AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Pollux.
He stood another moment, and I allowed myself to study him, since he was doing the same to me.
I took in the dark jeans, dark sweater, and the way both fit his form. The sweater outlined a defined, muscular chest, and huge—like, tree-limb sized—arms. He could probably karate chop this desk and it would splinter like particle board.
“Did you have any other questions?”
His green eyes widened. I’d been a little short, but there were people waiting to have a discussion. Not everyone wanted to get into an argument. He leaned forward suddenly, lowering his voice to a whisper I could barely make out.
“Your newest expedition in England. What evidence have you found that brought you this far from Turkey?”
No one outside my department and the librarians in the Bodleian knew that I suspected a piece of the vessel might be here, in England. Not that it was a secret. I just wasn’t ready to fight hordes of other historians and classicists at a potential excavation site.
What the hell?
My shock must have been evident. A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth.
Fucking rude—pardon my swearing.
But his smugness was less concerning than the fact that he’d found out about my research without it being broadcast.
A sudden, overwhelming desire to get back to my office and apartment to make sure all my external hard drives were where I left them hit me.
Everything I had was locked down. I didn’t keep anything uploaded to the cloud, or some hackable system. And before you call me paranoid, understand this—there was nothing academics wanted more than credit. For god’s sake, we pitched fits over the order our names were listed on research papers.
I scanned the room to see if anyone else had heard him. When it was clear no one had, I whispered, “Come to my office.”
If he was surprised by my tone, he didn’t show it.
Gathering my materials, I made excuses to the waiting students about office hours. I slung my bag over my shoulder and glared at Pollux. “Well?”
He gestured toward the door, that same stupid grin on his face. I wanted to smack it off. Generally, I wasn’t a violent person, but if this man had stolen my research…
He followed me through the halls and under stone arches out onto St. Giles. Cars drove through puddles, spraying the sidewalk with dirty water. I ignored the possibility of getting doused, and rounded on him immediately. “What do you want?”
Rather than answer, he put one hand on my shoulder, turning me toward the direction of the Ioannou Centre where my office was located. “It’s going to start pouring, and you appear to have forgotten your umbrella.”
I wasn’t sure if I should be freaked out about his weather prediction, or the fact that he knew where my office was. A quick peek at the low, gray clouds proved he was right, but it seemed idiotic to worry about that at the moment. Shrugging away from him, I dislodged his hand.
“It’s always raining here. I won’t melt. If you’re thinking I’m going to share my research, or be blackmailed, you’re dead wrong. I’ve dealt with way scarier people than you.” I had. And I worried more about my work than getting wet.
He leaned down until our faces were inches apart. This close, I could see flecks of brown in his eyes, and that despite his olive-tone skin, purple shadows ringed his eyes. My gaze flicked to his mouth and the lips that were no longer in anything close to a smile. “I doubt it.”
Despite my earlier bravery, I stumbled back a step.
Straightening, he shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m not threatening you. I don’t want your research.”
The wind kicked up, blowing leaves past our feet. I shivered. Even with the sweater under my blazer, the chill went right through me.
He frowned. “I promise. I’m not dangerous.”To you.
It was left unsaid, but the words hung there nevertheless. And god knew why, but I believed him.
Instead of answering, I strode toward my office. I had planned on getting a coffee or tea or something equally soothing to reward myself for teaching at my dream university, but now I just wanted to get this over with. The rest of it could wait.
Next to me, Pollux barely made a sound. I tromped over the stones. The difference between our strides made my mother’s voice echo in my head.“Could you please walk like a lady, Leonora, and not an elephant?”
Dad always chuckled at that joke.
