Chapter 3: Office Hours and Fire.

Juliet walked across the campus with her head down. The morning sun felt too bright after last night's messages. She kept checking her phone, but the unknown number stayed quiet for now. Still, the words wouldn't leave her head.

She reached the Literature building and stopped outside Professor Knight's office. The new no-fraternization memo was posted. Bold letters warned staff and students about inappropriate relationships. Her stomach turned every time she saw it.

She knocked on the door and a deep voice answered.

"Come in," Adrian said from inside.

Juliet pushed the door open and the office smelled like coffee and old books. Adrian sat behind his desk, sleeves rolled up, showing strong forearms. He looked up when she entered and leaned back in his chair.

"Miss Sinclair. Close the door and have a seat."

She shut the door softly and sat down across from him. Her hands stayed in her lap so he wouldn't see them shake.

"You wanted to see me about my paper, Professor?" She asked.

Adrian picked up her essay and tapped it with two fingers. "Yes. Your work is outstanding but I think we can make it even better. I also called you in for some extra guidance."

Juliet nodded. "Okay. What needs fixing?"

He stood up and walked around the desk, then he stopped right beside her chair and laid the paper in front of her. "Look at this section here. Your analysis of desire and consequences. It's good, but it stops short. Like you're afraid to go deeper."

Their fingers brushed when he pointed at the paragraph and the touch lasted only a second, but Juliet felt it everywhere and heat rushed through her body and settled low in her belly.

She shifted in her seat. "I thought I explained it clearly."

"You did," he said in a low voice now. "But I can tell there's more you wanted to say. You write like someone who understands the pull. The way of wanting something forbidden makes everything else feel small."

Juliet looked up at him and he stood so close she could see the dark studdle on his jaw and hiis eyes held hers without blinking.

"I just tried to be honest in the paper," she said quietly.

Adrian didn't move away. "Honest. That's interesting. Most students play it safe. Tell me, Miss Sinclair, when you wrote about characters risking everything for one touch, what were you really thinking about?"

Her mouth felt dry. "The characters and the story."

He leaned down a little, resting one hand on the desk near her arm. "Are you sure? Because the way you described the tension... it felt personal."

Juliet's breath came faster. She could smell his cologne again, the same one from yesterday. "Professor, I don't think–"

"Call me Adrian when the door is closed, when we're in the office and when we're alone" he said. The words came out soft but firm. "Just for this conversation."

She swallowed hard. "Adrian... I'm not sure what you want me to say."

He straightened up but stayed close. "I want you to tell me the truth. When you wrote that line about the professor and the student crossing the line, did part of you wonder what it would feel like?"

Heat pooled between her legs and she pressed her thighs together under the desk. "That's not... I was analyzing the text."

Adrian gave a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Of course. But your words carried heat. Real heat, like you know exactly how dangerous that kind of attraction can be."

The room felt smaller and the no-fraternization memo flashed in her mind, but it didn't stop the way her body reacted to his nearness and she was afraid he might notice it.

He walked back to his chair and sat down, but his eyes never left her face. "Your paper earned the highest mark in the class. I want to push you further. Come to office hours regularly and we can work on your ideas in more depth."

Juliet gripped the edge of the desk. "Is that a good idea? With the new rules going around campus..."

Adrian's jaw tightened for a second. "The rules exist for a reason but helping a gifted student isn't against the rules. Unless we make it something more."

The way he said more sent another wave of warmth through her. She looked down at her essay so he wouldn't see the flush on her cheeks.

"I'll think about it," she said.

"Good." He leaned forward. "Because I don't offer extra time to just anyone, Juliet."

Hearing him say her first name made her heart skip. She stood up quickly, clutching the paper to her chest. "Thank you for the feedback, Professor."

"Adrian," he corrected, voice dropping. "When we're alone."

She nodded once and turned toward the door. Her hand was on the knob when he spoke again.

"One more thing."

She looked back.

Adrian's eyes moved over her slowly, like he was memorizing every detail. "You looked tired this morning. Is everything alright?"

The question felt too personal and too close that Juliet forced a small smile. "Just a late night studying."

He didn't look convinced. "If you ever need to talk about more than literature, my door is open. No judgment."

She opened the door a crack. "I'll keep that in mind."

Before she could step out, her phone vibrated in her bag once, twice but she ignored it and slipped into the hallway.

The moment the door closed behind her, she leaned against the wall and let out a long breath. Her legs felt weak and the heat between her thighs hadn't gone away. She could still feel the ghost of his fingers brushing hers.

Her phone vibrated again and she pulled it out with shaking hands and opened the messages.

It was from the unknown number.

"VIP wants you tonight, Luna. Refuse and your little university secrets end tomorrow."

Juliet's blood ran cold and she read the message three times and her thumb hovered over the delete button, but she couldn't press it.

Another text came right after.

"Tick tock, little dancer. The professor won't save you when everything burns."

She shoved the phone back into her bag and walked fast down the hall. Students passed her, laughing and talking about normal things. None of them knew her heart was pounding so hard she felt sick.

Who was doing this?

The sleazy regular from the club? Or someone who saw her with Adrian yesterday?

And what the hell do they want from her?

She turned the corner and almost bumped into Mia.

"Whoa, slow down," Mia said. "You look like you saw a ghost. What happened in there?"

Juliet forced her face to stay calm. "Nothing. Just feedback on my paper."

Mia narrowed her eyes. "You're shaking. Did he say something weird?"

"No," Juliet lied. "He's just... intense like I said yesterday night. That's all."

Mia didn't look convinced, but she let it go. "Okay. But if that professor crosses any lines, you tell me. I've got your back."

Juliet nodded and kept walking. Inside her bag, the phone stayed silent for now but the threat sat heavy in her chest.

She had a performance tonight at the club and someone knew enough to destroy her if she said no to the VIP.

Her mind kept drifting back to Adrian's office. The way he said her name, the way his eyes burned when he talked about forbidden desire.

Two worlds pulled her in opposite directions and both of them felt ready to break her.