The Professor (Forbidden Encounters 1)

“Hell no. You’re treading on dangerous ground. He’s a Marshall and you’re a Knight. You know what happened to Romeo and Juliet.”

I glower at him. Picking up an apple from the fruit basket at the middle of the table, I hurl it at his head. “This isn’t a damn Shakespeare play.”

Catching the fruit, he chuckles and takes a huge bite out of it. “Seriously, Abby, be careful.”

“No one knows that we’re...seeing each other. So don’t go blabbing.”

“You know I’m good with secrets.”

Too good. That’s been the cause for most of his jail time. He’s been in the slammer more times than I can count for not giving up my dad or any of their associates. “Not even to Daddy.”

“See, now that’s asking a lot.”

“Jake.”

He sighs. “Fine. I won’t say a word. You can tell him yourself when you go to see him.”

“It’s none of his business or anyone elses.”

“He’s your father.”

“Then he should have given up his criminal life to stay with Lucy and me.” The anger and hostility resound in my voice. It’s enough to make Jake clamp his mouth shut. Arms crossed, he studies me silently for a while, and I will myself not to burst into tears.

“I’m sorry, kiddo,” is all he says when he finally speaks.

Letting out a long breath, I turn to stare out the window at the driveway. The look on Bryce’s face and the hurt in his voice will haunt me until I make things right. I can’t believe I couldn’t have at least introduced him as my friend. He’s been the most incredibly sweet, patient man I’ve ever come across, and I hurt his feelings. I hate that he has the impression that I’m not a one-man kind of girl.

Jake clears his throat to get my attention. I’m still annoyed with him, so I turn to him with a scathing look. “Now that I’m back, you and Lucy can stop working and focus on school.”

“No.”

“Cut down on your working hours then.”

“No, thank you.”

“Abby?”

“We don’t want your blood money.”

He grits his teeth and his nostrils flare. “It isn’t blood money. We’re not in that kind of business.”

“Then we don’t want your drug money. Lucy and I are fine.”

“Your father asked me to make sure you girls?”

“We’ve been fine on our own without him...and you.”

He hangs his head and exhales. “Yeah, you girls are tough but sometimes it’s okay to accept a little help. I’m still putting the money in your account. I have to keep my word to your old man.”

I respond with a hostile stare, which I know doesn’t faze him one bit.

“I’ll drop by a little later when Lucy’s home, and when you’ve calmed down.” He hops off the counter, makes his way to me and plants a kiss on my head. It’s amusing that he still does that now that I’m an adult. The familiar gesture softens me a bit, but I don’t say a word as he saunters out.

I’m glad he is gone, but I want Bryce to come back. I don’t like that I’m left with the memory of us on the couch.

It’s all I can see.

And since it’s all I can see, it’s all I can want.