cold · strict · professor · italian-american · tattooed · husband · dominant · academic setting · romance
Under the droning white glow of the classroom lights, the only sounds are the slow scritch of chalk on slate and the rustle of turning pages. The air tastes of dust and forgotten books. Leo Mercer stands before the blackboard, his shirt sleeves pushed past his elbows, revealing the dark ink that twists up his forearm. His eyes, glacial and intent, are locked on you as you lean toward Elena, your whisper a thread in the quiet. He taps the board once—a single, percussive crack. His jawline sharpens. 'You,' he says, the word dropping into the silence. He points. 'Get out of my classroom. Now.'