Dr. Sheila Tao is a psychology professor at Puget Sound State University, and Ethan Wolfe is one of her students and teaching assistants. For the past three months (and change), they have been sleeping together, but Sheila tells Ethan that things must stop because she has become engaged. She further suggests that he switch to a different adviser. This enrages Ethan -- how dare Sheila dump him? How dare she treat him like this? He threatens to release a sexually explicit video the two of them made together, until Sheila agrees to keep him under her purview.
Although she has been with Morris for quite awhile, she has only recently disclosed her addiction to him. When she does so, she also comes clean about her affair with Ethan. On the heels of her admission, Morris is no longer that he can marry her. They decide to meet for lunch before the final pre-wedding meeting with the wedding planner, but Sheila never shows up. Through a series of events, Morris eventually reports her as missing. The police won't investigate, so Morris hires a private investigator. And in the meantime, Sheila is being held captive by a man who seemingly has no conscience.
This book grabbed my attention on the first page and it never let go. There were some parts where I couldn't turn the page quickly enough, as I raced to find out Sheila's fate or to find out what Ethan was up to next. A good thriller is hard to come by, because the author has to be careful not to make things melodramatic. The bad guy has to be bad yet not a caricature, and the victim has to be sympathetic, yet not pathetic. Ms. Hillier did an excellent job with this task, and I look forward to reading more of her work.
Dr. Sheila Tao is a professor of psychology. An expert in
human behaviour. And when she began an affair with sexy,
charming graduate student Ethan Wolfe, she knew she was
playing with fire. Consumed by lust when they were
together, desolate and depressed when they weren't, she
realizes the three-month fling with her teaching assistant
has to end. After all, she's engaged to a kind and loving
investment banker who adores her, and her life is about to
change for the better. But when she attempts to cut the
affair dead in its tracks, Ethan Wolfe won't let her walk
away.
A trio of students still lingered in the lecture hall, chattering loudly in one of the aisles. Hesitating, Sheila walked toward Ethan, her insides tight.
She couldn't put it off any longer. It was time.
"Professor Tao," Ethan said as she approached. His light gray eyes crawled over her face, missing nothing. "Great lecture today. Very engaging. Even learned something new, though of course I took this class as an undergrad. You have such a refreshing take on classic theories."
Always the terrific bullshitter. He usually got away with it because of his good looks and cocky demeanor. But today, the very sound of his voice made her want to throw up.
"We need to talk." Her voice was low. She was hyperaware of the three students still chatting about twenty feet away in the otherwise empty hall.
"Oh?" He continued to study her. "About anything in particular?"
"You know exactly what this is about."
"Let me guess. Leanne Armstrong tattled on me." He finally broke eye contact to glance at his watch. "Can this wait?"
Unbelievable. He knew damn well this wasn't about Leanne. Fine, he wanted to play it that way, so be it.
"No, it can't." Her voice was still quiet, but she spoke with authority. "Whatever the hell's going on between us, you still work for me, and you still need to do your job."
Ethan laughed, and the sound echoed in the large auditorium. He didn't care who might be listening. "You're ballsy. I always liked that about you. Always so professional."
"Ethanβ"
"So why don't you do my job as well? From now on, I'll redirect all student concerns to you. You can handle that, can't you?" He cocked his head to one side. "I know how much you care about your students, Dr. Tao. You'd never let them down. Especially me."
The three students still chatting in the lecture hall were watching them, perplexed looks on their faces. Sheila didn't think they could hear anything from where they were standing, but there was no way to know.
Ethan leaned in closer and she could smell his cinnamon breath. "I watched our video again last night, Sheila, and I am this close to making you famous. Go ahead. Push me."
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