Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 60904 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60904 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
“What, worried?”
“I’m running. But yes, I’m also concerned about your safety.”
“Oh.” He doesn’t sound remotely winded.
The thought that he’s running to my rescue makes my stomach flip. I’m not sure if it’s an uneasy response or feminine gratification.
I decide to ignore it.
“Thank you,” I say instead of needling him.
“You can thank me by hurrying up. Sprint, Lena.”
“Is this your thing?” I ask blandly. “Do you like bossing your students around? This isn’t class, Professor. You’re not in charge here.”
“No more jokes,” he commands. “I want you safely with me as fast as possible.”
My strides lengthen, and my pace quickens. There’s no good reason for me to defy him. I have a creepy stalker watching me, and getting away from him is all that matters.
“You don’t have to say anything.” Rand’s voice is softer now. “Just focus on getting to me. I’m close to Museum Gardens. I’ll be at the river in thirty seconds, and then I’ll come down the path to meet you.”
I fall silent, and so does he. All I can hear are his even breaths that indicate light exertion.
He really is running to get to me.
I don’t tolerate abusive men. I remember what he told me in his office.
Professor Hirst doesn’t know me at all, so he clearly has some sort of white knight syndrome.
Whatever his damage is that made him this way, it doesn’t matter. I don’t have to learn his secrets. I just need him present to keep my stalker at bay. If I’m with Rand, the psycho won’t dare to come near me.
My blood goes cold, and I stop in my tracks.
What if my stalker sees me with my professor, and he decides that Rand is another unworthy man in my life?
“Lena!”
The ground seems to shift beneath me, leaving me unsteady on my feet.
Professor Hirst closes the last several yards that separate us. He lifts his hands as though he’s going to brace my shoulders, and I flinch away.
“What happened?” he half-growls. “Are you hurt?”
I take a step back. “This was a mistake. I’m sorry I called you.”
He straightens his glasses to peer down at me. “I’m not sorry. You’re pale. You don’t have to be scared anymore. I’m right here. No one will get close to you.”
I retreat farther. “Seriously, it was a false alarm. I guess I just got freaked out when I was alone. I’m fine.” I eye his professional attire and leather satchel. “Did you leave class to get to me?”
He waves my question away like an irritating fly. “Stop being evasive. Tell me what’s happening.”
Running in the opposite direction isn’t an option; that’s where I left my stalker behind. But Rand’s huge body is blocking my path back to town.
I try to skirt around him, but he mirrors me. Before I can evade him, he snatches my phone out of my hand.
Damn him. It’s unlocked; our call is still connected.
He finds the messages from my stalker, and his eyes narrow.
“This isn’t a false alarm,” he grinds out. “Why are you lying to me? What happened in the last few minutes?”
I try to grab for my phone. He holds it over his head, which is considerably out of my reach. I’m not about to start bouncing to swipe for it.
Instead, I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him.
“I want my phone back.”
“And I want the truth. I’ll give it back when you’re honest with me.”
“This is ridiculous,” I huff. “You have no right to steal my phone.”
He quirks a brow. “And you won’t go to the police to get it back from me, will you? No,” he cuts me off before I can issue another retort. “You won’t even do that to report your stalker. So instead, you have me. That won’t change, Lena. I’m here for you, whether you like it or not. I’ll protect you.”
“I’m protecting you!” I burst out.
His stern expression softens, but he doesn’t lower my phone. “What do you mean?”
I press my lips together, unwilling to share more vulnerable information. I can’t risk a connection with Rand. It will put him in my stalker’s crosshairs.
“Ah,” he says, reading me far too easily. “You think my proximity to you will put me in danger.”
“I don’t want him to see you with me,” I say quickly. “So give me my phone, and go back to the university. I’m sorry I involved you.”
“I’m not afraid of your stalker.” He spreads his massive arms wide. “Look at me. I can take care of myself.”
“He has a knife.”
My stalker clearly isn’t afraid of using a deadly weapon. He cut Rich’s throat.
“And I have years of experience in MMA,” Rand counters, calm and reasonable. “I know how to disarm someone.”
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
I can’t bear it if I’m the reason he ends up dead. It’s happened too many times before.