Free Vengeful Heart: Fighting Heart Erotic Bad Boy Romance Series Book 3 by Nicole Hamilton Page A

lying. We didn’t have sex, Mr Lynes. And now, I’d advise you to leave me alone. My private life is none of your business. And that girl…”
    “Yes, Professor, what about that girl?”
    “ Leave her alone , do you understand?”
    “No, Professor. I don’t think I do. I think the Dean would prefer YOU to leave the girl alone, don’t you?”
    “How dare you?!” hissed Ridgley.
    “Hands off. She’s young enough to be your daughter.”
    Brandon Lynes turned away, leaving Ridgley standing in pieces, silently looking out over the college green.  Cody passed his lecturer’s back and sped up.  Cody couldn’t offer him any comfort, as he felt much the same as Brandon. Only he hated Brandon a hundred times more.  Brandon was cruel, but Ridgley had given in to his instincts. Ridgley’s career was hanging by a thread. But the prospect of Brandon winning again was unbearable.  Brandon had to suffer the most. He had to pay for all the hatred and suspicion and poison he’d released into Ashley’s life and across the whole college. Yes, Cody owed Brandon big time. And when the debt had been repaid, he would close the door on his past with Ashley and hope for some final comfort as he had helped set her free.
     

Ten
     
    There was still no word from the Prof. My Prof. No email. No note of any kind. I was beginning to think the guy was going to leave me in the lurch. After all that hassle and gossip I wasn’t going to be impressed. On account of what we hadn’t yet done I was getting fire and ice at ‘home’ from Brandon and Luke, while I got a whole other pic’n’mix of innuendo and digging from Amanda. Cody had referenced our supposed affair as reason for giving me the cold shoulder too, yet it was fine for him to cry into the generous bosom of his agent! I knew Cody had his reasons, but I still didn’t like accusations and gossip coming my way for something I’d not yet done. And it now seemed I would never get the chance.
    Amanda walked me to college, and I was nervous. Today was one of Ridgley’s lectures, already a whole week after he first talked to me about my situation. Back then he made a lot of overtures about helping me, but I guess there was a lot of water under the bridge since then. It turned out there was even more than I suspected. When I walked into the lecture theatre and looked towards the lectern I saw the female professor with the frizzy hair instead of Ridgley’s fine body. In the few months I’d been at Smiths Professor Ridgley had never missed a class. I knew something was badly wrong. Brandon’s threats echoed in my mind. Students streamed into class around me, but I stayed by the door. Amanda turned to me.
    “What?”
    “You know what,” I said.
    She glanced at the lecturer. “Yes, I suppose I do.”
    “What do you want to do?” she said. Other students in the room were looking at me. Some must have known what I was thinking. Including the one and only Penny. As a few of the minor gossips did their thing with knowing looks and furtive glances, Penny looked straight at me, bold as brass. She gave me something of a hello nod, the bitch. What did I have to lose? They were all talking about me, and half of it wasn’t even true. I had once called Penny a friend, but now I wanted to call her something else. I couldn’t help myself. The rage boiled over and I walked across the floor straight towards Penny. She didn’t even have time to stand up. She thought she knew me, but she didn’t know me well at all.
    “Penny. You are queen of the bitches, girl. Half of these people have listened to your lies. Half of them believe it. I hope the other half have the sense to see who you really are.”
    “ I’m lying? I’m lying about the way you wheedled into bed with Brandon, then Cody and now…”
    “Leave those people out of it you cold hearted witch. Cody especially.”
    “The truth hurts does it?”
    “No. The truth has never hurt me. Only your lies. Now, I wonder whether the