Page 14 of Depraved

“Rand…”

He seals my protest with his lips on mine. A soft sound between a whimper of need and a moan of relief eases from my chest. My hands curve around his shoulders, anchoring myself to him.

His kiss feels like coming home.

For a few blissful minutes, I allow myself to be swept up in his madness. I allow him to consume me. I want him to take and take, to claim me until there’s no room for niggling worries or doubts.

Being enfolded in his strong arms is so reassuring that it makes my eyes sting.

“Lena, do you want to come with me to—?” Amala’s question ends on a sharp gasp.

My stomach drops to the floor, and I tear my lips from Rand’s.

She’s staring at us with shock, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

“I was just coming to check on you,” she babbles. “Sorry, Lena. I’ll just… I’ll go now.”

She darts out of the lecture hall.

“Amala, wait!”

Rand grabs my wrist, chaining me to him so that I can’t go after my friend to explain.

I jerk free of his hold, and his crestfallen expression is a knife in my heart.

I take a step back, forcibly putting more distance between me and my professor.

“Don’t push me away,” he rasps. “Not now.”

I ease farther back. “I need space.”

“Please, Karolina.”

I shudder, and his eyes flash.

“Don’t tell me you don’t want to be with me,” he insists. “Don’t lie to us both.”

“This is too much for me,” I reply, strained. “I’m not rejecting you, but I’m freaking out. Can’t you understand that? Please give me some space so I can process all this. I have to figure out what I’m going to do.”

“We can figure it out together,” he declares. “You don’t need an MA. I don’t have to be your professor. You’re talented enough to⁠—”

I hold up a hand to silence him, my cheeks flushing with anger. “You don’t know how hard I’ve worked for this. I’m not just going to throw my life away for you. I…care about you, but I won’t sacrifice everything I’ve built.”

He looks as though I’ve gutted him with the same knife that’s twisting in my own heart.

“Call me when you’re ready to talk.” He manages to force the words through his clenched teeth.

His entire body is practically vibrating with the barely leashed need to reach for me.

But he’s restraining himself. He won’t push me to accept him when I’m not ready.

Looking into his shining eyes, I get the impression that he would wait forever for me. His devotion is so all consuming that it makes something inside me quake—equal parts fear and traitorous desire.

I offer him a jerky nod and rush out of the lecture hall, escaping his allure.

I’m not sure how I’ll resolve this, but lingering with my professor after I was just caught kissing him is the last thing I need to do right now.

If Amala tells anyone at the university…