“You offer a coveted internship spot, don’t you? You have special requirements for pretty, young students?”

He just stares at me.

“Let’s make this simple. If she wants that goddamned internship, it’s hers. The hours she’s here, you won’t be. If you happen to cross her path, you’ll turn and walk—no, you’ll fucking run—the other way.”

“I…I…she’s in my class.”

“Then she better get straight fucking A’s.”

I stand, slap my hands on his desk. Dayton jumps, but Eric’s hands on his shoulders keep him rooted in his chair and when I lean toward him, he shrinks back.

“Did you hear me?” I ask.

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

“Y…y….”

Eric smacks him upside the head.

“Yes sir, Mr. Benedetti.”

“Now we’re getting somewhere. But just to be sure.” I straighten, button my jacket, give Eric a nod and turn to walk toward the door. It only takes Eric a few minutes to make sure we’re understood. He rejoins me by the time I’m halfway down the stairs, messaging Natalie that I’ll pick her up for a late dinner.

13

Natalie

I am fuming. It’s late and I’m sitting on the bus and can’t even see straight, I’m so mad.

My phone rings. It’s Sergio again. He’s been calling me for the last half hour. This time, I switch it off altogether.

I didn’t get a look at Professor Dayton myself because he was gone by the time I got to the office, but the looks I got from everyone else told me his spur of the moment vacation plans had something to do with me. I’d gone in to let him know I was no longer interested in the internship. That I was withdrawing my application and no longer would be available to volunteer. But that didn’t happen.

Lisa, the airhead receptionist, told me two men had come in to see Professor Dayton. That they’d been wearing suits and were good looking in a bad-boy, dirty kind of way. She’d sighed after saying it. She’d actually sighed. Of course, she couldn’t remember their names. I’m surprised she remembers her own some days.

I knew exactly who she was talking about and texted Sergio that dinner was off. Told him I knew what he did.

I should never have mentioned the internship or the professor. I just didn’t think it was a possibility he’d hurt him. But he must have had it on his mind all that time because he went behind my back and did what he wanted anyway completely ignoring what I said.