I caught sight of Madoc waving at me.
“Porter!” he whisper-yelled, urgency etched on his face as I hurriedly grabbed my girl and whispered in her ear.
“Shhh.” I tried to control her, but she was struggling.
Dr. Porter was working his way through the crowd. “What’s going on here?” he growled as he came to the front.
Tate immediately relaxed into my body. I released my hold, and she stood there silently, looking down, while Porter glanced between the whining lump of Piper on the floor and the bleeding heap of Nate next to her.
“Dr. Porter,” Madoc spoke up. “Nate and Piper bumped into each other.”
Sweat poured down my back, and I didn’t know if I wanted to hug Tate, smack Madoc, or…smack Madoc.
“Mr. Caruthers, I’m not stupid.” Dr. Porter looked to the crowd. “Now what happened here?”
I tipped my foot up and put pressure down on Nate’s arm as a warning to keep his mouth shut. He struggled, but I just pressed harder.
I doubted he’d say anything anyway. He didn’t want us going to the cops with this.
I would if Tate wanted to, but I’d rather handle it on my own.
“I didn’t see anything, sir,” my friend, Gunnar, offered.
“Me either, Dr. Porter,” another student followed his example. “Probably just an accident.”
Everyone else in the crowd figured out the game plan and followed suit.
Porter didn’t get anything from anyone, and no one got in trouble.
Tate was safe, and I would be taking her home without any complications.
Rubbing his beard, Dr. Porter looked to Nate and Piper. “Alright, you two. Get up, and come to the nurse. Everyone else. Head home!” he barked.
Nate and Piper stomped down the hall after Porter, although Nate was a little wobbly. The rest of the students departed slowly and quietly. No one laughed behind their hands. No one gave Tate a look.
They knew that the video wasn’t my doing, and if I wasn’t on board with it, they shouldn’t be, either.
People being afraid of you can be useful.
Wrapping my arms around Tate’s neck, I brought her into me where she was safe.
Not that she needed saving.
“I’m so sorry about not trusting you.” Her muffled voice vibrated against my chest. “And about what I did to your car, too.”
I couldn’t care less about the fucking car.
“Tate, you’re mine, and I’m yours. Every day you’re going to realize that more and more. When you believe it without a doubt, then I’ll have earned your trust.”
I knew I didn’t have it yet. Today was the result of the damage I’d done.
“I am yours. I just wasn’t sure if you were really mine,” she said quietly.
“Then I’ll make you sure.” I kissed the top of her head, and the image of Piper grabbing her by the hair flashed through my head.
I tried holding in my amusement at how Tate hauled off and brought her down.
“You’re laughing right now?” She pulled back and looked at me, half-angry and half-confused.
Yeah, I definitely shouldn’t be laughing right now.
“Well, I was kind of worried about my anger issues, but now I’m kind of worried about yours. You like to hit people.” I couldn’t hold back the huge grin on my face.
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not angry. She got what she deserved, and I was attacked first.”
I picked Tate up, guiding her legs around my waist and carried her down the hall, unable to not touch her anymore.
I was so afraid I’d never get to again.
“It’s your fault, you know?” she said against my ear.
“What?” I asked.
“You made me mean. And now I pummel poor, defenseless girls…and guys,” she added, and I wanted to laugh again, thinking of the damage she’d done to Madoc.
“You might say that I turned metal into steel.”
She kissed the ridge of my ear, and a shudder rocked through my body.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night, you big bully,” she teased.
And I gripped her tighter, hoping I could, someday, right all the wrongs.