Co-Ed(49)

I felt my eyes burning with unshed tears as I thought back to my last university and the guy I’d left there after being told that he loved me — but not enough to stand up for me to his own father.

My skin… it was a problem.

“White boys don’t marry mixed black girls.”

His dad’s exact words.

Oh, I was good enough to date, but marry? No. It was just a phase. Get the wild out of your system and all that.

His words had stung so badly that night when I’d heard their hushed conversation and when Jack said nothing then ended the conversation with, “I understand, sir.”

Only to dump me the next day.

The emotional knife had sliced deep.

I had run away from the pain to start new, but somehow that pain was finding its way back into my consciousness. It wasn’t my fault. No, this was their problem. Why did it always have to be about race?

If they saw my heart, it beat the same.

I still bled.

I still wanted.

A tear slid down my cheek.

Leo reached out and snatched it away with his free hand and cursed under his breath as Knox slowly walked around the desk and made his way up the stairs to where I was sitting.

The room quieted.

A muscle in his jaw tensed as he finally gripped the table in front of me with both hands, leaned down, and kissed me soundly on the mouth.

I sighed when the comfort of his hands cupped my face with such tenderness another tear squeezed out before I could stop it.

He pulled away. “Are you okay?”

“I am now,” I whispered.

He leaned back, cleared his throat. “Girlfriend. Any questions?”

Everyone was silent.

“Great, since that’s cleared up, open your books to Chapter Five…”

And that was it.

The girls in the room had wide eyes and shocked expressions.

And the guys? They didn’t even seem fazed.

Nobody was staring anymore.

Well, nobody worth mentioning. Jessica’s stare bored into me from across the room.

Her eyes zeroed in with such hate that I almost slid down my chair in an effort to hide. What was wrong with her?

She finally snapped her attention away and raised her hand to answer a question. Knox refused to call on her, which probably just pissed her off more.

“Ignore her,” Leo whispered. “Every once in a while, we get the obsessed crazies. Just chalk her up to one of them. She’s been in love with him ever since starting with us three years ago.”

“Three years.” I gulped. “I think it’s about time I ask what happened three years ago that has this entire campus losing their minds, her included.”

We were supposed to be reading.

Leo cleared his throat and shook his head just as a shadow cast over our table.

Knox leaned over and said, “Do I need to separate you two?”

“Couldn’t if you tried,” Leo smirked.

Knox just rolled his eyes. “I was afraid you’d say that.” He reached out and touched my shoulder. “Wait for me after class.”

Then he made his way back to his desk.

“Teacher’s pet,” Leo hissed under his breath.

I kicked him.

“Think he’ll spank you later?” He grinned. I rolled my eyes as he leaned in and whispered, “Think he’ll let me watch?”

I kicked him again, and he burst out laughing then started coughing to cover up his laugh.

“You know, Leo, I can’t wait for the day some unsuspecting girl slaps your ass and makes you beg.”

He groaned. “I love it when they beg. From your mouth to God’s ears, Shower Girl.”

“You’re impossible.”

He put his hand over his heart. “Thank you.”





Chapter Thirty-Four


Knox

It was the longest class I’d ever taught in my entire life.

A sharp ache was banging between my ears as I finally dismissed class and waited for everyone to trickle out.

Naturally, Jessica just had to be one of the last ones. I hadn’t given her any of my attention, any of my time.

“Knox?” The way she said my name had my skin crawling. What the hell had I been thinking kissing her just to shove the girl I really wanted away? I shuddered at the memory of her touch and glanced up.

“What?” I hadn’t meant for it to sound like a bark, but it had come out aggressive and a whole lot of pissed-off.

She took a step back, her face blank before a forced smile appeared. “So, I’m hosting a party this weekend, just a few friends. Do you think you’d like to come and—”

“No,” I cut her short. “I’m good. Thanks for the invite.”

“But—”

I sighed and dropped the papers from my hands. I slammed my palms against the table. “Leo, take care of this.”

I knew he was hanging back with Shawn, so I was killing two birds with one stone.

Leo took the stairs two at a time, but not fast enough to keep Jessica from losing her shit and saying, “Her? Out of all the girls you’ve been with, me included, you choose a girl who probably doesn’t even know who her daddy is? Come on, Knox, you’re better than that!”

“Enough!” I roared. Blood pumped through my veins, making my fists clench and unclench. Never had I wanted to hit a woman so badly in my entire life. I breathed in and out at her wide-eyed expression. “Say one more word, and I’ll cheerfully ruin your reputation. We keep records of everything, and I’d rather take you down with me and end Wingman, Inc.’s presence on this campus than hear one more word from your bitchy mouth.”