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“My head,” I tell him, touching the tender spot on my skull.
He turns, violence in his gaze, and I place a staying hand on his wrist, holding him back. If he goes over there, there’s no telling what he might do. It would be all I need for Joel to somehow blame Austin for any of this.
There’s a murmuring from outside the door and I peek over, realizing a crowd has formed. I guess my screams attracted more than just Austin’s attention.
“What’s going on in here?” an authoritative voice booms. Dr. Price strides into the room a moment later, stopping when he spots Joel kneeling on the ground, clutching at his crotch.
“She’s crazy,” Joel says, pain in his voice. Good. I hope his balls hurt like hell. “Don’t believe anything she says.”
Dr. Price turns to me. “What’s he talking about?”
“Joel attacked me. He was trying to cover up a bunch of stuff he’s done to me recently, including breaking into my apartment and stealing my phone.”
“I didn’t steal anything,” Joel shouts. “She’s lying.”
Oh God, what if Dr. Price believes him? “Can you call the police?” I ask, my voice trembling. “I want to file a restraining order against him.”
Dr. Price swivels back and forth between us, alarm on his face. “I… Let’s call the campus police and see if we can get to the bottom of this.” He calls out to the hallway, “Kelly, can you do that?”
“I want the actual police, too,” I tell him. I’m pretty sure the campus police’s main job is to protect the university more than individual people.
“I’m leaving,” Joel says, gingerly standing. “This is bullshit.”
Austin steps in front of the door as Dr. Price says, “You stay.”
Joel eyes Austin warily. “But I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Dr. Price crosses his arms over his rumpled lab coat. “Then why could I hear Tessa screaming from my office? Why couldn’t anyone get in this room? Why is Tessa shaking?”
Oh God, am I?
Joel’s lips set mulishly. “I’m not the one at fault here. She’s sleeping with one of the participants.”
Dr. Price’s gaze flicks toward me.
“He’s my boyfriend,” I explain, gesturing toward Austin.
“I’ll pay back any of the money I earned if it’s an issue,” Austin adds.
Dr. Price turns to Joel. “You’re upset that her boyfriend’s in the study? Researchers recruit friends and family for their studies all the time.”
“I…” Joel stutters.
“And it’s an independent six-week study,” Dr. Price continues. “As the administrators, you and Tessa don’t hold a position of authority or control over the participants.” He turns to me next. “As long as nothing… untoward happened in the Stress Lab?”
I clear my throat hastily. “No. Absolutely not.”
He focuses on Joel again. “Now, what do you have to say about Tessa’s accusations against you?”
Joel looks from person to person and out into the hallway to the crowd. “The whole thing is a misunderstanding.”
Oh, no. There’s no chance he’s going to weasel his way out of this. “What part did I misunderstand?” I ask, my voice not as strong as I’d like, but it’ll have to do. “The part where you’ve been harassing me for weeks about Austin because you’re jealous? The part where you staged a break-in at my apartment and tried to force me to stay with you after? Or the part where you stole my phone and sent messages to Austin claiming I didn’t want to be with him?”
Joel’s jaw goes hard, grinding his teeth, but I’m not giving him a chance for rebuttal yet.
“Or did I misunderstand today,” I continue, “when I confronted you about it and you slammed me against the wall and wouldn’t let me escape? When you threatened me that I’d regret saying anything. That you’d discredit me and invalidate the study. As if I care about that when it turns out you’re a psycho.”
He stares at me, nostrils flared, murder in his gaze. “I don’t know what I ever saw in a slut like you. You’ll open your legs for anyone, won’t you?”
