Page 50 of Almost Rotten

But I don’t know that I can bear to stay away, either.

Chapter nineteen

Tytus

“See you on Monday. Great work tonight.”

Sawyer swivels in her seat as the students who rode with us climb out of the car.

She’s fucking high.

I’m fucking livid.

For a solid hour tonight, she disappeared.

Then, as we were preparing to leave, the owner of the orchard—Eden’s friend—came running out, calling Sawyer by name.

He got too close.

Leaned in like he wanted to hug her.

She didn’t recoil, as if she wouldn’t have stopped him if he’d really tried.

The way that man looked at her had darkness crowding my vision. The chemistry they share was fucking palpable.

They were both holding back. As if in another setting, without an audience, they would have done so much more than hover close and exchange quiet goodbyes.

Has he touched her, too?

Has my wife been getting busy with more than just Professor Eden?

I park, slam the door shut, and haul my backpack from the trunk.

It’s stuffed to the brim with a change of clothes and everything I need for tomorrow.

We don’t have early skate on Fridays.

I don’t have classes, either. Neither does Sawyer.

It’s game day, but I don’t have to be to the arena until midday.

“Let’s go.” I drape an arm over her shoulders and keep her close.

She tries to pull away, but that only urges me to hold on tighter.

“And where, exactly, are we going, husband dearest?”

Husband.

Fuck yeah.

She’s mocking me, and she’s fucking high, but it’s a start.

“We’re going to your room, wife. After what I witnessed tonight, I need a reminder of what’s mine.”

Chapter twenty

Sawyer