The Ruby Riot Series: Box Set Part 79

"Fleur."

"Shaun."

"Did you want something?"

I fix him with a practiced pathetic look. "I want to accept the help you offered me."

"Interesting." He smiles and unlocks his door.

I can do this. I follow him.

Shaun sits on the edge of his desk, long legs crossed at the ankles. "What help do you think I have to offer?"

"You need to explain that we collaborated, Shaun. That the paper you published was the majority my work."

"Why would I do that?"

"You know why. This could ruin me." I step closer to him. "Please."

"I told you what you needed to do if you wanted me to talk to the Board about our mistake." His voice is low, and he runs his disgusting tongue along his lips as he stares at my b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

"You weren't specific."

"You need me to be specific? I want what you offered to me once before."

"I didn't offer you anything!"

Shaun pulls himself away from the desk and approaches until he's as close as in the library. I hold my ground as he tips my chin upwards. "Is that right?"

I wrench my head away. The game he played with me in the library has been replaced by something more serious. We stare at each other for a moment, and I itch to smack the amus.e.m.e.nt off his face.

"Would you like a drink, Fleur?" he asks, dropping his hand and heading to the nearby cupboard. He pulls out a bottle of whisky and two gla.s.ses.

"No." I wrap my arms around myself. My sixth sense yells to get the h.e.l.l out of the room, but I ignore it. I have things to say to this man.

Shaun pours a generous gla.s.s and drinks it in one go. Then another. He holds the bottle over the second gla.s.s. "Are you sure? I think you could do with relaxing."

I shake my head and he pours a third gla.s.s for himself. "What did you want, Fleur?"

"If I do what you ask, will you tell the truth to the department?" I blurt.

"Yes."

"How can I believe you?"

Shaun smirks and sips from his gla.s.s. "Do you think this is the first time? Do you know how much easier my research is when stupid girls hand me their ideas on a plate?"

"Here?"

"No, at Manchester. Not that the situation went this far. A threat was enough that time." He leans closer and whispers. "I love it, when somebody's in your control and because they're desperate, they'll pretty much do anything."

I bite back the desire to yell at what a b.a.s.t.a.r.d he is, but focus on not breaking eye contact.

"I know, Shaun. That's what I came to tell you. I just wanted you to confirm what Jo told me."

"Who's Jo?" He drains his gla.s.s again.

"You know who she is."

"Do you mean the s.l.u.t from Manchester? The one who tried to steal my work too? She wanted revenge because I wouldn't accept her... advances. Like you."

"Quite a coincidence, don't you think?"

He shrugs. "Doesn't matter. I put the department straight on that one. I'm too trusting, I think. A beautiful girl comes my way and I'm too distracted to notice she's taking advantage of me."

"Taking advantage of you?" My voice rises. "Jo told me why the charges were dropped. What you did to her."

"What I did to her? I think it was a fair exchange."

"What? You steal her work, pa.s.s it off as your own, and then blackmail her into s.e.x. She was terrified of you and what might happen."

"Is that what she told you?" Shaun pours his fourth gla.s.s.

"Well, I didn't come here to do what Jo did. I came to tell you that you're not going to win this time. Men like you need exposing, before you screw around with somebody else's life."

"And girls like you need to learn where their place is."

"Wrong. You may've done this to one girl, but you're not doing it to another!"

"One?" A sardonic smile grows. "Try four. I don't normally have to go the full plagiarism route before they give up what they owe me."

"You disgusting piece of..."

Shaun holds his hands up. "Hey, they're willing volunteers. None of them told me to stop."

This man is twisted, and it's clear he enjoys every moment of his abuse. I'm not staying to listen to anymore of his repulsive stories.

Without a word, I head to the door. Before I can open it, Shaun grabs my arm.

"Where are you going?"

"Like I said, Shaun. Wrong girl."

"You're a f.u.c.king tease, walking in here promising me something then accusing me of bulls.h.i.+t! Who do you think you are?" I wince as his fingers dig into my upper arm. The whisky on his breath turns my stomach and a sudden surge of fear joins a thought. Just because he didn't a.s.sault me last time, doesn't mean he won't.

I drag my arms from his grip. "You touch me again and I'll report you."

My phone rings and I let it ring out. Shaun remains close, not touching but threatening. The shrill ring begins again.

"Answer your phone," he says.

"It's okay. I'll answer when I leave."

"I'll answer it then." Slowly, Shaun slides his hand behind, taking his time to grope my a.s.s as he pushes his large hand into my pocket. I put my hand behind and grab his as he takes hold of my phone.

Shaun glances at the screen and with a sly smile. he looks up at me. "Aww, it's your rock star." He swipes a finger across the screen. "h.e.l.lo. Who? Just a sec." He pauses. "He wants to know where you are. Should I tell Will you'll meet him when we're done here?"

