Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Finally, the cops come and take my statement. Sheriff McMahon is gentle and concerned, listening to every detail. Then, he assures me both Lucy and Nick are in a lot of trouble. Both were arrested and taken to jail.
“I’m taking her home now,” Dad says to anyone who’ll listen. “Where’s your stuff, honey? I’ll get it for you.”
I point to my car and shiver as he releases me. I’m drenched in sweat because it’s a thousand degrees outside, but I can’t stop shaking. Theo wastes no time wrapping his arms around me.
“Guess I’m going home,” I say through my tears. “I wanted to be with you.”
He kisses my head. “Soon. Right now, get home and rest. I’ll call you shortly.”
Dad practically has to pry me away from Theo and deposit me into his car. Once we’re on the road, he shoots me a furious glare.
“What was that?”
I know he doesn’t mean Lucy beating my ass.
He means Theo.
Swallowing, I force myself to meet his glare and lift my chin in a show of confidence. “He’s my boyfriend.”
“The hell he is.”
He punches the gas and curses the entire way home.
Chapter 14
Theo
Not seeing Addison last night, sucked. All I wanted to do was hold her in my arms to make sure she was physically okay. But her dad was being protective and did the job for me. Thankfully, she did call me, and we stayed up late talking. So late, I missed gym time again.
I think the guys will understand.
I’m still not okay at having seen that psychopath trying to beat my girl to death with a baseball bat. Everything happened so fast. One minute I was popping in for a quick staff meeting about how to handle when students distribute what’s considered child abuse material and the next, we’re getting alerted to a fight in the parking lot.
Intuition told me to run, and since my new friend, Everett runs fast as hell, the two of us raced to the scene. Had we wasted even ten more seconds, I hate to think what Lucy would have done to Addison. She was so close to clobbering her in the head with that bat.
But I saved her from it.
Thank fuck.
I’m making my way into the school and see Everett standing by his classroom. I stop for a moment to clasp onto his shoulder. “Thanks for dealing with that asshole.”
“My pleasure.” He smirks as if giving headlocks is a perk of the job.
My phone rings and it’s Adam. Everett shrugs when he sees the name. I move aside so a student can go into Everett’s class.
“Hey, man, what’s up?”
“I need you in the office,” Adam says, voice tight and sounding odd. “Sheriff McMahon and Mary Ellen are here.”
Ice chills my veins. “Be there in two.”
Everett shoots me a questioning look. I quickly tell him about the call. He curses under his breath and then smacks me on my back. “Whatever happens, we’ve got your back.”
I give him a nod of thanks and then stride to the office. It feels like I’ve spent more time in Adam’s office than my own. I’m getting kind of tired of it.
When I reach the closed door of the office, the receptionist gives me a small frown before motioning for me to enter. I let loose a heavy sigh and then step inside. The first thing I notice is Mary Ellen’s perfume. It’s pungent and suffocating. I don’t know how I lived with it for those years we were together.
Adam is wearing a pinched expression, but Sheriff McMahon’s is more relaxed. Mary Ellen’s is pure smug satisfaction.
I hate her so much.
Why won’t she just leave me the hell alone already?
“Take a seat, please,” Adam says after I close the door. “We need to talk.”
I’m tense as I sit in the chair beside Mary Ellen. She shoots me a pitying look as if she feels sorry for me. I clench my teeth together, forcing myself to hear what they have to say rather than just walking out and calling my lawyer.
“It’s been brought to my attention by your ex-wife who witnessed you on two occasions being alone with one of your students.” He pauses, not meeting my gaze. “One of those times was of you walking the student from your apartment to her car.”
I guess Mary Ellen did put that together.
Fuck.
“How far you’ve fallen,” she mutters under her breath. “Honestly, I’m embarrassed for you.”
“Now if this is untrue,” Adam says, meeting my stare with his intense one, “just say the words. She doesn’t exactly have proof.”
This could easily go away. A little lie. More hiding. Is that what he and Everett did? I still don’t know how they navigated their situations. All I know is how I’ll navigate mine.
And lying is more Mary Ellen’s thing.
“I’m having a romantic relationship with Addison Monahan,” I tell the three of them. “It’s new, but it’s serious.”