard. Did he notice? Damn it.
I looked for the tech lab and found it on the right. Footsteps echoed behind me as I knocked.
“Are you?”
I twisted, not sure why Russell came out and followed me or why we were still having this conversation. “Excuse me?”
“Are you here only because of Damien? Because I think you’re here to prove to me and yourself that you’re better, smarter and more successful. In other words overcompensating for what you’re lacking.”
My eyebrows shot up. “What I’m lacking?”
“C’mon, Vix. After we left each other, you’ve been mimicking every move I make. I get my PhD, so do you. I teach, you teach, even though you never wanted to. I publish an article, you stress yourself out to publish two the following month. You hear I’m next for the Head of Department, you fly back to take it from me. All this for what?”
“Wow.” Okay. So he didn’t notice how he could still turn me on and came to retaliate for his ego. Good. “I knew you were a lot of things, but I never took you for an egotistical maniac. You think my life revolves around you?”
He smirked. “I know it does.”
I scoffed. Then I stepped closer, my mouth next to his ear. “Every day, I thank God I never got married to an A-hole like you.” I retracted and stared at him. “I’m going to enjoy taking that seat from you more than I thought, Professor Green.”
The lab door opened. Ice blue, almost translucent eyes looked down on me, and I stumbled back a step, all the blood rushing out of my face.
“Professor Legend,” Terror said.
“How did you…?” I whispered, a thousand questions spiraling in my head. “What are you doing here Mister—”
“Beastly,” he interrupted before I uttered his road name. “I think I told you this morning that I go here, Professor.”
“I meant at the tech lab.”
“I help around, clean equipment, close up, hack into someone’s Facebook profile or crack their bank account.”
My eyes widened, and then, as he laughed, I realized he was making a stupid joke. “Kiddin’. It’s my major. IT. A couple of professors let me help for extra credit,” he said.
Great. I was surrounded by two repugnant idiots, and my cover was blown. Dasher would know where I was, and I hadn’t even had the chance to do anything yet. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was outside campus already.
“How can I help you tonight?” Terror asked.
“You can’t. I’m looking for Professor Khapoor. Is he in?”
“I’m afraid you missed him. You can catch him in the morning. He never stays up late anyway. Unless you want me to hack or crack something for you?”
Was this goon on to me? I clutched my tote for the tenth time. “Is that another joke?”
“What else would it be?”
“What do you need Rav for?” Russell butted in.
I clenched a fist. “I thought I’d say hi to my old friend if you don’t mind, Professor Green. Don’t you have something to do on the seventeenth floor?”
His eyes sparkled. “Right. The Excellence in Teaching Awards ceremony is coming next month. I’ve been nominated and chosen as the keynote speaker at the event. I’m heading up to finish the technical part of the speech. It’s never too early to be prepared.”
My ears burned. I didn’t know he was getting a freaking award. “Good for you.”
“I was nominated by Damien, but the award could be applied for. The deadline is in two weeks,” he added.
“And you’re telling me that because?”
“Just in case you want to apply.” He winked and glanced at his watch. “Look at the time. I must run. I hate to be late when my fiancé is waiting for me at home. Isn’t it nice to have someone to come home to?” He turned on his heels. “See you tomorrow, Professor.”
