MY PROFESSOR, MY STEPBROTHER, MY RUIN

Let Me Lose Control This Time

CHAPTER FOUR

Elara’s Pov

I walked into the lecture hall with my head held high, wearing the biggest ‘don’t touch me’ expression I could muster.

I had spent three hours doing my makeup, making sure I looked like a woman who hadn't been pinned against a fridge and mocked just hours ago.

'You are a queen, Elara. He is just a professor. He is just your cold living Stepbrother you need to ignore,' I lied to myself as I took my seat.

The atmosphere in the room was tense and as soon as Caleb walked in, the air seemed to vanish.

He dropped me off at school as usual this morning and I tried to ignore his existence, even then.

"Clear your desks, you are having an impromptu test, now." he said, dropping his stuff onto the table and inscribing stuff on the board.

A collective groan erupted from the students and I immediately heard my heart do a nervous skip, I hadn't studied.

I’d spent the entire night replaying his scent in my head, and the fact he knew about Nicolas.

I stared at the questions, my heart racing. I barely knew what the questions even meant, I only understood one and a little from question two.

Caleb paced the aisles like a predator. Every time he passed my desk, I could feel the heat radiating from him. I kept my eyes glued to the paper, trying to focus on the complex economic theories, but my brain was mush.

“Time's up, all pen down" Caleb's voice echoed in the room. I stared down at my paper, I'd barely written a thing.

I let out a sigh as he stepped forward and collected my papers as well, his fingers brushed against mine. He walked past me coldly, collecting other students' papers.

He dumped the test papers on his desk, sinking into his seat as he started marking the test papers.

He looked so hot and sexy marking the script, and my eyes kept traveling to his lips, imagining the scene from yesterday—me pinned beneath him. If he hadn't pulled away and just kissed me…

What are you thinking about? He's your stepbrother and worst he probably hates your existence. He makes that clear enough.

Letting out another sigh, I threw my head backwards.

"The following student needs to see me in my office immediately, I step out, regarding her awful performance," Caleb announced, his voice flat. He paused, and I felt a cold dread settle in my stomach.

"Elara Gilbert."

Whispers erupted immediately, but I maintained a stoic face. Sarah gave me a worried look, but I just gathered my things, watching him walk away as my hands shook.

I followed him to his office, the walk feeling like a march to the gallows. He opened the door, gestured for me to enter, and shut it behind us.

He walked past me, sat behind his desk and tossed my test paper toward me.

Across the top, in aggressive red ink, was a pathetic ten out of thirty score

"This is pathetic, Elara," he said, leaning back and crossing his arms. The professional mask was still on, but his eyes held that same glimmer of mockery from the kitchen.

"Are you always this distracted, or is it just when you're living under my roof?"

"I had a lot on my mind," I snapped, trying to reclaim some of my dignity. "You wouldn't understand because your supposed abode wasn't burnt down nor do you have to live with a stoic looking monster"

"Is that right?" He stood up, slowly walking around the desk until he was standing right in front of my chair. He leaned down, his face inches from mine, trapping me with his shadow. "Because it looked to me like you were plenty focused last night. Or were you too busy thinking about your boyfriend to study?"

"Leave Nicolas out of this," I whispered, my voice failing me.

"Why? You clearly use him as a shield." He reached out, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw, sending a jolt of electricity through my spine that made me gasp. "But shields break, sissy and based on this grade, you're failing more than just my class."

He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous, silky whisper that vibrated against my skin.

"Tell me the truth. Is it the subject you don't understand... or is it me?"

I couldn't breathe. The heat between us was suffocating, and for a second, I thought he might actually drop the act of a cold blooded monster again.

But then he pulled away, a cruel smirk playing on his lips as he handed me a pen.

"You're going to stay here and redo this entire assessment. Under my supervision," he commanded, sitting on the edge of the desk right next to my hand.

"And if you fail again, we’ll have to find a much more... rigorous way to make sure you learn your lesson." He bit down hard on his lips seductively and I took a huge gulp, snatching the pen from his grip.

I felt my heart racing as I scribbled on the paper. Was it just me or he was flirting with me?

I took in a shaky breath as I started scribing on anything I thought was the answer to each question.

