The syllabus was only ever an excuse to be in that office with the door locked. Kenneth understood that before I did, his gaze settling on the birthmark at my collarbone like he already knew every secret I carried.

I told myself this was just another meeting, that my quiet defiance would hold even with my career and reputation on the line. But the weight of his authority presses against the fear I've never outrun, the one that makes me crave the discipline only he can give on this night before everything changes. My wedding night waits outside these walls, yet all I can think about is how far he will go to claim what he sees as his.