Unbroken (The Disclosure Series Book 2) (39 page)

“Nothing, really.” He stood from the chair, lifting her with him and cradling her in his arms. “I’m hungry.”

“You didn’t eat dinner?”

He shook his head and stuck out his bottom lip in a pout. He looked so adorable, she chuckled and nipped at his pouty lip with her teeth.

“Let’s get you fed, then.” She sighed, still worried about him.

He walked them down the hallway, pushing open the bedroom door and tossing her playfully onto the bed. His eyes were glowing as he crawled above her. “Not that kind of hungry.”

“Oh.” Her eyes sparked, and she lost herself, forgetting her worry… forgetting everything.

Luke’s arms tightened around Embry as she snuggled into him.

She hummed with pleasure. “That was nice.”

Instead of the playful sex that she’d expected when he’d plopped her on the bed, he’d made slow, sweet love to her, taking his time, exploring and worshipping her body, making her feel his love with every fiber of her being. And now she was exhausted, completely sated as she rested her head on his chest, the sound of his heart beating steadily under her ear.

There was so much emotion between them, and she knew he was holding something back, but he wasn’t talking so she was trying not to push.

“Baby?” His voice, hesitant and reluctant, broke into her thoughts.

She shifted onto her side, facing him. “I’m right here.”

His eyes were serious, his expression sober. “Do you trust me?”

She nodded. Despite what they’d been through, they’d overcome it. She did trust him. Implicitly. “I do.”

“Are you sure?” His eyebrows creased with worry. Why did he keep asking these questions?

She reached out, her fingers trailing over the scruff along his jaw. “I’m sure. I trust you, Luke. What’s this about?”

He stared at her intently, as if contemplating something. Then he shook his head slightly and leaned in to kiss the tip of her nose. “Just promise me you won’t forget it, okay? Believe in me. In us.”

She forced a smile, hoping he saw the sincerity in her eyes. “I promise.” But as the words left her mouth, her stomach knotted and a shiver crept up her spine.

His words were sweet, perfect, kind… but they were all wrong.

Embry sat in class, desperately trying to focus on the final exam prep that her professor was discussing, but an unsettling feeling rippled through her as an email from Luke popped up on her desktop. He’d sent it through the university’s server, which was monitored, so it was short, formal.

Miss Jacobs,

Please meet me in Dean Hardy’s office at 3pm. If the time is inconvenient for whatever reason, let me know what would work better as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Prof Brody

Her stomach twisted, nervous butterflies taking root as she gnawed on the inside of her cheek. What the hell was going on? She was meeting Morgan at a bridal shop by four, and he knew that, so she assumed whatever it was, it had to be important.

She typed out a quick response, letting him know she’d be there, then she attempted to concentrate on the last fifteen minutes of class.

They’d been doing well, considering the stress they were under with this Sydney thing. Barring the fight they’d had a few weeks ago on the night of her oral argument of course. She’d wished every day since that she could take back the words she’d thrown so carelessly at him in anger. But Luke, being Luke, had a way of forgiving fully and completely without ever holding it over her head.

He’d been kind and attentive as usual, if not a little bit overprotective, always wanting to make sure he knew where she was or who she’d be with. But she appreciated it. Sydney had shattered their sense of security with those photos, and it helped to know that he was watching out for her at all times. It made her feel protected, safe.

When class ended, Embry packed up her things and headed for the dean’s office. Several classes had let out at the same time, and she had to push through the crowded hallway, but the loud chatter muted her anxious thoughts.

She crossed through the atrium and down another hallway, until she reached the glass double doors. Stepping inside was always like entering a different world. The university seal was inlaid in the middle of the tile floor, and the wall across from her was decorated with large intimidating lettering: Whitman Law School, Office of the Dean.

“Can I help you?”

The secretary’s voice took her attention from the ornate reception area. Embry turned and smiled nervously at the plump older woman sitting behind the desk. “Um, I think so? I have an appointment with Professor Brody and Dean Hardy. My name’s Embry Jacobs.”

“Oh yes.” She stood from her chair and walked around the desk. “Professor Brody is already in with the dean. You can follow me.”

The secretary’s sensible heels clicked against the tile floor, each step sending a fresh wave of panic through Embry. There were plenty of positive reasons a student could be called in front of the dean, she supposed, but she couldn’t think of a single one at the moment.

Embry followed the secretary around the corner where she stopped in front of a large set of double doors. She knocked on the door, then opened it without waiting for an answer. “Dean, professor, Miss Jacobs is here.”

The secretary turned and smiled, motioning toward the door. “You can head on in.”

Embry walked through the doors and into a boardroom-sized office. To her left was a large sitting area with two leather couches and a coffee table. To her right, bookshelves lined the wall, filled with countless legal volumes. But directly in front of her sat Luke. Her eyes burned into his back, willing him to turn around, to acknowledge her, anything. But he was facing forward, the tense set of his shoulders the only hint of his mental state.

This wasn’t good.

She looked up to find Dean Hardy eyeing her curiously as he sat behind a large mahogany desk, in the most perfectly starched suit she’d ever seen.

“Miss Jacobs. Please,” he waved a hand toward the empty chair in front of his desk, “sit down.”

