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I would tear them apart limb from limb if I could. I knew nothing about them except they were harassing my girl, and that was enough. They didn’t deserve to breathe the same air much less lay eyes on her.
She stopped walking, swiveling to face me. “This is strange for me, Lachlan. We’re keeping things light and easy, so I don’t know how much I can lean on you. I don’t know if I’m allowed to be mad at you for letting me down, or if I’m even supposed tobelet down. Maybe your absence was part of the ‘light and easy’ relationship you want with me. And that’s okay if it is. We’ll find our footing and set boundaries, but for now, I’m somewhat lost about how I should be feeling.”
“You are allowed to feel however you feel. You’re definitely allowed to be pissed off at me. I screwed up and let you down. Light and easy doesn’t mean I’m going to blow you off when someone assaults you. Jesus.”
I tugged her into me, wrapping her in my arms. She squirmed against me at first, but as I held her, the tightness in her limbs seeped out until she finally gave me that melt. She sank into me, curling her arms around my middle.
“My chin hurts.” She had her face pressed into my chest, whining pitifully. It was damn cute and made something in my deep, dark wells light up.
“I’m sorry, sweet girl. Want me to take you home and get an ice pack?”
She shook her head, plunging deeper into the cocoon of my arms. “No, I just want this.”
Oh yes, I was lighting up all right.
Fuck.
How could I have thought she hadn’t needed me yesterday? Maybe I didn’t need to stand in front of her to fight her dragons like I did for Saoirse, and even my mom. I wasn’t going to be Elena Sanderson’s knight. Instead, I’d be her castle—the place she retreated when the battles were done. I’d be there to protect her too, but only when she came to me for it. That would take some getting used to, but now that I understood my role, I’d take it by the neck and make it mine.
After long minutes of hugging my girl in the middle of the sidewalk, she raised her head, pushed up on her toes, and kissed me hard and fast.
“Okay. I’m good now. Let’s go to class.”
I took her hand in mine, gave it a gentle squeeze, and walked my girl to class.
Being Elena’s castle did not mean I was standing down. She could handle herself, that I didn’t doubt, but she didn’t have to. When she went to New Ventures on Friday, I was there with her, escorting her to her seat.
The skinny guy with big glasses was already there. He took my offered hand and gave it a solid shake.
“I’m Lock, Elena’s boyfriend. I wanted to thank you for being here for her when she needed it.”
He shoved his glasses up his nose, glancing from Elena to me. “Salvatore. Sal. And no problem. What those idiots get away with isn’t right. I wish I could do more.”
Elena narrowed her eyes at her friend. “You should go by Salvatore.” Okay, that wasn’t what I had expected her to say.
“Yeah?” He shoved his hands in the pockets of his khaki shorts. “I could, I guess. That’s what my mom calls me. I just thought it was easier to tell people to call me Sal.”
“Easier on whom? Salvatore’s a cool guy. Sal sells insurance. Be Salvatore.” She pressed her hand to my chest. “Myboyfriend’sleaving now. Say bye to Lock, Salvatore.”
The kid’s mouth opened and closed, his head clearly spinning. I chuckled, knowing exactly what he was going through. Glad to know it wasn’t just me.
On my way out of the classroom, a couple guys entered, and I knew without a doubt they were part of the contingent harassing Elena. I couldn’t do anything to them here, but as I made my way through the doorway, my shoulders just happened to check both of theirs. Hard.
I fucking hoped they bruised like Elena had. That was the least they deserved.
I was back to collect Elena when her class was over. As soon as the professor was finished teaching, I stepped into the room, giving all the assholes the eye on my way up the steps. Two blonde girls giggled and poked at each other from the other end of Elena’s aisle.
Elena shot out of her seat, squaring off on them. “You have something to say?”
One of the blondes went pink. The other pushed her shoulders back and made a nasty, pinched face.
“Are you actually slumming it with a maintenance man now?” She scoffed. “First the dork, now a glorified janitor? How low can you sink, girl?”
I hadn’t considered changing out of my work uniform to pick her up. Maybe I should have. The last thing I wanted was to embarrass her. It was the exact opposite reason I was here.
Elena leaned her back against my chest, pulling my arms around her. “First, you’re a classist idiot. Second, I’d rather be with a glorified janitor who knows how to use his big—no,hugetools than an ex-frat boy who can only get it up when his girl is so drunk, she’s barely conscious. Scurry along, little Abigail, you’re not wanted here.”
The girl’s mouth flailed for a beat before contorting into a sneer. “At least I don’t have to dumpster dive for boyfriends.”
