My Husband's Son Wants Me

Elena’s POV

The hall of St. Jude’s University was my cathedral. It was a space where I truly found happiness. It was a place where I was finally in control of everything.

But that day, my control was waning.

"Sociology is the study of structures," I said, my voice steady despite the prickle of heat on the back of my neck. "But more importantly, it is the study of how those structures collapse."

I turned to the chalkboard and my chalk screeched against the slate. As I moved, I felt it. It was the same weight I’ve felt every Tuesday and Thursday for the last six weeks. In the front row, as always, sat Julian Thorne. He didn't have a notebook open. He didn't even have a pen.

At 6'3, he towered effortlessly. His broad shoulders made him look even bigger. His hair was perfectly styled as always, making him look perfect. I turned back to the class and my eyes caught his silverblue ones. Julian wasn't looking at the board. He was looking at me. It wasn’t the distracted stare of a bored student that I had grown accustomed to. This was different.

It was the type of gaze that should never be seen in a classroom among students. It was choking and scorching me wherever it went. I tried hard to stay focused. My pulse hammered against my throat. Focus, Elena.

"Mr. Thorne," I said, my voice hitching slightly. "Since you’ve found my lecture so captivating that you’ve neglected to take a single note, perhaps you can define social deviance for the class?"

The corner of Julian’s mouth curved upward, revealing a smile that made half the girls in the room lose their breath. He leaned back. The movement was purely predatory and calculated.

“I have no idea, Dr. Vance,” he said, looking me directly in the eyes.

The silence in the hall was deafening. Something about how he said my name kept me on edge.

"You’re truly disappointing," I managed to say with a dissatisfied look as I retreated toward the safety of my podium. "I suggest you open a textbook before the midterm, Julian. Or you’ll find yourself deviating right out of this degree."

He didn't look away. He didn't blink. He just watched me and his sharp eyes traced my every move. My throat suddenly felt parched so I reached for my water bottle with slightly shaky hands. For the rest of the class, I tried to avoid Julian’s gaze as much as possible. At some point, I acted like he wasn't in the same room as me.

Back in my office, I was flipping through a textbook when my phone lit up with a call from Arthur. I smiled as I visibly relaxed.

“Hello dearest,” he said.

“Hi. How are you doing?” I asked as I leaned back in my chair.

“I am fine. I’ve got some good news for you.”

“Really?” I asked, feeling excited. “What is that?”

“Dinner tonight at the estate. I know we’ve waited for this moment for so long. I want you to meet my son.”

“Oh my god, really?” I asked. We had been dating for six months and although I’d been to his house a couple of times, I never got to see his son.

“Yes, I think it’s time.”

“I’m really excited for this.” I smiled. The tension of the classroom finally began to fade.

Arthur was my prince in shining armor. Although he was a lot older and a widower, he was all I could ever wish for. At fortyeight, he was stable, protective, and deeply in love with me. He was a CEO that took care of all my needs, even though I worked.

That evening, I felt on top of the world. Knowing the kind of person Arthur was, I knew this was a bold step for him. My dress was elegant. I wanted to look professional yet undeniably feminine. I didn’t want to do too much and at the same time, I didn’t want to be underdressed. I wore a red fitted dress that dropped to the floor. It had a slit by the side that displayed a bit of my thighs. I completed the look with a black purse and black heels to match.

After one final look in the mirror, I left the house and got into my car. I followed the address and about thirty minutes later, I arrived at the mansion. Arthur answered the door as I rang the doorbell.

“Hi,” I smiled when he showed up. He was dressed casually but even then, he looked really handsome.

"You look breathtaking, Elena," he said, kissing my hand. “You’re just in time, dinner is ready.”

“Thank you.” I smiled, very excitedly.

“My son is already at the table.”

He led me into the house. I ran my eyes around the expensive interior decor, marveling at how good his place looked. It wasn’t my first time but it still blew my mind. We walked into the dining room and I saw a figure standing by the window with his back turned to us.

"Julian," Arthur said, his voice brimming with pride. "She’s here."

Julian?

