Jessica took a seat directly in front of the instructor's podium so Dr. Ellington wouldn't be able to miss her. Curtis, the guy who had hit on her last class, sat beside her and leaned close. Jessica's instinct was to draw away, but she forced herself to remain where she was, even when his fingers brushed her wrist.
"I'm surprised you returned," he said.
She turned to find his eyes trained on the swell of her bustline. Typical jerk. He chomped his gum, his fingers stroking her skin now. When she didn't respond, he lifted his gaze to hers.
"Why are you surprised?"
He shrugged. "Most girls would be too ashamed to show their face after being seen in such a compromising position. Or in your case… positions."
"I'm not most girls."
"I'll say." His gaze moved back to her chest.
"Would you mind giving me some breathing room? There's this thing called personal space and you're invading mine. Big time."
He leaned back a couple of inches, but grinned at her suggestively. "I was wondering if you do private parties."
Her brow furrowed. "What?"
"You're a stripper, too, right? Me and my friends can come up with a couple grand to pay you. You interested?"
Her jaw set in a hard line, she folded her desk back and moved over a seat. Curtis stood to slide next to her again. Before he could sit down, a young woman hopped over the back of the chair and sank into the seat. "I'm sitting here."
Curtis scowled and moved to take the vacant seat to Jessica's right. Another young woman shoved him aside and sat down.
The chairs surrounding Jessica filled with other women. Curtis rolled his eyes and stood directly in front of Jessica. "So, are you interested?"
"Get lost, jerk."
He curled his lip at her. "Slut." Curtis crammed his hands in the pockets of his khakis and took a seat on the other side of the room.
The young woman who'd hopped over the chair back touched Jessica's sleeve. "I'm glad you came back. What Dr. Ellington did to you the other day was wrong. All the women in the class think so."
"Most of the men, too," the woman seated directly behind Jessica said. They all turned their heads to glare at Curtis. "With a few slimy exceptions."
Jessica could barely speak through the lump in her throat. "You don't think badly of me?"
"For sleeping with Sed Lionheart? Eh, no. A bit jealous, maybe."
She couldn't believe they weren't all pointing fingers and calling her names. She was suddenly glad she'd decided to come back to class, even though it meant entrusting Sed's care to Eric when she'd left that morning.
"You're not in our year, are you?" the first girl said.
"No, I'm a third year. Ellington failed me on my final paper last year, so I'm supposed to retake the class."
"Are you really engaged to Sedric Lionheart?"
Jessica flushed. "Engaged? Not exactly. Maybe someday soon." If she could find the courage to ask him. "We're dating. Um. Exclusively."
"No kidding? Wow, what a babe. He's the reason God gave women eyes."
The door at the front of the room opened and Dr. Ellington stepped up to the podium. She looked haggard and tired, not at all like her usual, polished-ice self. She glanced around the room suspiciously. "Do we have an experiment on gender segregation going on here, or what?" Her gaze landed on Jessica. "Oh, I see. Class is dismissed. Work on your midterm paper. First draft due Monday."
The entire class gasped in horror.
Dr. Ellington turned on her heel and strode from the room.
Jessica sat there dumbfounded for a few seconds and then rose from her chair and headed after the woman. Trotting several yards behind her down the corridor, Jessica followed Dr. Ellington to the dean's office. By the time Jessica stopped at the receptionist's desk, Ellington was already inside Dr. Taylor's personal office.
"I need to talk to the dean," Jessica said.
"He's busy at the moment. Do you have an appointment?"
"No, but I'll wait until he's free."
"Take a seat."
Jessica sat next to his closed door. She could hear Dr. Ellington yelling in the office and she watched the shadows of her pacing feet under the crack of the door. "I want her out of my class. She's nothing but trouble. A stupid little whore who has no right to continue at this institution."
The dean's voice was muffled by distance. Jessica strained to hear his reply. "Mary, you know we can't expel her. She hasn't done anything wrong."
"Either she goes or I go!"
"Do you know how many students were in my office complaining about you yesterday?" Taylor said. "More than twenty. What you did was way out of line. To save my reputation, you should be the one to go."
"What? You're siding with her? How can you even consider such a thing, Harold?"
"You know I want you to stay, baby. Come here."
Jessica heard Dr. Ellington sniff her nose. The dean's chair creaked. "That's better."
"You're not really considering firing me, are you?" Dr. Ellington's voice sounded needy.
"I am. But you know how to change my mind, don't you?"
The chair creaked again. Jessica heard… a zipper being released? She leaned closer to the door.
"That's my girl. Suck it how you know I like it. That's it… Jessica."
Jessica? Ellington's name wasn't Jessica. Why would he call her—Oh…
Jessica's eyes widened. Oh! She jumped to her feet, her focus darting around the room. She met the receptionist's gaze and the woman shrugged as if to say this kind of thing happened all the time.
Jessica moved to stand before the receptionist's desk. "I don't think I need to talk to the dean after all."
The secretary nodded, her uncomfortable gaze trained on her desk. As Dean Taylor's vocalizations grew increasingly enthusiastic, his receptionist's cheeks grew increasingly pink.
"How does listening to that make you feel?" Jessica nodded toward the closed door.
The receptionist hesitated and then spoke in a whisper, not meeting Jessica's eyes. "Physically ill. I've been looking for another job, but haven't found one yet. And I can't afford to just quit."
"You need to file a sexual harassment suit against him."
The secretary's eyes widened and met Jessica's directly. "Oh, he's never touched me. A couple of students. Dr. Ellington. And—"
"He doesn't have to touch you. The fact that you're being forced to listen to that while you're trying to work is enough to win a sexual harassment case. And working here, I'm sure you can find a good lawyer."
"I can't afford a lawyer."
The sounds of Dr. Taylor getting off came through the door. "Yeah, yeah, suck me, Jessica. Oh God. Swallow it. Swallow it. Yes!"
While Taylor shouted in triumph, Ellington choked. Gagged. Then all was quiet. Jessica held her breath. She didn't want Taylor and Ellington to realize she was out there listening.
"Why are you crying, Mary?" Taylor asked, his voice muffled through the door. "You're getting what you want. Your job is safe. I'll make sure of it."
Jessica's heart twanged with empathy. For Dr. Ellington. She didn't really know why. The woman had treated her like garbage. The ice queen was probably getting exactly what she deserved. "You should take this straight to human resources," Jessica whispered to the receptionist. "They're required by law to investigate."
"That's how his last receptionist got fired," she whispered. " False accusations. Dean Taylor has too much clout at this institution. They'll never do anything about him."
Well, maybe they wouldn't do anything about the pig, but she would.
"I don't have my degree yet," Jessica said, meeting the receptionist's dark brown eyes and holding her gaze, "but I'm sure I can find someone to represent you in court. For free. It's time to take him down a peg or two."
"You'd do that?" the receptionist said. "Go against the dean? For me?"
"For you," she said. "And for me. And every other woman he's ever harassed. Including Dr. Ellington."