Page 9 of Almost Rotten

I drop her hand.

She sighs with relief.

But before she can put any distance between us, I sling my arm over her shoulder and pull her into my side.

“Ready, wifey?” I ask, nodding toward the door.

She swallows audibly, forcing her chin up.

What will the professor think when he sees his little fuck toy walk into his lecture hall with her husband for the first time?

A thrill shoots through me at the possibilities.

Sawyer is far less enthusiastic.

As a single tear rolls down her cheek, I swipe it away with my thumb. Then I stick it in my mouth and let out a hum. I’ve never felt more in control. Or more optimistic about what our future holds.

Chapter four

Sawyer

Ibite the inside of my cheek until a metallic burst hits my tongue, though I don’t feel the pain that should be associated with it.

If anything, I’d welcome the pain.

I need the distraction to keep myself from breaking down.

Walking through the lecture hall door with Tytus’s heavy arm slung around my neck is both awkward and annoying.

His show of possession is over-the-top. I’d shake him off if I could. There’s nothing affectionate, kind, or welcome about his hold.

He’s making a point.

A loud, repugnant point.

With my eyes cast down, I place one foot in front of the other.

When soft murmurs carry through the room, my chest tightens. Are they whispering about us?

It’s no secret that Ty and I are close. That was made clear during the altercation on the very first day.

I’ve established enough rapport with the students that I don’t think they’ll judge me too harshly for walking through the lecture hall doors with a student’s arm around me. Half of them probably won’t even glance up from their phones.

The only person I truly care about in this scenario is the man whose gaze I’m avoiding like the plague.

I can feel his attention on me, calculating and shrewd.

He’s probably confused. Caught off guard. I don’t dare even look up at him. If I do, I’m afraid I’ll burst into tears.

The whole journey down here from the dean’s office, I racked my brain for a solution. I considered sending Mercer a quick email or shooting off a text.

But there was no way to hide the move from Tytus.

Now we’re here, and class is set to start. I’ll have to suffer through the entire period without giving Mercer an explanation.

I don’t even know how to begin to explain any of this.

He knew I was meeting with the dean, and he knew I was concerned. But there’s no way he could suspect what happened, because I never could have imagined what’s transpired over the last thirty minutes.