Chapter 44: Forty Four

The morning after Mara’s threat, I woke up with a pit in my stomach. I couldn’t shake the way her voice had sounded out that threat so calmly, like it was just business. Like she hadn’t just cornered me with something that could burn my entire life down. Fuck, and I had thought we were friends.

I tried to distract myself by editing my proposal again. But my thoughts kept circling the same point - I needed to tell Declan. And fuck, I needed him to comfort me. This couldn’t be something I kept to myself. He had said he’d protect me, he needed to know how far Mara was willing to go. And even though I felt about this, I knew I’d only feel better with his reassurance.

So, after class let out, I skipped my usual walk to the library and headed instead for his office. I didn’t text. I didn’t plan. I just went.

His door was slightly ajar when I reached it. I hesitated for half a second before lifting my hand to knock, but then I heard it.

Laughter.

Not Declan’s. A woman’s voice, low and warm, teasing in that way that wasn’t quite professional. I pushed the door open another inch and saw her.

Professor Cora Hunterton.

I’d seen her before she taught policy and had a reputation for being brilliant and beautiful. She was perched on the edge of Declan’s desk, leaning slightly toward him. Her fingers lightly touched his arm as she laughed at something he’d just said. Declan was smiling, his head tilted back, his expression easy and open.

I froze in the hallway.

I didn’t know what I was looking for. But that casual touch, the way she leaned into his space, the familiar way he didn’t pull back, made my chest ache.

They didn’t see me. I backed away before I could be noticed and stood in the hallway, heart thudding. The door creaked slightly behind me, but I didn’t move to shut it.

The ache in my chest was less about jealousy and more about fear. I had just faced a threat from someone who could ruin me. And now here was Declan, laughing, smiling, being touched like none of that mattered.

I stepped away from the door, swallowing down the tight knot in my throat.

But then he spotted me.

"Miss Whitefield," he said, his voice lifting with surprise and something warmer. He stood immediately.

Cora turned her head and smiled at me, all poised elegance. "Ah, is this the student you’ve been raving about?"

I stepped inside, trying to keep my face composed. "Hi. Sorry to interrupt. I didn’t know you were... busy."

Declan glanced at Cora, then back at me. "It’s alright. We were just wrapping up."

Cora uncrossed her legs and stood, straightening the files in her hand. "Good luck, Willow. Declan finds you really capable. Last night, he was discussing your paper with us. You have a good mentor in Dr. Ashwell."

"Thanks," I said quietly. “I’m grateful for his guidance.”

She gave Declan a playful smirk. "See you tonight."

When she left, closing the door behind her, I turned to him with arms crossed.

He raised a brow. "Jealous?"

I narrowed my eyes. "She was touching your arm."

He smirked and stepped closer. "I didn’t realize you were monitoring my arm activity."

"Maybe I am."

"Hmm," he murmured, brushing a finger down my arm teasingly. "You’re cute when you’re possessive."

I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. "She’s obviously into you."

He leaned in. "But I’m obviously into you."

“And what did she mean, see you tonight?”

Declan chuckled. “My God, dove, you’re really jealous of her, huh?”

“No,” I rolled my eyes. “But what did she mean?”

He shook his head. “Drinks. Me. Her. Three other faculty. Don’t worry, Willow.”

“I’m not worried.”

“Liar.”

He smiled, “Are you okay? Need help with something?”

"I needed to talk to you," I said, dropping the pretense.

His face softened. "I’m listening. Always."

I took a breath, and we sat down.

And I told him everything.

Declan leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, his tone softening as the air between us shifted from playful to serious.

“I meant what I said yesterday,” he said. “If Mara does anything, talks to anyone, spreads anything, I’ll handle it. You won’t get pulled into it. I promise.”

I looked at him, searching his face. “But what if she goes to the department anonymously? Even a whisper could make them question everything.”

“She won’t,” he said firmly. “I know how this place works. She’s not stupid, she knows if she tries to make a formal complaint with nothing but speculation, it’ll backfire. Hard. She doesn’t have any proof, Willow. Any one can go to the mall, you know?”

I sighed, still uneasy. “I just hate feeling like I have to look over my shoulder all the time.”

He nodded slowly. “I know. That’s why I was thinking…” He paused, his gaze turning a little mischievous. “There’s a break coming up next week. Just a few days. No classes. How would you feel about getting out of here for a while?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Like a day trip?”

“More like a few days.” He leaned back and stretched his arms over his head for a second, casual, but his eyes were watching me closely. “My parents have a lake house outside the city. It’s secluded, peaceful. You could work on your final revisions, and we could just… be away from all of this. Away from campus, from Mara, from worrying.”

I blinked. “You want me to come with you to your parents’ holiday home?”

He nodded. “They won’t be there. It’s just me, and if you’re up for it. Just the two of us, baby. No pressure. You can have your own room. And complete silence, if that’s what you want.”

“Why would I want my own room?”

He cracked a smile. “My sweet girl,” he spoke, “Look at you. Just to work in. You’re still sleeping with me, in my bed. Every night.”

The thought of getting away, of letting my brain breathe, of not seeing Mara in the hallways or worrying every second about being seen with Declan, was wildly tempting. But it also felt… intimate. Dangerous in a whole other way.

“Won’t that just make things more complicated?” I asked quietly.

“How?”

“What if someone gets to know?”

His smile turned softer. “It’s my personal property, dove. No one gets to know. Trust me.”

I exhaled slowly, torn, but drawn to the idea like gravity.

“Okay,” I said finally. “Let’s do it.”