At the sound of Arthur’s voice, he turned around and the once warm atmosphere turned to ice. Julian, my rebellious student who made me more nervous than I would like to admit, was staring right back at me with an unreadable expression. He was wearing a tailored black suit that made him look less like a student and more like a predator.

I froze. Our eyes connected and it felt like everything else in the room melted away.

“Come on,” Arthur said, as he urged Julian to come to us. He was completely oblivious to the tension in the room. He moved away from the window and began walking toward us. I hoped he wasn't who I thought he was.

But when he stood right in front of me, I saw him clearly. It was him. It was the nightmare from the front row. Julian Thorne didn't look shocked to see me, he looked satisfied. He stepped forward. His thumb grazed my knuckles as he took my hand in a silent, burning claim.

"Nice to finally meet you," Julian said, his voice dripping with a double meaning only I understood. "I've heard so much about the woman who’s been occupying my father's thoughts."

He held onto my hand for a bit too long. He gripped my fingers a bit too tight to keep me in place. I stared into the eyes of the predator. His silverblue eyes bored into mine and dared me to flinch in front of his father.

Elena’s POV

The silver blue of Julian’s eyes felt like a physical weight, pressing against me until I was certain I would bruise. I tried to pull my hands away, but his grip was firm. It was a silent promise that he was the one in control here, even with his father standing mere inches away.

"Julian, don't be a stranger to your own house," Arthur said, laughing softly as he placed a hand on his son’s broad shoulder. "Come, sit. I’ve had the chef prepare a really nice dinner.”

Julian finally released me, his thumb dragging across my knuckles one last time. It was a lingering, intentional heat that made my skin crawl.

I sat down, my legs feeling like lead. Arthur sat at the head of the table looking relaxed and happy, completely oblivious to the silent war being waged over the table.

"So," Julian began, leaning back as he grabbed a bottle of wine. "How long has this been going on? The romance of the century?"

"Julian, manners," Arthur chided, though his tone was fond. "We’ve been dating for six months. Elena is a brilliant woman. She’s the head of the Sociology department at St. Jude’s. Do you know her?”

Julian’s smirk didn't falter. He took a slow sip of his wine, his eyes never leaving mine. "St. Jude’s. Right. I believe I’ve seen you around campus. You’re quite the professor every kid needs."

"I try to do my job professionally," I managed to say, my voice sounding thin even to my own ears. I reached for a water glass, needing to do something with my shaking hands.

Julian leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Professional. That’s funny. Because you look like someone who is hiding a lot behind that degree, Professor."

My heart skipped a beat, then began a frantic, irregular thudding against my ribs. I looked at Arthur, but he was busy cutting into his fish with a small, content smile on his face. There was silence as I swallowed hard and kept looking at Arthur, hoping he would sense something was wrong.

"Is the fish not to your liking, Elena?" Arthur asked, his brow furrowed with concern as he finally met my eyes.

"It’s wonderful, Arthur," I lied, forcing a forkful of food into my mouth. It tasted like ash.

"You know, Dad," Julian said, his gaze dropping to the slit in my red dress where it revealed the curve of my thigh. "Dr. Vance here is actually quite a specialist in social deviance. We were discussing it in class today. About how structures collapse when the people inside them start breaking the rules."

"Is that so?" Arthur looked at me with pride. "I always knew you were impressive, but to have my son actually paying attention in class? That’s a miracle in itself."

I took another bite of my fish and chewed hard.

"Oh, I’m paying attention," Julian whispered, his eyes locking onto mine with a terrifying intensity. "I’m learning everything she has to teach, Father.”

“I am really impressed, Julian. It seems you’re turning a new leaf,” Arthur praised.

To avoid more taunting questions from Julian, I gave my food my full attention, even if my nerves were all over the place. The rest of the dinner was a blur of torture. Every time Arthur turned his head to speak to the maid or answer a quick text, Julian would run his lustful eyes over my curves and drag them over the slit in my dress. I adjusted a lot of times, but his gaze only grew hotter.

Seeing that I couldn’t even eat, I decided to ignore Julian just the way I do in class. I pretended he wasn’t there. Soon, just as I had suspected, Julian got tired.

“I’m done here,” he said, dropping his fork with a clang.

“Are you sure you’re full, son?” Arthur asked, barely looking away from his phone.

