Ria had put her foot down and got Philippe to take her to the University to bid goodbye to the Professor who had been her favourite. As she walked down the halls of the antiquated building, for the elderly Professor Wilkins had his rooms in the old building, she felt the Capo’s blistering gaze on her. But she ignored him.
As they rounded a corner and began to make their way back to the waiting car, someone called her name and she turned. Philippe’s hand went to his gun at his waist automatically as he spun around to look at the newcomer.
The young man who was approaching them, was Professor Wilkins’ associate, the much younger Professor Martin.
Nick Martin had the reputation of being a flirt who helped young female students with their assignments. And was often rewarded with physical favours by his grateful students, said the grapevine gossips but no one had come forward with accusations so the handsome young man was still very much a part of the academic team.
*
Ria had steered clear of him during her days at the University and she did not care much for the handsome young man, with the bespectacled, intellectual look which he cultivated carefully, as one of her friends said snidely. Many of the female students attended his lectures just to sit and ogle at him; Ria had been one of the few who had seen through him and had avoided his classes for she felt that his lectures were lacking in depth. Now, clad in a tweed suit, looking very much the Professor, with his honey blonde hair falling over his forehead and the wide, sexy smile he wore, the blue eyes behind the wide glasses making him look curiously boyish, he hurried across, eyes on Ria, moving curiously to the large brooding dark man beside her but dismissing him immediately.
*
Once, at a party, he had sought her out and she had even spent the evening chatting with him. That was until he had tried to kiss her and she had firmly rejected his advances. She had managed to evade him after that night but Professor Nick Martin was made of sterner stuff and imagining himself to be the world’s most eligible man, he had continued to woo her when he was not otherwise occupied with his various conquests.
It was like a man aiming for the moon, although he knew he was never going to get it, said one of the seniors when they saw the amorous professor vainly trying to win over the totally disinterested Ria Delano.
*.
Ria was suddenly aware of Philippe who had been walking close to her, stopping and swearing softly. She slid a look at him from the corner of her eyes, a plan forming in her head.
The Capo looked annoyed as he watched the approaching figure and Ria was forced to admit that when the two men were close to each other, Nicholas Martin cut a rather effeminate figure as opposed to the blatantly macho-looking swarthy Capo with his dark hair and black beard, the eyes glowering in dislike. The scar on his face and the hint of the tats only made him look more desirable and she had noticed the few female students who were yet to leave for the vacation, stare at him covetously.
*
Mischievously, Ria stepped forward and said, her voice dripping with saccharine
“Oh, Nick! There you are! I was looking for you.’
It was a lie, a white lie and she hoped that the Capo would believe that. She pouted prettily to add credibility to her words.
The almost comical look of surprise on Nick Martin’s face was quickly replaced by one of pompous pride. He shot a look at Philippe, a rather condescending glance as he stepped to Ria.
‘See, she prefers me to you,’ the look seemed to say. The Capo met his gaze calmly, unflinchingly, almost looking bored and disinterested.
Ria let the fawning man take her hands in his rather soft ones and kept a smile plastered on her face although she found herself wondering why girls swooned over such an effeminate chap.
*
“Are you leaving?’ he murmured in a sad tone and she smiled, dimpling at him. His eyes sparkled, for by now, he was genuinely beginning to think that she truly liked him.
I am an accomplished actress, thought Ria gleefully as she went on in dulcet tones, softly but just loud enough for the furious man standing close to them, to hear,
‘Nick, how could I go without meeting you…?’ And she fluttered her lashes at him coquettishly.
She felt rather than saw the way Philippe’s fists turned white as he clenched his large hands. Nick was delighted as he swept her into his arms.
“Ria, darling child.’ he murmured and bent to kiss her. She turned her face slightly so his lips, wet and repulsive, landed on her cheek but it was not really visible to the man who was practically hyperventilating behind them for he was still a few paces behind. it looked as though they were sharing a kiss, intimate and short.
Nick lifted his head reproachfully and then, as though he had suddenly become aware of the Capo, looming big and dark a few feet behind Ria, he asked in a petulant tone,
“Who is that?’
Ria waved her hand dismissively.
“Who?’ She turned to meet Philippe’s eyes and shrugged in a dismissive way,
“Oh did you mean that guy? He’s just one of my Pappa’s bodyguards.’
Her tone was deliberately disparaging and she leant up to kiss the associate professor smack on his mouth, taking Nick Martin by surprise. Her small hands went to his hair, mussing it up as she thought to herself,
“There. Now you won’t look so dapper now, Mr Martin.’
Smiling inwardly, Ria knew that she had made Philippe unbearably jealous as she stepped back and looked at the Professor who now had his tie askew, his hair messed up and his eyes glazed with lust. Even his spectacles were perched lopsidedly.
“See you soon, darling,’ she cooed as she turned away with a final wave of her small hand, blowing him a kiss, giggling to herself at the theatrical gesture. But the smitten Martin looked as though he would explode with joy..
Then she walked forward, without a backward glance to check if the Capo was behind her. Philippe followed her and she felt his rage as he prowled beside her, like a large panther.