Chapter 2: Professor

I stayed up late into the night, studying until my eyes felt heavy and I could barely keep them open. I was determined to do well on my upcoming exam and stop my parents from lecturing me about my academic performance. I had to prove to them that I could succeed and make them proud. I had books stacked up skyscraper-high around me.

Scanning, skimming, and jotting down notes. I had cue cards spread out in front of me, which I used to test myself and make sure I was memorising the material.

Maybe I was going a little overboard, but I knew that if I failed this exam, my parents would be mortified and would probably confine me to my bedroom to study with a tutor. Failure was not an option.

I was familiar with some of the jargon that was thrown around at home. It was always something about a business deal or a new client. It never stopped. I was used to it, but when it came to studying the material for the exam, I had to put in the extra effort.

Sometimes I would catch myself daydreaming about what my life would be if I were to pursue another career like a writer or maybe even a pet sitter. I liked animals. A veterinarian sounded interesting.

My phone vibrated it was a text message from Gabriel that he would arrive in fifteen minutes and to meet me outside the library entrance to pick me up.

I packed my belongings to return the books that I had borrowed. Mind you I was the only one here in the library and the campus was fairly dead. You could hear some of the frat parties that were happening in the area which made the area less creepy and not completely dead bone silent with only crickets as background noise.

As I placed my final book on one of the shelves I heard voices coming from out in the hallway and the library doors burst open.

My professor for one of my classes had stumbled in a panic I was about to duck out to see if he was okay but three other men followed behind. Despite how well they were dressed, in black suits, they didn't look friendly. Intimidating more than anything. I retreated and peeked through the bookshelf and remained quiet as a mouse.

The man on the left walked over to a bookshelf and began to toss the books on the floor. A fear tactic to scare the victim which was obvious my professor didn't even bother to stop him from vandalising the library.

However, what drew my eyes was the man in the centre. Clearly the leader out of the bunch the way he carried himself. Tall and muscular with broad shoulders, and a confident stance.

He had dark hair, that wasn't gelled back but it wasn't messy either. Perfectly ruffled in a rather sexy way. His black button-up shirt, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.

That's when my heart began to race. I noticed a gun with a silencer in his hand. It was relaxed pointing to the ground.

"Professor, I am so disappointed. I thought we had an understanding."

He kicks the professor to the ground and hovers over his scared timid body, waving his gun like it was nothing. Two other men join the man holding the gun who were also dressed in black business attire.

"Please, I'm sorry it won't happen again." The professor whimpered.

"You know what happens to rats like you?"

"I can make this right. I swear." Now he was begging.

The assailant raised his gun to the professor's forehead. "We kill them." he added.

I heard the click of the safety switch being turned off. This man was actually going to murder the professor. I crouched down slowly. If I stayed quiet, the men would eventually leave.

My phone was on the table and it begins to ring. That must be Gabriel. The assailant looks up.

"Check the room. Seal the exits."

Shit. I'm done for. My heart began to pound so hard my chest squeezing I found it hard to breathe. I heard a loud thud and I knew at that moment the professor had been killed.

I was a witness to a murder and now I was next to cover up any loose ends. I started to panic and quickly glanced around the room looking for an escape route.

Footsteps approached on either side of the shelf. There was nowhere to go. Two men on either side looked down at me. I was on the floor with my knees pulled up to my chest.

"Hey, boss. Seems we have an uninvited guest."

He stalks over to me and his large hand swallows my arm and begins to drag me out into the open.

"I won't say anything please." I cried out, tears streaming down my face.

He shoves me to the ground and I land on my hands and knees beside the now-deceased professor, whose blood is now pooling out from his wound and onto the wooden floors.

"Your name or the next bullet goes through your head."

"Samantha."

"Samantha." He repeated slowly, "And your last name?"

"Are you going to kill me?" I sniffled.

"Maybe... depends... Last name?"

"Rivers."

My body was trembling uncontrollably, I wasn't sure where to look so instead I stared at the ground but then in my peripheral vision, the man had crouched down, his fingers grabbed my jaw roughly forcing me to look up at him.

"Mmph." Was all that left his mouth. He stood back up and proceeded to order his other lackeys to clean up the mess. He conceals his gun tucking it behind him and then yanks my body up into a standing position.

"Samantha Rivers hey?" He smirked, "Your father is John Rivers?"

He knew my father. How? Was he a client? I sure as hell needed a damn good lawyer now. He can't ask for our firm, it's a conflict of interest.

"Well is he?" He snapped at me, breaking me out of my frozen trance-like state.

"Yes." I whispered.

"Speak up." He growled.

"Yes." I said louder.

His smirk grows even wider, it became almost playful and his shoulders seems to relax a little.

"Well you're in luck today princess because I'm not going to kill you...." he trailed off his souless yet gorgeous chocolate brown eyes scanning mine. "In fact I am going to claim you."

"Claim-" My words are cut off by his lips crashing on mine.

I am not sure what happened but I felt this intense desire the impulse to grab his gun and I did.

I sweeped his leg and pointed the gun at him. I must have caught him off guard since his look was bewildered. I stepped back creating distance and his two lackies came running over. I snapped my aim to them.

"Don't come any closer." I warned.

I waved the gun signalling the men to group together as I made my way over to my belongings and called Gabriel.

As I made the call I watched as the man I had swept his feet stood up and I pulled the trigger shooting the ground as a warning shot.

His face remained neutral and I was unsure what he was thinking or what he was planning to do apart from trying to rape me I could only assume that's what he was intentions were with that kiss.

Gabriel answers the phone.

"I'm in the library three men just attacked me."

"Shit. Are you okay? I'm coming."

"I'm fine. They just murdered a professor in front of me."

The man's expression did not change even after I told Gabriel the news. Gabriel's voice was now that of concern and out of breath.

"Hang on sis."

"Is that Gabriel Rivers?" The man asks. So he knows my brother too.

He was defiantly inside the building as I heard the quick footsteps pounding against the wooden floor from outside.

"I think there has been a misunderstanding." The man spoke again.

"You murdered a man in cold blood and tried to rape me... there is no misunderstanding."

He chuckles and steps forward.

"Don't you move a goddamn muscle!"

"I wasn't trying to rape you. If you would just-" he didn't even get to finish his sentence when the phone line went dead and Gabriel charged into the room gun out ready for a fight.

Since when does my brother carry a concealed weapon?

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Can't say the same for the professor though." Glancing over to his body.

"Text dad code black and our location." Gabriel orders me. I had no idea what he meant but I did as I was told.

"Is this really necessary? Do you have any idea who I am?"

"No and I really don't care, but I would like to see you and your two buddies behind bars for murder and sexual assault." I hissed.

"For the last time, I wasn't going to rape you. Jesus Christ. My name is Elias Marino and you princess... are my fiancé."