AFTER HOURS: MY DEAL WITH PROFESSOR BANCROFT

CHAPTER 14

JULIA

I didn't know what I was doing standing at the center of the stage, all eyes looking at me from the shadows.

I don't know what I was thinking when this masked man approached me with an offer.

I'd searched for Professor Bancroft for a few minutes and when I didn't see him, I jumped on the offer.

It sounded exciting enough. And I wanted to know... if another person could evoke the same feeling within me.

"You're too tense" the masked man whispered, his fingers trailing across my collarbone. I swallowed and took a step back, dislodging his touch from my skin.

His eyes narrowed.

"The scene's about to start" I nodded, looking up at the darkness above us.

The lights dimmed even more around us and his shoulders lightly pushed me backwards onto the stretched out chair.

"We'll begin" he growled in a deep voice.

I closed my eyes, allowing myself to breathe as his cold palm glided over the skin of my thighs.

"Ahh," I squeaked and immediately flushed after my embarrassing reaction. The masked man smiled at me.

"You're fine. Just relax" his soft voice caressed my skin. I tried to do as he said but my body simply couldn't accept the order.

It felt wrong. Unnatural.

My eyes flew open and I sat up again.

"What are you doing?" He growled with less patience in his voice.

"Sorry. I cannot..."

"Hands off her" a new voice barked, disrupting the moment. I jumped to my feet and looked at the entrance of the stage.

Professor Bancroft stood only a few inches away, his eyes dark with anger.

"Boss" the man drawled.

"Come here Julia" he growled at me.

"You know her?" He looked from me to Professor Bancroft.

"Now Julia" he snapped again and my feet started moving as I walked to him.

His fingers closed around my arms when I was close enough and he pulled me away.

Just like the first night we'd met here, he dragged me through the dark area and finally to the same spot he'd left me yesterday.

My eyes immediately found the stage. The masked man was still there but a woman had joined him, her body bowing under his touch.

"What the f**k are you thinking?" Professor Bancroft yelled at me and I dragged my eyes over to him.

"Trying to learn" I answered in a stiff tone.

"Learn? This is a f*****g club, Julia. Not a library" he spat the words like they were poison in his mouth.

"I'm sure I wouldn't be a student if I didn't know how to read"

"Don't be sassy" he snapped at me, the veins bulging as his control slipped through his fingers.

I found it amusing that the usually composed professor was losing his iron clad control just from a few words.

"This isn't a place for you" he continued.

"Then it's a place for you?"

"It belongs to me"

My eyes widened. He owned this place?

Interesting. So he wasn't just a member. He owned this kind of club.

"You have school tomorrow"

My smile slipped into a frown. "I'm not a child"

"Then quit acting like one. Do you have any idea what you were about to get yourself into?"

"You sound like it's something diabolical. But you were doing the same thing just a night ago"

He didn't need to know that I was about to pull away before he arrived.

"For f***s sake" he ran his fingers through his hair and I saw a peek of something I'd never seen under his expensive suits and long sleeved shirts.

Ink.

"Where the f**k are your things Julia? Grab them we're going home"

"No" I shook my head slowly and his jaw tightened.

"I'm not going anywhere with you Edmund" I drawled out his name and his nostrils flared.

"Julia!"

"I came here to learn something. And I'm not leaving until I do. Unless..." I took a step forward and heard his sharp intake of breath.

"You're willing to teach me"

Professor Bancroft's eyes narrowed into slit as he stared at me.

"No"

My taunting expression fell and I straightened.

"Then we have nothing to discuss" I said and turned away from him.

I only took one step into the darkness when he grabbed me again, his grip tighter than it had ever been. I felt a sharp jolt straight to my chest at his touch again.

"We're leaving now!" His voice grew louder as he pulled me away.

"My things..."

"Will be sent down to the car. You're not spending another minute here" he growled and pulled me away.

I recognized the back door he'd dragged me out of the last time.

"You're making a habit of dragging me around" I muttered and from his growl, I knew he heard me.

The car was waiting like the last time. As soon as I was seated, he slammed it shut.

I sat in the silence of the car as I watched another man walk up to him. He looked much younger than Professor Bancroft.

I saw him hand over my clutch and then Professor Bancroft was storming to the car.

The first few seconds were silent as he started the engine and then I looked at him.

"What changed? You were willing to teach me before"

I couldn't help but ask.

"I told you..."

"I think your insults are poorly hidden excuses" I cut him off and saw him grind his jaw.

"You put the deal on the table"

"And I'm taking it back"

"Why?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you Miss Walker"

My fist tightened.

"We're back to Miss Walker?" I didn't keep the bite out of my voice.

"That's the only way to address each other" he said stiffly and I scoffed.

"I think I've made it very clear what I want"

"Miss Walker..."

"And if you aren't going to take my deal. Then you shouldn't interfere"

The silence stretched and then the car came to a stop. The dorm lights illuminated the windshield.

"Goodnight Miss Walker" he said in a cold voice.

His words knocked the confidence out of me. His reaction showed I got under his skin. But that wasn't enough. My fingers curled into my palm and I nodded.

"Thank you... Professor Bancroft" I said in the same even tone and then I climbed out and walked into the dorm without turning back.