One Night With My Alpha Professor

Chapter 22

Audrey & Edwin

Audrey's POV

Just as the wine was about to splash all over me, a blur of movement caught the corner of my eye. I flinched instinctively, squeezing my eyes shut as I braced for the inevitable drenching of red liquid all over my dress.

But it never came,

Slowly, I peeled one eye open, only to find Gavin standing there with a rapidly spreading stain of red across the front of his crisp white dress shirt. He had jumped right into the path of the wine, shielding me from "What the hell?" the blonde woman snarled, slamming her empty glass down on the table with a thud. "That wasn't meant for you!"

Gavin straightened up, brushing a few stray droplets from the sleeve of his jacket as he regarded her evenly. "I'm sorry, Miss, but I cannot let you assault another patron," he said, his tone shockingly calm despi going to have to ask you to leave"

"Do you even know who I am?" she hissed, leaning in close enough that I could smell the sharp tang of what was clearly expensive perfume on her skin.

Before Gavin could respond, a familiar voice cut through the tension. "I know exactly who you are, Fiona." We all whipped around to see Edwin striding back toward us, his face stonier than I had perhaps ever s a public setting, then you should return to whatever hole you crawled out of before I'm forced to have you removed."

Gavin visibly bristled at the threat, but the woman-Fiona, apparently-

merely jutted out her chin defiantly as she plopped herself down in the chair I had vacated moments earlier. "I'm not going anywhere," she sneered up at Edwin

He arched one dark brow, utterly unbothered. "Very well Have it your way."

With ceric nonchalance, Edwin dug his phone out of his pocket and tapped out a number before lifting it to his ear. "Yes, I need you to come and collect your daughter," he said after a beat of silence. "She's mak Whatever else he said was cut off as Fiona abruptly shot to her feet, nearly overturning the table in her haste.

"Fine," she hissed, shooting me one last venomous glance before turning on her heel. "But this isn't over

Edwin's POV

I watched with a mix of satisfaction and disdain as Fiona's face flushed beet red, a vivid blush of mortification creeping down her chest. She swung her hips as she stormed off, her designer handbag trailing at h shiny red bottoms of her Louboutins seeming to reflect the flickering candlelight.

Good riddance, I thought to myself, rolling my eyes. The spoiled brat never knew when to pick her battles. Although I had to admit, watching her embarrass herself so thoroughly in public was mildly amusing There was a beat of stunned silence in Fiona's wake. Then, abruptly snapping back to reality, Audrey spun toward Gavin with wide eyes.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" she

asked. Even from across the table, I could see the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she frantically tried to dab at the stain on his shirt. "You didn't have to do that, you know, Now your uniform is ruined!" The young waiter merely chuckled, waving away her frantic words with one hand. "It's not a problem, Miss" he assured her, his cheeks flushing red as she dabbed at his shirt. "I would much rather let my uniform Audrey chuckled. "Ob, this? I made it myself."

Cavin said, taking a step back now that she had finished dabbing his shirt to no avail. "Well, it's lovely. You're very talented."

With that, he turned on his heel and left.

I watched as Audrey took her seat again, her cheeks flushed pink. She fiddled with the now-reddened napkin she had used to clean up mouth working uselessly for several moments. "Who.. who was that woman?" Audrey's voice was barely above a whisper when she finally met my eyes again,

I felt my expression harden instinctively. Where could I even begin?

his shirt, her

"No one of any real importance," I said curtly, desperate to change the subject before she

started asking too many questions that I didn't want to answer. "Just a spoiled heiress with more money than sense." I waved a dismissive hand. "It's not even worth discussing."

As we waited for the check, an awkward sort of silence fell between Audrey and myself. Eventually, the bill came, and I reached for it automatically -

only to have her snatch it away before I could get a glimpse at the total

"Allow me," she said, lifting her finger to stop me just as I was opening my mouth to protest. "This was my idea, after all."

I arched an eyebrow as I watched her wince, quickly averting her eyes and digging through that small purse of hers with jerky movements. It was obvious that she was stressing over whatever the cost was, her full lips thinning into a flat line.

Earlier. I had seen her open her bank app; she had tried to hide it from me, but I could see the numbers in the reflection of the mirror behind her in the elevator. She had less than a thousand dollars; barely enou weren't exactly paid top dollar for their work.

I'd have to do something about that, of course. Starting now.

Letting out a soft sigh, I held my hand out across the table, my expression softening ever so slightly.

"Audrey," I said, keeping my voice low. When she glanced up at me, I gave my outstretched fingers a little wiggle. "Lei me get

She immediately began to protest. "What? No, no I can't let you

"Yes, you can," I cut her off firmly, leaving no room for argument until she finally acquiesced with a soft huff. As she handed me the bill, I felt a tiny flicker of pride. I never intended on letting her pay. Especially no Well, it wasn't a date. But still..

"Just focus on your studies, Audrey." I told her as I slipped my platinum card into the slot and set the billfold on the corner of the table. "Not on footing the bill for an expensive restaurant."

Those big blue eyes of hers went wide briefly, but she seemed to relax a fraction at my assurance that she was never expected to pay. "I thank you." she murmured, her cheeks still pink. "And, um sorry again al who she was."

I held her gaze steadily as I handed my credit card off to the server, trying to ignore the way her bashful expression made my heart stutter in my chest. Think nothing of it," I said gruffly, giving myself a mental sh As the waiter walked off to charge my card, I bent to retrieve something that had fallen out of the billfold when Audrey had grabbed it earlier, unbeknownst to her, and was now sitting on the floor- a small, folded slip of paper.

Picking it up, I unfolded it to find a name, a number, and two words written inside. Gavin's phone number and, "Call me."

My scowl deepened as I straightened up.

"What's that?" Audrey asked curiously, her brow furrowing.

I opened my mouth to respond, my words momentarily halting in my throat. I knew I should tell her-it was the right thing to do, clearly the kid had a thing for her, and they were close in age- but then, before I could utter the truth, I crumpled up the paper and shoved it into my pocket,

"Nothing." Hlied. "Just a recript"