"Give me my phone, Shaun!"

"We're a bit busy right now. She'll call you later."

"Give me my phone so I can talk to Will!"

Shaun ends the call and throws my phone onto the desk next to the half-empty bottle. "Okay, I'm bored now." He crosses back to me, grabs my wrist in one hand, and shoves me hard against the wall. "You came here to offer me something; you don't walk away this time until I let you."

Shaun slides his other hand beneath my s.h.i.+rt and along my side. "How does your rock star like to f.u.c.k you? Is he rough? Is that what you like?"

My anger morphs into fear. I'm out of my depth and sinking deeper by the second. I attempt to move, but Shaun's fingers dig into my side and I wince. "I am. I like girls who do what I say."

"Let me out of this room or " I'm interrupted by Shaun covering my mouth with his hand and pus.h.i.+ng my head against the wall.

"And I don't like girls who won't do as I say."

WILL.

My palm sweats as I stare at the phone.

What the f.u.c.k? Shaun? After everything she said about him? Is this why she stopped talking about him?

But the anger is edged by something else. Fleur wouldn't do this, and if she did cheat, it wouldn't be with him. I couldn't hear her properly, but she sounded stressed. And why would Fleur say the name of the guy she was cheating on me with if she knew I could hear?

Something weird is going on.

"What's up, man?"

I look up at Sam as he sets a couple of drinks on the table. I met him when I arrived at the pub for a beer; we shared a couple and when he left to buy the next round I s.n.a.t.c.hed my chance to call Fleur. She's all I can think about anyway. "I gotta go."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, need to catch up with Fleur."

"Oh. She sick? She missed cla.s.s today."

"Did she?"

"Yeah, she missed a few recently."

I tap my phone against my chin. "I didn't know that."

Sam lowers his voice. "I heard a rumour, not sure how true it is."

"What?"

"Someone said she's up in front of the Board for plagiarism. I don't believe them; that's not something Fleur would do."

I shake my head at the information. "Man, I gotta go. I'll ask her."

As I stride across campus, back to the department, my mind reels. Is Fleur that desperate to succeed that she'd risk her future by plagiarising? No, she's smarter than that. Why the f.u.c.k hasn't she said anything to me? What happened to our trust?

Shaun and Fleur.

They could be at his place. Out together. On campus. I stride through the dusk, if I pa.s.s his office I can check if the light is on and go from there. Go where? Do what? My head f.u.c.king hurts as the confusion strangles my rationality. She lied. Fleur is with Shaun and made up some bulls.h.i.+t excuse.

I look up. Shaun's office is on the second floor and there are two windows lit. Is one of them his? The department is quiet, only the desk staff left and they're preparing to leave, chatting, and not paying attention as I pa.s.s. Jumping up the stairs two at a time, I pause as raised voices come from a room nearby. Light filters beneath one of the doors and I stride over.

"Get your hands off me!"

Fleur.

The anger I held the night she went into his flat is nothing compared to the fury flooding my system now. I yank the door handle and step into the room.

Fleur's cornered and obscured by Shaun's frame as she struggles against him. Shaun twists his head around and the rage flashes red across my vision.

Words won't come and my mind blanks as I pull my hand back and hit him straight in the face with all the force I have. Shaun drops his grip on Fleur and attempts to strike out at me. I duck, grab his s.h.i.+rt with both hands, and slam him against the wall opposite Fleur.

"What the f.u.c.k is going on?" I yell.

"Ask your wh.o.r.e of a girlfriend," he says wiping blood from his nose.

Fleur. She's immobile, frightened, and when my eyes rest on her ripped s.h.i.+rt, the last civilised part of me leaves.

"f.u.c.k you!" I pull Shaun back and smack his head against the wall. The thud sounds good, the shock on his face deserved, and I smack his head again. Harder. His head lolls forward.

"Will!" screams Fleur as I let Shaun go and I watch with satisfaction as he slips to the floor. "What are you doing? Stop!"

I don't hear. I don't give a s.h.i.+t, and I don't know what the f.u.c.k comes over me; but I lay into him, punch after punch, each one releasing the pent up fury. Don't. You. f.u.c.king. Hurt. Fleur. I don't stop until I'm aware of Fleur grabbing my arms and pulling me away.

"Will! He's unconscious! Stop it!"

I stumble back to reality and grip my hand to stop myself doing any more damage. Shaun's face is a mess and Fleur's right. He isn't moving. "s.h.i.+t."

Fleur kneels over Shaun and with a shaking hand pushes his shoulder. "Shaun." No response. When she touches the back of his head, her fingers smear with blood to match that on his face. "What have you done, Will?" she whispers.

Breathing heavily through the ebbing fury, I stare at the surreal situation in front of me. "What did he do to you?"

"Nothing. He tried." She gulps back a breath. "But this! How can you do this to somebody?"