One: Her Savior

Two weeks later

Cookie Logan squinted her eyes as she walked across campus under the blazing summer sun. She pushed the sunglasses that sat on her head over her eyes to lessen the sun's assault on her ocean blues as she glanced at the watch on her wrist.

"Shit," she cursed in a barely audible voice as she quickened her pace and hurried past the canopy of trees that led to the lecture theater where she was having her first class that morning.

It was an economics class and she had about ten minutes before class started. Cookie hated being late but aside from that, she couldn't afford to be late for this particular class because the professor that taught the course, Professor Harry Barnette, wasn't a very nice man and took being late as a very serious offense that could cost her some marks for the semester.

Cookie was lost to her surroundings as she ran toward the lecture room where the class would be held, but not far from her destination, strong arms suddenly grabbed her, pulling her behind one of the huge trees and a scream of terror lurged out of her throat, but a palm was slapped on her mouth to keep her shut. Terror began brewing within her as she struggled against the grip of this unknown person until the familiar face came into view, his dark, brooding eyes staring into her blue ones in amusement.

It was Dave Foster, Cookie's ex-boyfriend.

"Hey, baby," he smirked when he noticed the relief that sank into her, making her shoulders sag, but that expression quickly faded and was replaced by anger and annoyance. He took his palm away from her mouth, but his other hand was still wrapped tightly around her waist while her back was pressed against the trunk of the tree.

"What the hell, Dave?" Cookie snapped at him and struggled against his grip, but it only grew stronger and he leaned closer to her, successfully trapping her between the tree and his massive body while blocking her view of her surroundings.

"Hmm...you're becoming so bratty these days," he murmured, his thumb stroking her cheek and moving down to trace the outline of her lips, but Cookie shook her head vigorously until his hand fell away.

She was seething and Dave knew it, but he didn't let go of her because he enjoyed getting on her nerves. When she first met Dave, he treated her like a princess and acted like she was God's gift to him but as soon as they started dating, he changed and showed Cookie the domineering and infuriating side of him that she hadn't seen. Dave always wanted to be in her business. He would threaten any guy who tried to befriend her or even got close to her. He kept his minions in all of her classes to monitor her, and to make matters worse, he pressured her to have sex, not like he always satisfied her. Cookie had tried to endure for the first three months hoping that he would change, but he never did. So she had ended things with him, but little did she know that it would only make him do more and continue his maddeningly possessive attitude.

He treated her like his shiny new toy, a property he owned, and she hated it. She'd thought the break up would get him off her back, but it didn't. Dave simply wouldn't take no for an answer, even when she'd said it to him countless times.

"I have a class in..." Cookie glanced at her Watch. "Five minutes!" she squealed angrily, pushing at his chest, but he only chuckled.

"Relax, baby. I know you have a class, but you'll agree I'm more important than that class," he said calmly, and Cookie frowned deeply, her nose scrunching up in irritation as she inwardly wondered how she'd ever gotten into the claws of someone as self-centered and stupid as Dave.

How on earth could he utter such words?

"But I'll let you go, baby. If you'll just agree to spend the weekend with me," he leaned into her, attempting to nuzzle her neck, but Cookie shoved harder at his chest, pulling away from him as far as his iron grip could allow her. "It's been a while and I've missed you."

"Not even in your dreams, Dave," she hissed angrily. "Let me go, I have a class to attend and if you were deaf the whole time I said it, let me spell it again. We. Are. Done. Dave. Foster. I'm no longer your girlfriend or rather your toy. Find someone else and leave me alone.”

Suddenly Dave's cheerful demeanor faded, his eyes darkening as a cold expression settled on his face, sending shivers down Cookie's spine. .

"I forbid you from saying that again, Cookie. For today, I'll forgive you, but never say it again.” His hold on Cookie tightened and his free hand moved to her shoulders, his fingers curling around her neck as he squeezed gently at first, then harder, until he was almost cutting off her air supply. "Have I made myself clear?"

Cookie's eyes were wide with fear, her heart pounding against her chest. She always knew Dave was crazy and had some anger issues, but she didn't think it would get this far.

"Da-Dave..." she coughed, grabbing his hands and trying to free his hold on her as she was beginning to have trouble breathing

"Say the words," he barked at her, but before Cookie could reply, another deep male voice spoke from behind him.

