Page 158 of Almost Ravaged

I open my mouth, but no words come.Think, Sawyer.Think.

“Sir,” Ty grits out beside me. “With all due respect, we can explain.”

I freeze, then slowly turn to him.

I still don’t even understand why he’s here.

“There’s nothing you can say to excuse this gross violation of university policy, Mr. Tremblay.” Stalworth sits straighter, lacing his fingers on top ofhis desk. “You are a freshman at this institution. Ms. Davvies is the graduate assistant for one of your classes. The power dynamic is not appropriate, nor is it sanctioned by this school.”

Wait. My mind spins, my thoughts jumbled. Does he think the man in the video is Tytus?

I lick my lips and try to speak, but my throat constricts, making it impossible. I dig my nails into the armrests of my chair, scraping to find purchase, racking my brain for a plausible explanation. How do I tell him that the man is Mercer, not Ty?

“That’s where I believe additional context could be helpful, sir.”

Tytus knows that’s not him in the video, obviously. But he’s going to try to take the fall.

“Ty.” It’s the only word I can get out when I want to tell him to stop talking and walk away. He has his whole future ahead of him. There’s too much riding on the opportunity here at Holt for him to throw it all away.

It’s my fault. It was my choice. There’s no way he’s going down with me.

Ty shifts forward, planting his elbows on his knees. “While Sawyer is the graduate assistant for one of my classes, we actually have a deeper connection that supersedes university policy.”

The dean arches a brow. “You will be hard-pressed to convince me that any sort of friendship or familiarity could supersede university policy, Mr. Tremblay.”

Hope flares inside me. Ty’s got the right idea. If we can explain our history, maybe—

“To be clear, thatisSawyer and me in the video.”

Fuck.

Why did he fucking say that? What does he think he’s doing?

Ty grasps my hand and laces our fingers in his lap.

I let him, because I don’t know what else to do. Panic flares inside me. For myself. But even more so for Ty.

I squeeze once. He squeezes twice in response. But his squeezes aren’t like before. They don’t feel loving or tentative. They’re not sweet or searching or kind. His grip is tight, even after the second squeeze. The force of his hold makes it abundantly clear that he knows who’s actually in that video, and he’s not happy about it.

I stare at the screen, numb all the way to my core.

Stalworth sighs. “Unfortunately, with that kind of admission, there’s nothing I can do for you. My hands are tied. Effective immediately, Ms. Davvies is fired from her role as graduate assistant.” He focuses his full attention on me. “You are also expelled from Holt University.”

“Dean Stalworth,” Tytus seethes, rising out of his seat.

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

He’s going to make it worse. He’s going to lash out. He’s going to do or say something he can’t take back and get himself expelled in the process.

Scrambling to my feet, I yank on his arm. “Ty, please.”

He ignores me.

The dean stands as well, crossing his arms. “Mr. Tremblay, I must ask you to take your seat or leave my office. You are the victim here. Your attendance will be required at the Title IX meeting this afternoon. I’ll forward the details to your email and notify the team as well. There’s nothing you could say to justify—”

“You’re wrong,” Tytus drawls, a smirk teasing one side of his mouth. The words sound light and airy, his tone in complete juxtaposition to his body language as he squeezes my hand painfully and glares at the man across the desk.

“Perhaps you’re the one who should take a seat, sir. Take a seat and feel free to pull up our student files so you can make the necessary updates.”

He pauses, continuing to glare, as if waiting for the dean to actually listen to him.

Stalworth squares his shoulders. “Mr. Tremblay. Ms. Davvies—”

Tytus cracks.

Seething, he says, “Stopcalling her Ms. Davvies. If you're going to speak to my wife, you may address her as Mrs. Tremblay. She’s not just a graduate assistant, and I’m not just a student in her class. Sawyer and I are married.”