MY DANGEROUS PROFESSOR

Chapter 4

The bass shook the floor beneath my feet, After everything that had happened with Logan, I didn't want to think anymore. I just needed something loud enough to drown my sorrows away.

Four shots of tequila and two vodka tonics later, I finally stopped thinking about Logan. Or maybe I was just too drunk to think straight. Either way, I didn't care. I threw my head back and sang horribly along to whatever pop song was blasting through the VIP section.

Chloe and Maya were dancing beside me like they had completely lost their minds, while Sam and Leo battled it out on the dance floor. Their terrible moves had all of us laughing until our stomachs hurt.

I knocked back the rest of my drink and slammed the glass onto the sleek marble table.

“Listen everyone!” I screamed, hitting the table to get their attentions. “I have made a decision!” I announced, pointing dramatically at the ceiling. “Men are officially dead to me! I’m done! From now on, it’s just me, my career, my bed, and my peace of mind!

Chloe burst out laughing, clinking her glass against mine with enough force to spill her drink. "To Aria’s official swearing-off of all useless, freeloading scum!"

"Hear, hear!" Leo cheered, throwing an arm around Sam’s shoulders. "May they all rot!"

They kept teasing me until I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt. For the first time all day, I wasn't thinking about Logan or that apartment. I was just having fun, and I just wanted to enjoy the night and not think about what had happened.

Then, my eyes drifted past Chloe’s shoulder. High above the dance floor, I noticed a man sitting alone in one of the private VIP booths. The area was tucked away behind velvet curtains, separated from the rest of the club.

He looked completely out of place in the club. His dark suit fit him perfectly, and even from this distance, I could tell he wasn't some random guy who had wandered into the VIP section. He sat alone, turning a glass of whiskey between his fingers while two men in black stood nearby.

And his eyes were locked directly on me.

It wasn't just a passing glance. He was watching me, his dark eyes fixed on mine even with the flashing lights between us. A shiver ran down my spine, and my heart skipped a beat. Maybe it was the alcohol, but I couldn't seem to look away.

"Alright, enough screaming," Maya grinned, completely oblivious to where my gaze had landed as she spun an empty green bottle on the glass tabletop. "Truth or Dare time. Let's make tonight legendary."

The bottle whirled rapidly, slowing down until the glass neck pointed straight at my chest.

"Aria!" Chloe squealed, her eyes gleaming with chaotic mischief. "Truth or Dare?"

I dragged my eyes away from the shadow-draped booth and forced a sloppy, reckless smile. "Dare! Hit me your absolute worst."

Chloe smirked, leaning forward on her elbows. She glanced around the venue before her eyes caught mine looking back toward the upper level. She followed my gaze, her eyes widening as she caught sight of the mysterious man in the suit.

"Oh, perfect," Chloe purred, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "See that insanely dangerous-looking guy up there? The one who looks like he could buy and sell this entire club without blinking? I dare you to walk up to his table, start a conversation, and flirt with him."

"Chloe, are you insane?" Maya whispered, peeking nervously toward the dark booth. "That’s the ultra-VIP lounge. Security won't even let you near the stairs—"

"I will do it!" I blurted out, pushing myself off the velvet couch so fast the table rattled.

The room spun for a second, but I ignored it. I kicked off my heels, grabbed my glass of red wine, and gave my cheering friends a playful bow. I was barefoot, drunk, and honestly past the point of caring what anyone thought.

“Watch and learn, amateurs,” I giggled, swaying on my feet. My friends immediately started cheering and whistling, pulling out their phones to record the whole thing as I stumbled away from the booth.

I wobbled across the cool tile floor, stepping up the velvet-roped stairs toward the dark, intimidating upper lounge. Two huge security guards stepped in front of me, blocking my path. I barely had time to wonder if I had just made the biggest mistake of my life when the man lifted one hand. And the guards immediately stepped aside.

I stumbled toward his table, the red wine sloshed over the rim of my glass with every unsteady step I took.

I looked up, and my heart suddenly started pounding.

Up close, he was even more handsome than I had expected. His hair was dark and neatly styled, and his jaw looked like it had been carved out of stone. But it was his eyes that caught my attention. They were so dark I couldn't tell where his pupils ended. There was something intimidating about him, something that should have had me turning around and running for my life.

But instead of walking away, I leaned over his table, resting my elbows on it as I gave him my best tipsy, defiant smile.

"Hey there, stranger," I giggled, my vision hazy as I looked into those beautiful dark eyes. "Are you always this grumpy, or am I just that special?"