Page 83 of Dirty Judge

“And he made it very clear that if I didn't...all my ‘privileges’ would disappear.”

I paused. “I held him off for a few months, stopped going to his special trips and classes, but…He was relentless.”

Liam clenched his jaw.

“On the night I came over for our first time, I just couldn’t do it, and I left.” I sighed. “He gave me an ‘F’ for my final—in three of his classes—which is an automatic fail, so I couldn’t continue if I wanted to.”

“Then months later, he publishesThe Legal Beast, and everyone in legal land kisses the ground he walks on…”

“I’m sorry.” Liam sighed, pressing a loofah against my skin. “Did you file a report?”

“I did.”

“What happened to it?”

“It was after his book was on the bestseller charts for six weeks straight, so his lawyer made me an offer big enough to drop it,” I said. “That’s how I was able to pay for my Journalism tuition and other things for a while.”

“Do you know if he’s done this to anyone else?”

Plenty of girls. “I don’t know.”

“You do,” he said. “Tell me.”

“Yes,” I said. “My roommate was one of them, but please don’t ask me to look into or do anything about it, okay? I just want to get over it.”

He didn’t agree with me.

He simply pressed a kiss against the back of my shoulder and sat with me for another hour.

It wasn’t until later that night that I saw him toss the book in the trash and make a new note in his personal folder.

Ways to Handle Author Ryan Kenneth—Privately.

PROTECTION (N.):

THE ACT OF SAFEGUARDING A PERSON, THEIR RIGHTS, OR THEIR PROPERTY FROM HARM, LOSS, OR LEGAL VIOLATION.

LIAM

Liam

Come home with me after work tonight? All this week again?

Maybe.

I wasn’t asking.

I was just testing you…

It’s a yes, of course.

Can I make up that book signing with you as well?

You don’t have to do that, Liam. I promise.

I do…There’s a big romance author signing this weekend in The Hamptons. Has any writer in that genre ever hurt you?

Only when they make me cry over their characters.