Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
I just stare blankly at the face of the man who scared me into leaving home in the first place. I want to ask him why he’s here. I want to know when he’ll be going away, but I can’t make myself speak.
“You’re not enrolled here, are you?” he asks me and I manage to shake my head.
He looks at the sign on the easel and reads it aloud, “Bryan Branigan Investments. Look at that. Now that I know where you work, maybe I’ll come by and take you to lunch.”
I feel the heat rising on my face. What do I do now? He knows where I work. I swallow hard and open my mouth. Finally, words come out. “Why are you here, Professor Milton?”
“Professor Milton? Come on now, Beth. You’re not my student anymore. I think we know each other intimately enough for you to call me John.”
“Why are you here?”
“Sunny California just lost its appeal for me. I wonder what changed?” He smirks at me. “Anyway, I saw an opening here and jumped at the chance to move to New York.”
“You live here now?”
“It’s all official. Want to come and see my place? It’s just a few minutes’ walk.”
“I have to go,” I say and silently scold myself. Move your ass. Get away from him.
“I’ll walk you to your car. Do you have a car? If not, I’d be happy to drive you.”
“No, thank you. I have to go.” I turn and practically run on my wobbly legs. Once outside, I stop to get my bearings and see him coming down the steps behind me.
Pretend that you don’t see him and go! I quicken my pace but the pavement is slippery from an earlier rain shower and my heels have no traction. I see the Porsche just ahead and pull the keys from my purse. A few more steps and I press the fob, unlocking the doors.
Reaching the car, I hold my hand out for the door handle, but another hand comes down on top of mine and pulls it away.
“No, no, no. You can’t just run off like that. I uprooted my entire life to come here, and for what? For you to give me the cold shoulder? That’s very rude, Beth, and I’m not going to stand for it.”
“Someone is waiting for me. I have to leave. Now, let me go.”
He twists my arm behind my back and pushes me against the car. I open my mouth to scream, but he covers it with his other hand.
“Don’t be a bitch, Beth. You owe me something for the way you led me on. You’re not leaving here until your attitude changes.” He pulls me into the bushes behind the building.
I don’t know what he’s planning. My heart races and tears fill my eyes. I know I have to fight him somehow, but he’s so much bigger than me. Is this it? Now that I have a life worth living, is he going to take it all away?
He pushes me against the wall so hard that my head bounces off and I see stars. I try to focus on his blurred face and see that he turns his gaze toward the parking lot. What is he looking for? Is there someone there? I close my eyes and do my best to focus. There’s a faint sound in the distance. It’s a man’s voice crying out, but my ears are ringing from the blow and I don’t know what he’s saying.
The pressure that’s built in my head suddenly pops like a firework, and my hearing returns just in time to hear what it is that caught the professor’s attention.
“Beth? Beth, where are you?” I hear Bryan call. “Beth, can you hear me?”
The professor tries to cover my mouth, but I bite down on his hand. As he draws his hand back, I cry out, “Bryan, help! Over here,” before he shoves his bloody hand back in my face.
“You have a man here already? You acted like you were untouchable with me. You’re just a lying whore, aren’t you?”
The professor pulls me by the arm and drags me further into the shadows. For a second, I think he’s going to toss me in his car and drive away with me, but Bryan is bigger and faster and easily catches up to us. He moves around us and blocks our path, forcing the professor to let go of my arm and try to escape alone. Bryan stands toe to toe with him and glares at this smug face.
“Did you think you were going to get away with my girl?” His shoulders heave and his biceps twitch as he asks the question.
“Your girl?” The professor turns his head to look at me, and Bryan smacks his face.
“Don’t look at her!”
The crazed professor lunges at him. “She’s mine. She’s always been mine! Who do you think you are?”