“Yes,” Julian said. I could feel the hot sting of his gaze on me, but I didn’t dare to look at him. After a few moments, he pulled his chair back and got up before walking up the stairs.

Silence followed.

“Are you having a good time?” Arthur asked, finally giving me his attention.

“Yes, thanks for the food,” I said.

“You’re most welcome. Please, don’t pay any attention to what Julian says or does. He is currently going through a hard phase right now,” Arthur said.

“Oh, I had no idea he was having a hard time,” I said, my mind spiraling. There was no excuse for how he acted around me!

“Yes. Since he lost his mother, he has been having a really hard time with school and life in general. It’s really hard for him.”

“I’m sorry about that and I hope he gets better,” I said, at a loss for words.

“Can I ask for a favor?”

“What’s that?”

“He is doing very badly academically and has refused private tutors. I see how he looks at you and I can tell he respects you a lot. Having someone like you on standby will go a long way for him, I know this.”

I swallowed hard as my body stiffened. I could tell where this was going already.

“Can you give Julian private lessons?”

Oh no.

“Are you being serious?” I asked, letting out a nervous chuckle.

“I am. I know you can bring my son back.”

Hell no.

“I really wish I could help, but my schedule is really busy at the moment,” I lied.

“Please, my dear. Surely, you can squeeze him in?”

“I am not sure about that, but I’ll have to check,” I began, my mind working fast to think of excuses. “Also, I think you should talk to Julian about it first because I don’t think he will agree.”

“He will. I’ll talk to him about it,” Arthur said. The rest of the meal was done in silence as Arthur was busy on his phone, as usual.

"I think I should go," I said abruptly, pushing my chair back as soon as the dessert plates were cleared. "I have a very early lecture tomorrow."

"So soon?" Arthur looked disappointed. "I’ll walk you to your car. Julian, she’s about to leave,” Arthur called out, making my heartbeat increase.

“You don’t have to call Julian—”

Too late. I could hear his footsteps approach, like he had been waiting to be called.

“You’re leaving?” Julian asked as he got down the stairs.

“Yes. I had a nice evening, thank you.”

Just then, Arthur got a business call.

"Don’t worry Dad, take your call," Julian said, his height dwarfing both of us. "I need to go out anyway. I’ll walk the Professor to the driveway.”

Arthur hesitated, then nodded. "That’s my boy."

I felt sick. Arthur kissed my cheek, his touch warm and safe, but I couldn't focus on him. Not while the predator was standing close by, waiting for me. Arthur answered his call and turned away from us.

We walked out into the cool night air in silence. The moment the heavy oak doors of the mansion clicked shut behind us, Julian’s hand shot out, pinning me against the cold stone pillar of the porch.

"You think you can just slide into my mother's place?" he hissed, his face inches from mine. He smelled like tobacco and expensive cologne. "You think you can play mommy while you're still looking at me like you're afraid of your own shadow?"

"I love your father, Julian!" I whispered, trying to push against his chest, but he was like a wall of solid muscle.

"Arthur loves a saint," Julian countered, his silverblue eyes burning with a dark, obsessive light. "But I see you, Elena. I see the way your pulse jumps when I walk by. I see the woman who is terrified of how much she wants to break every one of those rules she teaches."

"Arthur loves me. Let me go," I said, my voice trembling.

"If you don't stay away from my father," he leaned down until his lips brushed my ear, "I’ll make sure your career is the first thing to burn. Then I’ll show him exactly what kind of deviance you're really capable of."

He let go of me suddenly and the loss of his heat left me shivering. I didn’t have time to think. I quickly began walking to my car.

"See you in class, Dr. Vance," he shouted, his hot gaze heavy on me.

Elena’s POV

The next morning, I was a mess. I barely got any sleep and for some reason, my heart couldn’t stop racing. My mind was still reeling from the encounter with Julian.

The once calming halls of St. Jude’s now put my mind on edge. As I walked to my office, every student suddenly felt like they were watching me too carefully. I frantically searched for those silverblue eyes.

His words from last night kept ringing in my head. “I’ll make sure your career is the first thing to burn,” he swore. I could only hope he was kidding or playing some sort of cruel prank on me.

