Beauty and the Billionaire

She squeezed the hand I laid on her shoulder. "There's a social media storm. All the students are in an uproar about something being removed from the student newspaper website. There's a mounting protest about corruption and censorship."

I brushed aside her soft, red curls and kissed the side of her neck. "I'd say that's the best news I've heard all day,

but I think this might be better." I left a trail of warm kisses down to wear the large tee-shirt collar hung loosely over her shoulder.

"Thank god the Landsman students are getting involved," Clarity said, doing her best to resist my lips. "Maybe they can take it from here and we can skip town for a few days."

I melted behind her. In one simple comment, Clarity had just voiced the hope I hadn't allowed myself. She wanted to spend more time with me, just me. It wasn't the excitement of the expose or the convenience of hiding out at my apartment: Clarity was actually interested in me.

I knelt on the floor beside the desk chair and slipped an arm around her waist. "I've been thinking about your road trip idea—"

A heavy-handed knock on my apartment door interrupted us.

"Should we pretend we're not home?" Clarity whispered. Her eyes took on a mischievous emerald glint. "Or pretend we didn't hear. We can sneak back to bed and try to be quiet."

Clarity's lips were irresistible and I drank in ,a delicious kiss before the loud rapping sounded again. This time my phone rang in conjunction with the knocking and voices in the hallway heard it too.

"Why do you look so worried?" Clarity caught my face in between both her smooth hands.

I thought about the man on the phone, but didn't want to panic her. "It's nothing. We expected all of this." I picked up my phone and showed her the caller ID. “It's the president of the college, I'd better answer," I said.

Clarity zipped her fingers across her lips and promised to be quiet so I put the phone on speaker and answered it.

"Professor Bauer, I'm assuming you know exactly what this call is about," the president began.

"Seems you have a student uprising on your hands," I said. "They seem to be upset about proof of administrative corruption, oh, and this whole censoring the student newspaper thing."

The president's voice turned icy. "This is a courtesy call, Bauer. Campus security guards have been sent to pick you up. I thought it would look better for you and for Landsman if the police didn't pick you up this morning. The guards will discreetly escort you to the police station."

Clarity's mouth dropped open and she flapped her hands in panic but I waved her quiet. "What if discreetly doesn't work for me?" I asked.

"You need to start making some serious career choices here, Bauer," the president said. "I'm trying to help you."

"You should be helping Dean Dunkirk," I pointed out.

The president ignored me. "The head of our campus security assures me they are outside your door at this moment. They know you are at home. Do yourself a favor and let them take you into the station. It won't be so quiet if the police need to come."

"I've got nothing to hide," I said. "In fact, I think you are the one that should reconsider. This makes it seem like Landsman College has something to hide."

"This has nothing to do with Landsman College," the president snapped. "You are being charged with libel by a private citizen."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Clarity

I bit my tongue again and it hurt. Ford tried for the third time to explain to the president of Landsman College that our article was the truth.

"Libel charges are never going to stick because there is actual evidence to back up our claims. Did you even read the article, sir?" Ford asked.

"I am not in the business of reading every conspiracy theory that comes along," the president said. "I'm sure you think you are showing your students the essence of some journalistic ideal, but attacking a donor with unsubstantiated claims is not the lesson they should learn."

"No," Ford snapped, "the students are learning how power corrupts and corrupted power uses censorship as a weapon."

"The truth of this is for the police to decide," the president said dryly. "I am merely trying to extend a courtesy to a former employee."

"Oh, so there it is," Ford gave a humorless laugh, "you're final stance is to ignore the truth, get rid of me, and sweep everything else under the rug. I suggest you read the article, sir. I also suggest you listen to your students or there won't be much of a college left for you to make look good."

"Again, Mr. Bauer. I am trying to help you. Security is there to make sure you are not taken away in handcuffs. If there's nothing else I can do or say—"