Six
—
After Graham gathered all the documents into his briefcase, he indicated I follow him out of the room. While we walked alongside each other, I berated myself for being so stupid. Why was I following his orders? Why didn’t I just leave? Furthermore, why had I gotten myself in this mess for the first place?
All for the promise of more money I definitely wouldn’t get now that the shit had hit the fan. There was no way Graham would let the test answers I submitted as Veronica stand. As a matter of fact Veronica was probably going to be expelled. No, definitely going to be expelled. And I was pretty sure Jared wouldn’t pay me for a spectacular fuck up like this.
Julia’s Law, I thought bitterly. What can go wrong, will go wrong when it comes to Julia Stevens. If only I’d remembered that one constant truth before I’d agreed to be a part of this mess.
Graham came to a stop and opened the door, waving me in. Then he shut the door behind him and set his briefcase down on his tidy desk. But instead taking a seat behind the desk, he occupied the chair beside mine.
I swallowed, forcing the fear and nervousness down to present a brave, unworried front.
“What do you want to talk about, Professor West?”
“I’m curious to know why you’re pretending to be someone you are not.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I pursed my lips. “I’m a university student.”
“Holding strong to the lie, I see.” He chuckled and it galled me he found my situation amusing. “I know you are not Veronica Sutherland. While I was the invigilator for the Economics exam today, I teach Psychology and Miss Sutherland is one of my students. I know her well by her frequent tardiness and lack of attendance to my classes.”
The jig was well and truly up. I didn’t know what else to say. Unwilling to endure this mortifying episode any longer, I stood.
“Good talk, but I think we’re done here.”
I turned to leave but Graham grabbed my hand, stopping me.
“We’re far from done, Miss Stevens.”
I yanked my hand free from his grasp, and my eyes narrowed at his smiling face.
“How do you know my name?”
“From Nadine.” He stood, dwarfing me with his height. “I wanted to know why you seemed familiar that first day we met. But I didn’t know why until I saw you today. I remembered the article in the news about you and your… episode at a pharmacy.”
Episode. I wanted to laugh. That’s what he called the pharmacy’s loss prevention officers hauling me to a closed off room, then the cops showing up soon after to cart me away in cuffs. Then my mother arriving at the precinct, her face pale, her eyes filled with a well of disappointment so deep, I still drowned in it to this day.
That whole shameful experience that was the impetus to where I stood right now minimalized into one soft word.
It bothered me he knew about my shoplifting. Did he know about my past as a drug addict too? I tried my best to keep those secrets hidden, and the threat of them being revealed made me wish I could vanish from this room.
“Look, this has all been a mistake, OK?” I breathed out in frustration and shook my head. “I shouldn’t have come here. Forget you ever saw me. Give Veronica a fail if you want to. I don’t care. I’m done with all of this.”
“What you did cannot be simply forgotten or forgiven, Ms. Stevens.” He moved closer, blocking my path to the door. “You committed a crime today. Fraud and forgery. You can be arrested and charged if I notify the authorities.”
My blood ran cold. “You wouldn’t.” I licked my lips as fear and terror tightened in my chest. “Please, Mr. West. Don’t call the cops on me. I’m sorry.” The words tumbled from my lips in an anxious babble. “I was hired to do it. I’m not even going to get paid if Veronica doesn’t pass. I didn’t know it was a crime. I thought it was just unethical.”
“Miss Stevens, calm down.” He gripped my shoulder, his warmth and his voice reassuring. His gaze kind. “I’m not going to call the police. That would be foolish. I need you.”
Relief was like a punch to the gut, his claim that he needed me sending a sizzle of surprise through me that eased my fear.
He needed me.
Yes. For something.
And that voice of suspicion tempered my growing excitement. I pulled away from his touch.
“Why do you need me?”
“I’m hosting a party tomorrow night at nine. I’d like you to attend as an… honoured guest.” He smiled. “You’ll be compensated well for your time.”
“A host paying his guests to attend his party?” I folded my arms. “Something isn’t right about that picture, Mr. West. What if I say no?”
“If you’re wise, you’ll say yes.”
“Because then you’ll tell the cops what I did, right?” He didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. His answer was in his silence. “You’re blackmailing me.”
He cupped my right cheek, his thumb smoothing across my lower lip. His gaze snared mine as he stepped closer and bent his head as if in preparation to kiss me. Although he touched my mouth, I felt it in the pit of my stomach, and in the heat building between my legs. Like a fucking ninny, I stood there and waited for his lips against mine.
“Blackmail is an ugly word, Julia.” The devil’s voice is silk, his promises made of regret. “You need me and I need you. I’m doing what’s best for the both of us.”