After what felt like hours,I was finally done. I grabbed my test paper and handed it over to him. He stared at the content before tossing it aside.

“If you're bent on testing my patience Elara I've got a lot of it, you aren't getting outta here until you get those right” He groaned tossing me a fresh sheet.

‘f**k you!’ I wanted to yell that right to his face but recoiled, I didn't have the guts yet. I grabbed the paper, returning to my sit as I began answering the questions all over again.

I submitted another test answers after some time and the same process of rejection ensued. I kept redoing and redoing but he had a thing or two to complain about.

When the other teachers asked about me, he had given an awkward complaint that he was lecturing me and now, school was over, and it was probably the both of us left in school.

Suddenly, the sky began going dark as if it were about to rain, a low rumble echoed in the distance, growing steadily louder.

I flinched, my pen stilling over the paper. I hated thunderstorms. That unexpected flash of lightning and the deafening roar of thunder has always sent a shiver of fear down my spine.

"Having trouble with the questions, or are you just admiring the impending storm?" Caleb’s voice cut through the silence, making me jump.

He definitely knew I had thunderstorm fright and also that I was definitely having problems with the test questions. He was definitely taunting and mocking me.

"I'm fine," I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady. I could hear the first drops of rain beginning to patter against the windowpane, soft at first, then growing into a steady downpour.

Suddenly, a blinding flash of lightning illuminated the entire room, followed almost instantly by a deafening CRACK of thunder that rattled the windows.

I gasped, dropping my pen and instinctively covering my ears, my eyes squeezed shut. The lights flickered violently and then, with a soft hum, died completely as darkness enveloped us both.

"Elara?" Caleb’s voice was closer now, laced with something that sounded like concern. "Are you alright?"

My heart was pounding, a frantic drum against my ribs. The rain outside turned into a torrential deluge, pounding against the building like a thousand tiny hammers.

Another flash of lightning lit up the room for a terrifying second, revealing Caleb's silhouette moving toward me. I whimpered, clutching my arms around myself.

"I... I don't like thunder," I confessed, my voice barely a whisper, thick with fear.

He was right in front of me now. I could feel his warmth, smell his familiar scent as his hand reached out, gently touching my shoulder. The contact sent a shiver through me that had nothing to do with the cold.

"It's alright," he said, his voice surprisingly soft. "It's just a storm. Nothing to be afraid of."

"Easy for you to say," I mumbled, still trembling. "You probably faced worse in..." I trailed off, remembering his military past.

Another deafening peal of thunder shook the room, and I cried out, shrinking further into myself. Without a word, Caleb scooped me up, his arms strong and secure around my waist and under my knees.

I gasped, clinging to his shirt, my face pressed against his chest. His heart was beating steadily, a calming rhythm against my ear. He smelled even more potent closer up, intoxicating me.

"Hey, it's okay," he murmured, his breath warm against my hair. "I've got you." His voice was strangely soothing and I felt myself relaxing into his grip.

"We're going home." He mumbled as he carried me out of the office, down the darkened hallway, and through the deserted university building. He was finally back to his senses.

The storm raged outside, wind howling, rain lashing against the windows, but in his arms, I felt strangely safe, sheltered from the chaos.

He reached his car in the parking lot, the rain soaking him instantly, but he didn't falter. He opened the passenger door, gently set me inside, and then quickly circled to the driver's side.

We hit the road and soon we reached the mansion. The gates opened, and he drove under the shelter of the portico. He turned off the engine, plunging us into silence save for the drumming rain.

He turned to me, his hand reaching but to unbuckle my seat belt but our gaze suddenly locked in place.

Slowly, his hands cupped my cheek. His thumb brushed over my skin, sending an electric current through me. My breath hitched as his eyes searched mine, no longer cold, instead they were filled with hunger.

"Elara, I…" he breathed, his eyes dropping to my lips.

He leaned in, slowly, giving me every chance to pull away, but I couldn't. I was mesmerized, lost in the depth of his gaze.

“Allow me to lose control this time" He mumbled. I gave him a short nod and with that, he claimed my lips. Kissing me hungrily like his life depends on it.

My hands slowly cupped around his neck as I pulled him even closer, my mind running wild with lust.