Chapter One
Arrogant.
Haughty.
Devastatingly handsome.
Those were the words that flickered through Elissa Wittleigh’s mind as she stared at the man who sat across from her.
Jay Hues was the kind of person who made others feel small without ever needing to say a word. He carried himself as if everything was just so effortless, like he had already won some secret game she hadn’t even realized she was even playing.
Perhaps it was jarring because he wasn’t being fake nice to her or acting inferior like people around her usually did.
The only men that were allowed in her life were those that were approved by her parents. While he, too, was chosen by her parents, he was different. He wasn’t here to pretend to be her friend. He was here to be her tutor.
The thought itself was laughable at first.
He was only twenty, yet he seemed to be so accomplished. Her parents had praised him for being so young and already having graduated from a top university with dual bachelor's degrees in business administration and computer science.
Whether or not he said it, she could tell that unlike the other tutors before him, he was clearly a member of high society like herself. It made her wonder why he would want to tutor someone barely two years younger than him.
His black hair was shorter on the sides and longer on the top. It was styled imperatively, pushed back away from his face and gelled to perfection. Almond-shaped eyes, framed by thick dark eyelashes. Dark eyebrows, sharp jawline, and high cheekbones made him look even more captivating.
Then there was the unmistakable body language and posture of an elite, poised and proper.
He wore an expensive custom suit that fit his athletic build perfectly. On his right wrist was an expensive, limited edition watch. On the middle finger of his left hand there was what looked like some type of class ring with gold details, a peridot stone, and engravings that were hard to see from a distance.
“Do you enjoy being thought of as empty-headed and vapid?” His voice brought her back to reality. It was even and measured, yet sharp enough to cut through the silence between them.
She narrowed her eyes. The gall.
Moments ago, when he was in front of her parents, he was the perfect gentleman. He had been so polite, respectful, and charming in a way that had made her stomach turn.
Now that they were alone, his true colors bled through. Unsurprisingly, they were the same as everyone else’s.
He was here for the money, obviously. Just another vulture. Another self-serving opportunist wrapped in a crisp, well-tailored suit. At least he was upfront about it. She could give him credit for that; however, she wasn’t letting him get a free-pass to be condescending.
“I’m not stupid,” she said, exhaling heavily as she rolled her eyes. His insult was slightly annoying at worst and boring at best.
He tilted his head as a flicker of amusement passed through his expression, brightening his dark eyes and twitching at his lips. He lifted a bundle of papers from his lap. “Why are you spending an extra year studying when you already graduated? Is it because your grades are like this?” He said with a subtle hint of a condensation.
It was as if he thought- No, as if he knew he was better than her.
Elissa watched as he flicked his wrist. The papers fluttered onto the mahogany table between them. Her transcripts. She already knew the contents, without even having to look. Straight C’s, except for in music. It was far from failing, but certainly not up to standard. Not for someone with her last name. Not for someone expected to excel simply by virtue of existing.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t get into a top university. Money and influence could pave the way with little effort on her part. That wasn’t what she wanted. She had sworn to her parents that she would do it on her own merit, without their intervention. A long shot, maybe. It was the only shot at freedom she had, though.
Despite her sheltered upbringing, she wasn’t oblivious to the fact mommy and daddy dearest carefully crafted everything that revolved around her.
She hated it. She hated it so much. She refused to be brainwashed anymore into thinking that her life was a fairy tale.
She wasn’t a princess trapped in a castle waiting for prince charming to set her free. She was a bird trapped in a beautifully designed cage, made to feel like she could never leave.
Oh, but she wanted to leave so badly. To spread her wings and experience things that would only make her parents clutch their chests in horror. She couldn’t, though. So instead, she silently rebelled in her own ways.
She met his gaze head-on. She curtly answered the question he had asked before, “Because it’s boring.” It was clear that she would not make it easy for him.
His laugh was soft, but it wasn’t warm. It was edged with something sharp, something that made irritation prickle at her skin. “Is it boring?” He questioned back in a slow pace, as if he were speaking to a young child instead of an eighteen-year-old.
“How am I supposed to learn and focus when I’m bored to death?” She muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. It was the truth. Every actual attempt to study on her own had ended in failure. Nothing stuck. Nothing mattered enough for her to force it.
