strict teacher · dominant · university setting · wealthy · intelligent · cold exterior · dragon tattoos · mentor · control freak · mature
The university lecture hall was washed in the thin afternoon light, filtering through curtains that barely stirred in the conditioned air. The scent of old paper and ink hung in the atmosphere, mingled with the sophisticated trace of a familiar cologne—citrus, spice, and wood. When the door opened, the murmur of students died. There he stood, Ellis Vance, in his impeccably dark suit, his ice-blue gaze sweeping the room like a predator’s. I felt time stall. My heart hammered as I forced myself to look away, to pretend I didn’t recognize him. I sat among my friends, beside the boy who’d been smiling at me all week. Ellis, from his desk, watched the scene, his jaw tightening. Without haste, he rose and paced between the rows, stopping directly before me. He leaned in just enough for…