"Let her go,"

Dave froze, but Cookie was still struggling to get him off her and hence, too distracted to care about the man who came to her rescue.

"Fuck off. This is my girlfriend and I,"

"I'm not going to repeat myself and I'm sure you don't want to get your ass kicked out of this premises and your studentship cut off for assault."

As if his words had just sunk into Dave's head, his grip on her throat loosened and his jaw clenched in anger. Slowly, he released her and turned to the man who had interfered in his business while Cookie clutched her neck, drawing in deep breaths and massaging where Dave's fingers had been.

Dave glared at the stranger who was dressed in a suit and wondered if he was a new professor or just a visitor who couldn't stick to his business.

"One call and you would seize to be a student here. I won't repeat myself,” his voice grew colder and Dave glared at him, gritting his teeth before storming off in the opposite direction.

The man stepped closer to Cookie, who was bent over, and gently touched her shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

Cookie straightened her stance and glanced at him, but did a double take and stepped backward, her eyes widening as she recognized those bright blue eyes from two weeks ago.

"Oh my God..." she muttered, her cheeks coloring crimson as she blinked, averting her gaze to the ground.

"Hello," the man said in his deep, hoarse voice, with an amused undertone that made Cookie stare at him again, with a coy smile on her face.

She couldn't believe it was the same man she woke up in his hotel room two weeks ago in Vegas after he saved her from stripping for an audience when she was drunk.

"Um...h-hi," she finally replied, still flushed and shy at his presence.

"Are you alright?" He stared at her neck and frowned. Cookie quickly wrapped her fingers around it, remembering that he had just saved her again, but this time from her jerk ex.

"Ye-yeah, I'm... I'm fine. Thanks for saving me",

"You're welcome",

Cookie's gaze darted to the lecture room a short distance away and saw Professor Harry enter.

"Shit! I'm late for class,” regret and anger flowed from her words, and the man glanced in the direction she was facing.

“Can I walk you to class?”

Cookie looked at him.

"You don't have to",

"I insist and I would feel better knowing you're safe."

She blushed a deep shade of pink again.

"Um...okay."

The man nodded and she led the way while he walked beside her, uttering no words. A few minutes later they reached her class and she was standing at the door, her nerves nagging at her as she didn't want to draw attention to herself and be embarrassed by the professor's harsh words. Her companion, who seemed to have noticed her situation, cleared his throat and Professor Harry looked at them. The man appealed to the Professor on her behalf and surprisingly, Professor Harry let her in without any trouble.

Cookie ran to the only empty seat at the back of the class and sat down, but when she looked out the window, her savior was gone. She frowned deeply, but then her mind wandered back to the morning she'd woken up in his hotel room, wearing only her panties and his oversized t-shirt.

She thought she had gone to heaven when her eyes first caught the blue-eyed Adonis, with his dark hair and lean, muscular body. His handsome face and panty-melting smile were just another bonus to his already intimidating and sophisticated appearance.

She was never a shy girl, but she couldn't control her emotions or facial expressions with this man. And when he told her about the wet t-shirt contest she had entered and how she was going to take off her shirt in front of the crowd, she quickly ran out of his room, mortified by the tale of her carelessness and stupidity.

Now he had saved her from her abusive ex-boyfriend once again.

Did God send an angel to rescue her or was it just a coincidence that he seemed to be there every time she needed saving?

Cookie was still deep in thought with a cheesy smile on her face until Professor Harry's voice boomed in her ears.

"Would you like to share your fantasy with us, Miss Logan?”

She snapped out of her trance immediately and looked down, a wave of shame hitting her.

"Keep your thoughts here," the man scolded, continuing with the lesson while Cookie internally berated himself.

For the rest of the class, she tried really hard to stay focused and she did. After class, she went to the office of her project supervisor, Professor Chase Henderson. She had her final group project and was the leader of her group. They had been working on it but had encountered some problems, so she had to ask the supervisor a few questions.

Cookie arrived at the office and knocked on the door before opening it, but when she entered, instead of meeting her supervisor, Professor Chase Henderson, she found the same man who had rescued her sitting in the professor's chair.