Page 63 of His to Own

I leave Olga standing there, horrified, as I whistle to myself and walk out of her house. I did a good job today.

Elena

I’m surprised to find a notice on the door of my Shakespeare class. It reads that Professor Romanov is no longer a teacher at the school and that the class will be taught by someone else. When I enter the room, I find a younger woman at the head of the class. Probably in her early thirties.

“Hello, everyone,” she says. “I am Professor Roztova. I am the new teacher. I’ll be taking over where Professor Romonov left off.”

Slowly, I sit down in my seat. My tongue is burning to ask where our old professor went but a part of me knows. She’s mysteriously gone after I told Maxim about the trouble she’s been giving me. The weight in my gut settles heavier.

The moment class is done, I walk to the parking lot where I know Maxim is waiting for me. “What did you do?”

He gazes down at me with an amused expression. “You’re going to have to be more specific than that.”

“To my professor. What did you do?”

“Oh. Her. I had her fired.”

I blink. The fact that he speaks so calmly like he did nothing wrong shouldn’t surprise me and yet it does. “You had her fired?”

“It was easy.” He leans against the car, his hands in his pockets. “I just convinced the dean of the school to fire her. I can be very persuasive.”

“So you didn’t…”

He tilts his head to the side. “I didn’t do what?”

“You didn’t…” I huff. “You know what I’m trying to say.”

“So then say it.”

“You didn’t kill her, right?”

“What would you think of me if I did?”

I open my lips to speak but I have no idea what I’m going to say. No idea how to even say what’s on my mind.

“I didn’t kill her,” he states. “There was no need. I just needed her out of your life. She was causing problems for you and no one causes problems for my wife. So she was fired. End of story. Hopefully this new professor treats you better.”

“You had my professor fired for me?”

He leans in closer and pushes a strand of hair behind my ear. Those strong, long fingers I can’t stop thinking about. “I’ll do anything for you, Elena. When are you going to start understanding that?”

I shiver when his fingers brush my lips. It’s just a tender, intimate moment.

But then I feel eyes on me. Looking over my shoulder, I spy Alexei walking to his car. He is watching me and Maxim but the moment he sees me looking, he lowers his gaze.

When I turn back to Maxim, I see him looking at Alexei too and I don’t like the darkness in his eyes.

“Let’s go home,” I say quickly.

Maxim, fortunately, gets into the car without confronting Alexei.

It’s not until we’re home that I speak. “Thank you. For helping me with my teacher.”

“You’re welcome.”

I study Maxim’s face and wonder what other things he’ll do to help me with. I’m afraid to even think it.

Maxim suggests we go out for dinner and I agree. No point in fighting Maxim on everything and besides, I want to talk with him more. Understand why he is the way he is.