When I arrived at my office, the familiar scent of old books and coffee that always calmed me filled the air. But today, the air felt thick with foreboding. As I approached my desk, a small, dark shape immediately caught my eye.

Resting in the middle of my arranged papers was a single rose. A black rose. And beneath it was a book. Not a textbook. This was a worn, leatherbound edition of an old gothic romance, its title long worn out.

My heart hammered. Who would dare to leave this on my table? I had no admirer and Arthur would never do this.

Julian.

Heat formed in the pit of my stomach. I stared back at the closed door. I knew I turned the key before leaving for my lecture. How was he getting in?

I picked up the rose, its thorns sharp against my fingertips. This was real.

My breath hitched. I looked around the office in panic to make sure I was alone. I dropped the rose and reached for the book. I flipped to the first page and my breath got stuck in my throat. It was a forbidden romance book.

Why would he dare to do this? To watch me become unsettled? He was pushing me, testing my boundaries and daring me to react.

There were a few things I could do, but I chose to remain calm, hoping he would get tired. I threw the rose into the trash can, as well as the book. Although I would have loved to read the book, I tried not to.

I took my seat, heaved a deep sigh and pushed a smile to my face as I got ready to get the day started.

The rest of the day was a blur of forced smiles and carefully controlled composure. I taught my lectures and feigned interest in departmental meetings, all while my mind kept going to the rose and book I had discarded.

After rounding up with another class, I strolled back to my office, seeking some rest. The day was going smoothly so far and I was relieved.

But when I pushed my door open, I froze.

On my table was another rose but this time, there were two. Two dark roses followed by a book. I didn’t have to check to know it was also a forbidden romance book like the previous one.

I took a step back and looked into the hallway but it only had a few students and Julian was not in sight. I walked into my office, closed my door and approached my table.

I picked the roses and trashed them without thinking but when I reached for the book, I noticed something was written on the cover. It was small but noticeable.

“Arthur thinks you’re going to save me from my academic fail. Do you think so too, mummy?”

It took a moment for me to digest his words and when I did, anger bubbled in my chest.

“What the hell,” I muttered as I felt my temper rise. I was done allowing him to ride over my head. I thought ignoring him would work, but absolutely not. I needed to act. I couldn't breathe in the same building as him anymore without an answer as to why he was on my very neck.

I knew his next class so I walked to the class and luckily, the professor wasn’t there yet.

"Mr. Thorne," I called out as I stood at the entrance of the door. "A word in my office. Now."

Julian didn't look surprised. He moved with that slow, rhythmic grace that made my skin prickle, following me down the hall. Not even a flash of fear showed in his eyes. The moment I shut the office door, I turned on him.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Do you think this is a game?” I spat.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said as he leaned against the wall.

"Stop it," I hissed, gesturing toward the rose. "Stop the gifts. Stop the staring. Stop whatever game you think you’re playing with my life and your father’s heart."

Julian didn't flinch. He leaned away from the door, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "You think this is a game, Elena?"

"I am your professor, Julian. And I am the woman who loves your father. You will respect those boundaries. Leave me alone."

A harsh, bitter laugh broke from his lips. He stepped into my personal space, his height dwarfing me. I felt intimidated but didn’t let it show.

"Respect? You want respect from me? After what you did?"

"I haven't done anything but try to be a part of this family!"

“Which family?” he snapped, getting into my face. “Nobody wants you in my family, do you hear me?”

I took a step back to put some space between us.

“Your father certainly wants me there and there’s nothing you’re going to do about it,” I taunted.

“I see. You want to replace my mom so bad?”

“What are you even talking about?” I asked, frustrated. “I am only trying to find happiness, not replacing your mom.”

“I don’t believe you,” he said with a cold smile.

“What exactly have I ever done to you? I treat you the way I treat other students, what’s your problem with me?”

“That’s a really nice question which I’ve been hoping you would ask me,” he said, covering up the little distance I managed to create. “Do you remember that night?” Now, he was up in my face again.

“What night?” I asked, captivated by his hot gaze.

"Two years ago," he whispered, his voice a low rasp. "A club in Berlin called Der Schatten.”

I froze.