Page 6 of Broken by my Bully

The professor’s chalk screeches over the enormous blackboard as he turns to look at me. There’s a soft chuckle somewhere in the crowd of students, then a giggle. Probably because I look like a loser.

My shaking body switches to autopilot, sending me back to the floor. Literally seconds after Kai’s hissed threat, I’m already on my knees.

But only to collect my things off the floor.

I tug the two halves of my cardigan closed and hurry to the closest seat, my cheeks burning from the millions of eyes on me, and my notepad held to my chest like a shield.

“More interruptions?” The professor lifts his chin like I’m a baby animal that just wandered obliviously into his den.

Kai was right. This professor does not seem impressed with me at all.

He taps his chalk against the board, addressing the rest of the class who showed up on time. “See how easy it is to summon the devil?”

An outright laugh, some giggles, and another few chuckles break out, which I’m sincerely hoping aren’t aimed in my direction.

I plop down on the seat as the teacher drags his chalk under the word written on the board. As soon as I read what it says, my eyes want to bug out of my skull.

LUCIFER

Um…what?

Did I fall down a rabbit hole? Or did Kai bang my head so hard against the wall that I got a concussion? I swore this was supposed to be a social studies lesson.

Oh shit.

The help desk lady said the second door on the right, right?

What if I’ve just joined some random theology lesson?

If so, I should add it to my electives

Are all college professors so devastatingly handsomeandmouth-dryingly stern? He’s tall, like six-foot-something tall, with a runner’s build, a dark crew cut, and a touch of silver at his temples and sprinkled through his thick eyebrows.

I never thought I’d think this way about someone in a dark tweed jacket with patches on the elbows, but…damn. Why wasn’t I born ten years earlier when even the thought of dating someone like him wouldn’t have been wildly inappropriate?

He studies me for a beat before turning to add another word to the board.

EFFECT

He draws another line under that and keeps scrawling.

Prof Rooke - Lessons in Cruelty

I breathe out a slow breath through pursed lips.

Thank Lucifer.

“For the lady who’s so fashionably late, she even missed yesterday’s class—” Professor Rooke taps his chalk against his name, staring straight at me. “I do not enjoy repeating myself. Which you would know if you had bothered to show up yesterday.”

“Sorry,” I call out. “My phone died, so I only got the text?—”

He cuts me off with a deadpan, “I doubt a first year can come up with an excuse I haven’t heard before.”

He sweeps his hand to the cluster of students sitting in front of the lectern, raising his eyebrows. “I don’t shout. Move closer.”

I scramble up and pick my way through the empty seats to where he pointed. A girl around my age with a sleek red bob glances at me, but she must keep her flawless face in the freezer overnight because not a muscle moves, even after I give her a timid smile.

My eyes dart back to the lecture room door. I can still feel Kai’s hand between my shoulders, shoving me inside.