Marked by the professor

Chapter 1

Isla’s POV

I glanced at my wristwatch as I hurried towards Liam’s apartment. We were supposed to be at my parents’ about an hour ago. The plan was for him to pick me up but he never showed up. I wondered if he was okay. He did tell me he was down with the flu. I unlocked the door with my spare keys and stepped inside. 

“Liam? Are you in there?”

The voices sounded muffled, but I could make out some of them. I slowly walked towards his room. 

“Liam? Are you still sick?” I asked pulling the door to his room open. 

"Yes! That's it! Right there!" 

I frowned. That voice. I recognised it. I froze, completely unable to move a muscle.

"Liam baby! Faster!" 

My hand dropped from the door in shock. My mind reeled as I struggled to comprehend the scene before me. I squeezed my eyes shut, shook my head then opened them again. But the image before me remained the same. My throat constricted as I searched for words, but nothing came out. I just stood and stared in silence shocked at the sight of Liam buried balls deep in another woman. They didn't even notice I was there.

He had her pressed against the window and he was right behind her. 

"You like that, don't you?" he asked panting hard. 

"Yes! Oh yes!"

I had to be dreaming. This had to be a bad dream right? A nightmare I would wake up from soon enough. Liam's gaze flew towards my direction and his eyes widened in shock. 

"I…Isla," he stuttered hurriedly pulling his pants up. The girl glanced towards my direction looking shocked as well. My heart clenched painfully in my chest. My stomach churned till I felt like throwing up. It wasn't a dream. Liam was indeed cheating on me. With the same girl he introduced to me as his cousin. 

My eyes darted between the two of them. “This is a misunderstanding right? It is, right?” The girl ran towards him and hid behind his back. He held out a hand to support her. I shook my head, turned around, and headed out of the room. I couldn't bear to stand in there any longer. 

“You should have told me you would be coming over. You can’t just barge into my apartment whenever you want to,” he declared walking after me. 

I stopped without turning towards him. “We were supposed to be having dinner with my parents tonight. I just caught you cheating on me after lying to me repeatedly and that’s all you have to say?”

“It still doesn’t change the fact that you barged into my apartment unannounced. You just infiltrated my privacy,” he insisted. I blinked repeatedly at how absurd he sounded. He had no ounce of remorse on his face. I had no idea what I was supposed to say anymore. I turned around and walked away once again. 

“I’m sorry okay? Is that what you wanted to hear from me? It was a mistake…”

I zoned out of what he was saying. My eyes caught sight of his supposed cousin's heels close to the door. My blood boiled as rage fueled me. I grabbed one of the heels and lunged it at him furiously. It struck his forehead making him cry out. 

“You can go to hell for all I care! Don’t you dare show your face in front of me ever again!” I yelled. He moved his hand from the spot in shock and I could see a bit of blood dripping down his face. He was lucky I didn't smash his face in. 

“Wait Isla…”

I ignored him and stormed out of his apartment. He repeatedly called out my name as I got into my car and drove off. My phone rang and it turned out to be my mum. Tears blurred my vision. She was so excited when she planned the dinner. I knew she must have gone out of her way to prepare different types of dishes. 

I screamed out hitting the steering wheel repeatedly. How could I have been so stupid? There was no way I would be able to go home in this state. I turned the car towards the direction of a bar in town. I sniffed and wiped my tears. 

“There is no way you are going to cry all night because of him Isla. Fucking get your shit together,” I mentally berated myself before stepping out of the car. I stepped into the bar and it wasn't very crowded. 

“A glass of whiskey please,” I muttered draping my coat on the chair and sitting in front of the waiter. 

He nodded. “Coming right up.”

He whipped up the drink placing it in front of me. I downed the entire glass in one go. I could feel the liquid burning down my throat. It warmed me up immediately. 

I slammed the glass in front of him. “Another.”

“Whoa, rough night?” he asked in surprise. 

I raised a brow. “You have no idea.” I was furious but not furious enough to tell a stranger that my straight-A boyfriend in college who I thought couldn't hurt a fly turned out to be cheating on me with a girl I thought was his cousin. 

“A glass of what the young lady is having, with ice,” I heard a deep voice that sent shivers down my spine before I felt his presence beside me. He smelled like rich leather and mint. The chair beside me screeched before he lowered himself into it. The bartender nodded as he served him the same drink I was having. I gulped down another glass. 

“That bad of a night?” he asked. I turned my head towards him, the room tilted a bit just as my eyes met with a pair of steel grey ones. He had dark hair and a sharp jawline that seemed to knock my breath out of me. Even though I was drunk, there was something I couldn’t deny. He was dangerously attractive. 

I shrugged staring back at my drink. “You could say so.”

The bartender slipped another glass towards me. When I reached for it, my finger brushed against his. It was brief, barely a touch but it sent a jolt of electricity through my arm. I froze and so did he. I cleared my throat and brought the drink to my lips. I could see him through the corner of my eyes. He kept his gaze fixated on my face. He had this intense look, the kind that made me feel seen in a way that was both unsettling and thrilling. 

I shifted on the stool, my whole body suddenly aware of what was going on. Heat pooled below my stomach. My pulse quickened as his elbow brushed against mine. 

“Sorry,” he muttered but he didn’t look sorry at all. He still had the lazy smirk on his face. I gulped down my drink and dropped the glass. I wanted him. I knew I did. There was no denying the attraction towards us. I didn’t know whether it was the anger or the sudden attraction to this stranger but something strengthened my resolve. 

“Do you want to maybe get out of here?” I asked throwing all caution to the wind and deciding to give in to this gorgeous man in front of me.

He smirked again dropping a couple of dollars on the table. “I know the perfect place, right across the street.”

It was only going to be for the night. I would forget what happened with Liam and will never meet this man ever again. 

I nodded, thrilled by my decision. “Lead the way.”