Page 104 of Vexatious Queen

I checked off a few more questions and then glanced up at Mr. Sharpe when he didn’t leave.

“Was there something else you wanted to discuss?” I made sure to use the same condescending tone he’d given me of late.

“No, just leave the papers in my office,” he said, and I nodded while continuing my work.

Mr. Sharpe grabbed his leather briefcase and marched out.

“Well, now, that was icy,” Liam said.

I glanced over at the exit closest to me. Most of the classrooms were designed with two doors in case of a fire. At some point, Liam had opened it and was leaning against the frame. I couldn’t say when he had arrived. He was stealthy like that.

“It was definitely something,” I said, double-checking that I hadn’t missed anything before placing the test aside. “He’s always been tough, but this is different. He’s been strange ever since I got back from my accident. What do you think is going on?”

Liam shrugged and walked inside.

“I don’t know. But until you’re done, I’m going to snoop around his desk.”

“I doubt he left anything.”

“Maybe, maybe not, you’d be surprised how stupid some people are,” Liam said, and strolled to the front of the class.

I quickly finished the last few and collected my things. Flicking my ponytail out from inside my jacket, I shouldered my backpack, then grabbed the test papers.

Liam was inspecting the garbage he had dumped on the desk, using a ruler to sort through the pile.

“What are you hoping to find among the banana peels and tissues?”

“No idea, but when I find it, I’ll know,” he said.

“And what if there is nothing to find? You said that your guy couldn’t pull up anything shady on him. No large transfers of money, no family connection to Patricia, not even a speeding ticket.”

“Everyone has skeletons they don’t want the world to know about. When someone seems too clean, they’re probably hiding something.”

Liam used the ruler to swipe everything back into the wastepaper bin. Setting it down, he looked at me.

“Has he said anything inappropriate?”

“Like sexual?”

Liam nodded.

I shook my head. “No.”

“Ever seen him slip anything into his coffee?”

“You think he’s drinking on the job?”

“I think he’s hiding something. Until I figure out what that is, I don’t trust him, and I don’t want you to be alone with him.”

Liam tucked a wild, runaway piece of hair behind my ear and then ran his thumb over the blue necklace he’d given me. I shivered at the intense look in his eyes.

“I was thinking of spending a weekend away with you and Theo. Would you like that?”

Liam’s voice took on that sexy, seductive edge that drove me crazy.

“Sounds amazing,” I said, heat flushing my cheeks at the possibilities.

“Good, I’ll set it up.”