She walked forward, legs trembling. Her gaze shot to Luke as she sat, but he still avoided her, his eyes staring straight ahead, and the pit in her stomach grew deeper.

Dean Hardy leaned forward in his chair, elbows resting on his desk, shrewd eyes observing Luke. “All right, Professor. Why don’t you tell me what this is about.”

Luke shifted in his chair, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. Embry was aware of every tick, every movement, her senses heightened as she sat waiting, holding her breath. What could he possibly say? Why was she there… involved? The possibilities ran through her mind, none of them good.

“Miss Jacobs and I have been engaging in a sexual relationship, sir.”

Embry’s mouth fell open, stunned as she stared wordlessly between Luke and Dean Hardy. Had those words just come out of his mouth? Her mind spun in every direction trying to make sense of what was going on. Luke still wouldn’t look at her.

Look at me, damn it!

The dean’s lips had pressed tightly together, his mouth forming a thin slash across his face as his eyes bore into Luke. “When did this begin, Professor Brody?”

“When I became her professor.” Luke shifted again in his seat, his hands white-knuckling the armrests. “She—Miss Jacobs and I worked closely together on Professor Coleman’s research project.”

Dean Hardy nodded dubiously. “I see.”

Luke cleared his throat awkwardly. “She made inappropriate advances, sir. And I… well, I made a bad decision. A mistake.”

She blinked in shock.

A mistake? Inappropriate advances?

Her head was swimming, and a soul-crushing weight fell on her chest. She felt as if she was ripping apart at the seams.

Finally, his eyes shifted to hers, only for a moment, but in that moment she saw all of the pain and heartache that she was feeling reflected back at her in brilliant pools of blue.

It didn’t matter, though. He was destroying her, destroying them. Now his career would be ruined, and her legal education… She felt her head begin to sway, spots floating in front of her vision, and she sucked in a deep breath, fighting against the darkness that was swiftly pulling her under.

This couldn’t be happening. How could he? How could he do this to her? To them?

“Dean Hardy, I’m telling you this because I wanted to do the right thing,” Luke continued. “I’ll leave immediately if you’ll accept my resignation. I want to avoid any scandal for the university or Miss Jacobs.”

He looked deliberately at Embry now, his eyes pleading, imploring her… but for what?

And then she remembered—lying in bed with him, his eyes searching hers.

Do you trust me, Embry? Promise me you won’t forget.

Tears clouded her vision, but she bit down hard on her bottom lip, forcing back her emotions and trying to think rationally. Her chest ached with the loss, and she bristled with anger over Luke’s decision to come clean without telling her, warning her.

She would’ve stopped him, which is exactly why he hadn’t told her.

She reminded herself to trust him, believe in him.
Believe in us.

“That’s very noble of you, Professor,” the dean said derisively. Then he turned his attention on Embry. “I’m sorry to have to ask this, Miss Jacobs, but it’s necessary under the circumstances. The relationship that Professor Brody claims you engaged in, was it consensual?”

Embry’s mouth fell open for the second time. Snapping it shut, she struggled to swallow before answering. “Yes, sir… Dean… sir… yes, it was consensual.”

“And you are no longer a student in any of Professor Brody’s classes?”

“No, I’m not.”

He looked back to Luke. “There will have to be an inquiry made, you understand. There can be no question as to the validity of Miss Jacobs’ final grades.”

Luke nodded somberly. “I understand, sir. Miss Jacobs is extremely bright, and I’m confident you’ll find that her good grades came from her hard work and nothing else. The final exam was graded as all first year exams are, using anonymous student numbers. I can assure you that the relationship between us had nothing to do with gaining favor in the classroom.”

The dean looked between them, shaking his head regretfully. “Be that as it may, the relationship still violates the school’s policies. I accept your resignation, Professor Brody, but I appreciate your candor and your discretion.” He turned toward Embry. “Miss Jacobs, the board will make an inquiry into your relationship with Professor Brody, but it will remain private and confidential, and will not affect your enrollment at Whitman…”

The rest of Dean Hardy’s words faded into the background as Embry withdrew into her mind. She didn’t know what to think, what to feel. The overriding emotion was hurt. The old Embry would’ve run so fast out of that office, away from Luke, away from everything, until her emotions were buried so deep, so far away, that she felt nothing at all.

She missed the old Embry.

But she’d promised Luke that she wouldn’t run, that she’d trust him. And so she sat there while the dean admonished her for her inappropriate relationship with her professor, and tried to make sense of what she was feeling. Just because she was determined to trust Luke, to stay and work things out instead of running, didn’t change the fact that she felt like her chest had just been flayed wide open and he’d been the cause. Whatever reason he’d done this, she wished he would’ve come to her first, talked to her, given her just a little head’s up that he was about to turn her world on its axis. But that was Luke Brody’s specialty, turning her life upside down with no warning.

They endured another few minutes of Dean Hardy’s disappointment before they were free to go. Embry glanced down at her watch. She had thirty minutes to meet Morgan. Pushing aside her emotions and all of the things she wanted to do and say, she rushed out of the dean’s office, through the atrium and toward the school’s exit.

“Baby.” Luke grabbed her hand and spun her toward him as soon as they’d left the building.