Page 148 of Burning Bridges Duet

“I love you for saying that, but you have no idea what it’s like to live like this,” she says, looking sadly at him. “Liam is right—I can’t force you guys into this. It’s bad enough that Ryder got recognized today. He’ll be dragged through the mud right alongside me.”

“Oh, baby, bad press is the best press for rock bands,” Ryder says with a laugh. “Don’t worry about me.” Liv’s expression softens as she looks at Ryder, a mixture of gratitude and concern in her eyes.

“I appreciate your optimism, but this situation is different. All our personal lives are going to be exposed and scrutinized. I don’t want any of you to go through that,” she says.

“We’re a family,” Chase says, his voice determined. “We’ll face this together, no matter what. You won’t have to go through it alone.”

“You’re part of this family now too,” Jaxon chimes in, his tone calm yet resolute, “We’ll do whatever it takes to protect you and get through this. We won’t let him win.”

“Thank you, all of you,” she says, her eyes searching each of our faces. “But I need you to understand the consequences. It won’t be easy. We’ll face backlash, judgment, and intrusions into our lives.”

“We knew this relationship would come with its challenges. And if we stand together, we can face everything that comes our way,” I tell her, my voice filled with conviction.

“Okay, then,” Liv says. She takes a deep breath, her resolve strengthening. “We face it together. Let’s show the world that we won’t let anyone break us.”

TWENTY-FIVE

Jaxon parks his Jeep right next to Liv’s abandoned Mini, which they left behind at the college yesterday. We decided that despite everything, we should try to live our lives, but with the understanding that Liv shouldn’t be alone at any time.

The last part of Liam’s letter didn’t sit well with me. Liv believes that exposing her to the press was his ultimate goal, as he will relish seeing her suffer, but to me, it sounded even worse than that.

Today, I volunteered to stick by Liv’s side, so I canceled my dance classes to accompany her to college. Maybe I’ll learn a thing or two along the way. At least she won’t have to face all those reporters alone.

I sit in the backseat of the Jeep while Liv rides shotgun. She’s wearing a stunning red dress that hits just above mid-thigh and is sleeveless. I gave her a puzzled look when she stepped out of the bathroom, but she simply shrugged and said, “I’ll show everyone what he did to me, even if they don’t want to believe it.”

I could see the resolve in Liv’s eyes as she prepared herself to face the world. She refuses to be a victim again, determined to expose the truth and stand up for herself. Her strength inspires me, and I’m honored to be by her side through it all. Still, before we left the house, I grabbed one of my black hoodies, making sure we have something with us to cover her up if she feels the need to.

Liv glances at me, her eyes searching for reassurance.

“Ready?” she asks. I take a deep breath, my hand reaching out to squeeze her shoulder.

“I’m right by your side, gorgeous,” I reply.

Jaxon reaches over and cups Liv’s face in his hands.

“You’re so fucking strong and capable,” he tells her earnestly. “They don’t even know what’s coming for them.” He kisses her passionately, and Liv melts into the kiss.

We get out of the Jeep, and I take her hand. I can’t help but feel nervous as we walk along campus. We haven’t even reached the building where Liv’s classes are when a man in his forties, dressed in a suit, intercepts us.

“The dean would like to talk with you, Ms. Baker,” he states.

My gaze turns to Liv, expecting to see fear, but instead, she seems to be wearing a mask of composure. She smiles at the man.

“Of course, please lead the way.”

He nods and turns, gesturing for us to follow him to the dean’s office. We walk through the hallways, the atmosphere tense and filled with curious whispers from fellow students. The weight of the situation hangs heavy in the air, but Liv walks with grace and determination, as if she’s prepared for whatever may come. We arrive at the dean’s office, and the man opens the door, ushering us inside. The dean, a middle-aged woman with a stern expression, sits behind her desk.

“Please have a seat,” she says, gesturing to the chairs in front of her.

Liv and I take our seats, exchanging a brief glance. The dean studies Liv intently for a moment, her gaze scrutinizing.

“Ms. Baker, I’ve been made aware of the recent developments regarding your personal life,” she says, her tone professional. “It seems your presence is drawing significant attention, which is having an impact on the wider campus life.”

“It’s Ms. Michaels now, and yes, that’s correct,” Liv replies with a nod, maintaining her collected demeanor. “I trust you understand that I never sought out this kind of attention. Besides, I can’t control or prevent it from happening in the future. The behavior of the press is out of my hands.”

“I have no doubt that if you could control this uproar, you would, but that’s not my primary concern,” the dean starts. She leans forward, her voice dropping a notch. “What truly bothers me, Ms. Michaels, is the reputation of our institution. Your decision to hide your true identity and circumstances undermines trust and honesty. It raises questions about our college’s reputation. If you had come here with complete transparency, we could have assisted you, maybe even avoided this situation.”

I stifle a huff. As if they could have made a difference. The campus doesn’t even have proper security. Liv takes a deep breath, her hands clasped together in her lap.