His brow lifted. “Your mother mentioned you have an interest in cooking. That you can out cook some of the best chefs.” He said, as if that was supposed to prove something.
Elissa’s fingers twitched as she dropped her arms to her side. What did that have to do with anything? She didn’t respond. Just stared at him with empty eyes, waiting for him to make a point.
He continued as if he hadn’t noticed- or more likely, as if her silence didn’t matter. “I’ve also heard about your musical talents. I may or may not have attended a few recitals over the years.”
Her lips parted slightly before she caught herself. He had seen her perform? That was unexpected. She was curious when that was, but she schooled her expression and didn’t allow herself to ask about it. Instead, she questioned sharply, “What exactly is your point, Mr. Hues?”
His gaze flickered with something, mirth perhaps, or maybe something closer to contempt. He leaned forward slightly, elbows resting against his knees. “How did you learn to cook, despite having people to do it for you?” He paused, letting the question settle before adding, “How did you learn to play the piano, cello, and the flute? Was it not boring, then?” He inquired, but the way he said it sounded like he already knew the answer but wanted to hear it from her.
She leaned back in her chair, a slow, deliberate smirk curving her lips. “Mr. Hues,” she said in a sickeningly sweet cadence. “Will you be like my last ten tutors? Turn to this page. Read this book. Watch this video. Use this formula. Do this, do that. Blah, blah, blah. Boring! That isn’t teaching. That’s mindless instruction and memorization. I don’t have the patience for it. I don't learn like that.”
Cooking was much more than just studying recipes. Besides, she didn’t exactly learn it on her own. He didn’t need to know that, though. There was also the fact that playing an instrument was much more than just reading notes. Both required discipline, movement, careful calculations, and the proper motivations. She would not tell him that. If he was truly as good as he thought he was, then he could figure it out himself.
Something flickered in his expression, brief but not imperceptible. Interest? Entertainment? She couldn’t tell.
“If it’s the method of learning you’re concerned about,” he said smoothly, “then you’ll be pleased to know that I’m quite flexible. I don’t believe in outdated, traditional methods. I believe in customizing the lessons to fit the learner in any way possible.” His tone was dripping in implication in a way that went over her head.
Even if she didn’t fully understand, his words still caught her attention.
Elissa arched a brow. “Oh?” She wondered exactly what he meant by that. How was he going to customize her lessons? She also took it as a challenge in a way, because it only made her want to make his job even more difficult for him.
She couldn’t help but think about how long he would last. The previous tutor had quit after less than two weeks. The one before that held the longest record of a little over a month. The shortest record had been only two hours before quitting. She was thinking he wouldn’t last more than a couple of weeks. It was a shame, because his attitude was obnoxious, but a little intriguing at the same time.
“I don’t plan to teach you anything this week,” he informed her. “I want to observe a bit more. I want to find what style suits you best. I also want to see your weaknesses and strengths for myself, not just rely on pitiful pieces of papers.” As he spoke, he moved swiftly. He swept the papers off the table, watching as they scattered onto the marble floor. When he stood up, he crushed them under his expensive leather shoes.
He started to leave the room, but stopped. He turned slowly to glance back at Elissa. His eyes looked over as if observing her.
He grinned, the dimple on the right side of his mouth making its debut. “One more thing, don’t call me Mr. Hues.” He commented on how she addressed him earlier. “You can call me Jay. If that’s too informal, then you can call me sir instead."
He stood there a second longer, his eyes scanning over her again for about the hundredth time since they had met. She could tell it wasn’t in the way others looked at her. He wasn’t admiring her beauty. It was more like he was trying to look past that. He was trying to see right through her.
His confidence was infuriating.
Elissa crossed her legs, tilting her head as she studied him back.
His skin was naturally tan, kissed by the sun in a way that hinted at a lineage he hadn’t spoken about. His dark eyes were nearly unreadable, but when they did betray emotion it wasn’t something gentle. There was calculation there, precision, or perhaps a lingering challenge that set her on edge.
Everything about him was sharp, his features, his gaze, the way his voice curled around certain words. Subtle, never too obvious, but impossible to miss.
She couldn’t help but think that he seemed far too clever and meticulous.
It was a dangerous combination.
But she could be dangerous, too.
