Page 100 of Tank’s Weakness

I shake my head. “You’re crazy. I broke up with you, Blaine. You cheated on me, remember? When you did that, any thoughts of us getting married ended.”

“You’re wrong, Delaney. We’re perfect together. I had my fun, and you’ve had yours.” A look of disgust crosses his face. “Although as far as I’m concerned, your choices were more questionable than mine, but that’s not the point. You’ll come home and officially move in with me, after you’re tested, of course, because who knew what you caught while away from me. Then we will be married in the next six months.”

“That’s not going to happen, Blaine. I’m sorry. Tell your family I’m sorry, but it’s just not going to work.”

He grits his teeth. “Give me one good reason.”

“Because I’m in love with Tank, and I’ve already agreed to marry him.”

Not quite “marry,” but Blaine doesn’t need the details.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, my man will be here any minute.”

Like an idiot, I turn my back on him and grab the door handle of my car. Only before I can get it open, something comes down hard, hitting me on the back of the head.

Tank’s name flashes through my mind as everything around me goes black.

Tank

Fuck.

My girl is typically cool and calm. Always composed when out in public. In all the time I’ve known Delaney, I’ve never heard her voice shake like that. It fucking killed me.

I never thought when I answered that she would be telling me that someone fucked with her car. I had just assumed she was calling to tell me that she was on her way back to me, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!

I try Acid again. He’s still not answering. I hope he’s okay, but I can’t worry about him right now. She has to be my main concern. My brother would understand.

I never should have let her come without me. I should have stuck to my guns and came with her, but she talked me out of it. She thought that it would piss off the administration if I showed up when I’m part of the problem for them.

I should have trailed behind them anyway. She would have never known I was there if I stayed far enough away. I really considered it. I wanted to betray her trust and stick with my gut, but I didn’t. My fear of losing her outweighed my common sense.

Now I’m paying for it.

Pulling into the parking lot with the tow truck, I scan the parking lot. I find her car easily, but when I see that her car is empty, I go cold.

Goddammit, Delaney. The one time I ask you to do something, you had to go and do the opposite.

She must have decided that going back inside was safer. Even if that prick Principal Marshall is in there, it would be safer with her being by someone.

I turn the rig around and get it ready to hook up her car before I jump out. I check her car and see that it is in fact empty, doors locked, crammed to the damn top with boxes. Her purse, phone, and keys are nowhere in sight. Almost as if she never made it back to her car after I told her to get inside. When I see her tires, my heart freezes.

They were slashed. Not just once, but twice on each tire, top and bottom. Someone wanted to strand her intentionally. The overkill of the job fucks with me. Whoever did this was pissed the hell off and wanted her alone.

Isolated.

One name comes to mind, but I push it to the side.

I can’t get distracted. Not right now when she needs me.

I scan the parking lot again, looking for anything I could have missed. There’s not another vehicle around. Nothing looking out of place.

Maybe she went back to her classroom.

Turning, I head to the building and try the handle. Only to be met with yet another locked door. Quickly, I walk over to the windows and glance inside, finding the rooms dark.

“Goddammit,” I mutter, reaching for my phone.