Page 44 of Bound By Debt

“I thought perhaps we could do this the simple way, but I see we can’t. You have tenure, yes?”

“Of course I do,” the man scoffs, as if the idea he might not were absurd, though his gaze keeps flicking to Evgeny and away again.

“I would hate for you to lose a position you’ve worked so hard to gain.” Evgeny’s voice is as smooth as silk, but it also has a sharp edge that sends a chill down my spine.

“I c—can’t lose tenure,” he sputters.

“Oh, no?”

Evgeny leans over the desk and begins talking to the other man in a low voice. I can’t hear the words, but the color drains entirely from the professor’s face, his eyes rounding with panic.

Marco’s professor stares with horror at the wolfish smile on Evgeny’s face as Evgeny pulls away, and I wonder what the hell he said.

“I’ll give you a 95 in the class—” The professor can’t get the words out fast enough.

“99,” Evgeny corrects.

“99,” the professor squeaks.

Marco shakes his head. “I don’t want to be given a grade. I just want what I earned fair and square.”

One of Evgeny’s eyebrows arches in a clear message to the professor, who gulps.

“I will. I’ll grade it fairly. Is that okay? Is that enough?”

That last part he says to Evgeny, who shrugs. “We’ll see, I suppose. Eva, Marco, let’s let the man get to work.”

Evgeny shepherds us out, and as the office door shuts behind us, I’m positive I hear the professor hyperventilating.

The three of us are quiet until we’re out of the building and in the summer sunshine and bright chaos of the college campus.

“What did you say to him?” Marco finally asks.

“I am privy to some information your professor might not want to present to the general public. Or the donors to this school,” Evgeny offers.

Marco meets my eyes, and I shake my head, warning him against asking any more questions. I almost expect my brother to ask me what the hell I’m doing with a guy like this. Instead, he grins and looks at Evgeny with something like worship in his eyes.

“So, you’re Eva’s new boss?”

“Something like that.”

“Cool.” Marco flashes me a grin, then asks, “Can I buy you a beer for helping me out?”

For a moment, Evgeny looks like he’s going to refuse. I expected it. But a small smile crosses his face. “Why don’t I buy you one instead?”

Which is how we end up at a high-end bar near campus, a place I know Marco has never been before.

“Your sister tells me you’re a business major,” Evgeny says, settling into one of the chairs.

“I am. My major is management and marketing.”

“Two useful pathways. And from everything your sister has said, you’re an exceptional student.”

Marco beams like someone just handed him the sun, then flashes me a look I can read easily.I like this one. I just roll my eyes.

Honestly, I don’t even know why Evgeny came with me to deal with the asshole professor. He stunned all of us this morning when, instead of ordering Vasya or Dmitri to come with me, he said he’d go himself.

For a month now, Evgeny has allowed me to return home whenever my family needs me, always sending either his second-in-command or Vasya with me to make sure I come back.