Page 87 of Scarred King
I can’t believe it! Professor Sawyer is leaving? “But what about our research?” I ask the first question that enters my head.
“I thought I could finish out the semester here and continue the research, but they want me to start right away. And you have to understand…” He takes a step towards me. “You have to understand that they’re giving me a serious research budget and benefits that I won’t get at any other university. Especially not here.” he smirks.
“When are you planning to leave?” I choke.
“Next week.” He strokes my shoulder. “But I have an excellent substitute.”
“What about me?” I feel the tears coming and I lower my head. “I thought you’d be my advisor for my thesis and then my doctorate.”
“Elena, come to the conference with me this weekend.” He raises my chin and looks into my eyes. “We can talk about everything there and decide on a plan of action for you.”
“I don’t know.” I flinch backward and nearly fall off the stage. “I have to think about it.” I run out of the lecture hall and look for Johanna on the lawn. She’s leaning against a tree trunk, eating an apple. I sit down beside her and burst into tears.
“What's wrong?” she asks anxiously. “The Russians? The French? The Italians?”
“No.” I bury my head in my hands, still crying. “Professor Sawyer.”
“You are crying over him?” she looks at me in surprise. “What did that perfect man do to make you cry?”
“He’s leaving me,” I say sadly and dry my tears.
Johanna's eyes widen in surprise.
“He’s moving to a different university,” I whimper. “He won’t be here for me anymore.”
“He is leaving?” she asks, surprised. “Why? When? Where to?”
“I’m really sad,” I sniff my nose and lay my head on her skinny shoulder. “He’s my knight in shining armor, and now he’s abandoning me.”
“That's terrible,” she empathizes.
“He asked me to join him this weekend for a conference.” I sniff again. “He wants to talk about my studies.”
“You have to go,” she takes another bite of her apple, “maybe the two of you can find a solution.”
“I don’t know,” I mumble and we both get up and walk towards the exit.
Ralph’s silver Hummer is waiting for me in the parking lot. The bodyguard opens the door and we both get in. Ralph grins at me and gives Johanna a small packet of white powder. She snatches it excitedly. “This is a reward for your cooperation last night.”
I shake my head in despair and he narrows his eyes at me. “What's wrong, Duchess? Do you want some too? I will give you a big packet.”
“Don’t call me that again. And you know I don’t touch that shit.” I say angrily and Johanna elbows me in the ribs and whispers, “Take it, take it for me.”
“No way.” I shake her off and turn to face Ralph. “Drop us off at our apartment, please.”
“You’d better come to the bar today,” he says as he leans back in his seat. “We need to show stability. Especially now, with all the rumors of Liam’s crazy woman who is so fond of knives.” He laughs and I shrug in despair.
“I didn’t have a choice. The Russian tried to choke me, and the Italian tried to rape me. What the hell was I supposed to do?”
“shoot them in the head.” He puts his arm on my shoulder. “You know that neither of them would work with me because they think I'm crazy.” He strokes my arm and laughs. “I really don’t know how they got the wrong impression.”
“You killed three people yesterday without even blinking,” I note dryly.
“That was self-defense.” He fakes an offended tone and a big grin spreads over my face. “Anyway, it would be better for you to be at the bar until our friends return and business goes back to usual.”
“I’m not staying there alone,” I shiver, and he pulls me close.
“I'll be with you the whole time,” he soothes me.