Page 26 of Only You

TWENTY-ONE

“Have a good day,” Tatum says with a sleepy smile as I lean down to kiss his lips softly before I head to work.

Moving in together was the best decision I’ve ever made. Even though we were pretty much doing that long before we officially did it. Going to bed with him every night and then waking up with him every morning has been total bliss.

And the guy was not kidding about being addicted to having my cock in him. Or my tongue. It’s been a hell of a lot of orgasms and pleasure since he moved in two weeks ago, but I’m not complaining.

I did have a small concern that maybe he could have a sex addiction—because I don’t want to hurt his sobriety in any way. He’s assured me that he’s spoken to several therapists, and while he is an addict, sex isn’t one of his vices. He just can’t seem to get enough of me.

And I’m here for it. I just want him healthy and happy.

He goes to meetings once a week and has been very honest with me about his addiction.

I don’t believe love can cure everything, and I was happy to hear that he doesn’t think that either.

He’s committed to going to meetings and staying sober—says it’s always going to be part of his life.

I’m just thrilled to get to share in every aspect of his life. I want all of Tatum with no limits.

He rolls over and tucks himself under his pillow after saying goodbye, and I chuckle before heading out. He doesn’t have to be up for another hour, but school starts early, and I need to get there before all the students start flooding in.

I can’t hold back the extra skip in my step as I walk up to the school. It’s cold out today with snow on the ground, and it’s cloudy, but really, it might as well be sunny with flowers blooming with the way I feel today and every day since Tatum came back into my life.

The day is fairly peaceful, but as principal, I should know better than to ever think that, because as I’m walking the hall between fifth and sixth period, I hear shouting. Loud. Shouting.

I recognize two of the voices immediately. Voices I’ve become very familiar with. Voices I’m used to hearing at the dinner table when Tatum and I join Kellan’s family.

I make my way toward the yelling and have a sinking feeling just as I watch Cason grab Blake by the collar and slam him against the lockers. “Say it again. I fucking dare you,” Cason snarls in Blake’s face.

There’s a fairly large crowd surrounding them, with Raegan standing right next to Cason, grabbing at the hand that isn’t gripping Blake. “Stop. Just because Kellan has guardianship now doesn’t mean you can just be an angry shithead.”

“This shit stops now,” Cason says, not bothering to look at his sister. My heart sinks because I know this has to have something to do with Raegan. It makes sense with her being here.

“Did he hurt you?” I ask, though I probably shouldn’t have said that yet with so many people around. I can’t seem to calm my fear though. I know how important these kids are to Tatum—and they’ve become very important to me too.

Raegan looks at me, her big blue eyes welling up with tears as she gives a quick shake of her head. “No. He didn’t do anything to me,” she seethes in Blake’s direction.

“Aw, don’t worry, Ice Princess. If you want another shot with me, all you have to do is ask,” Blake says boldly, blowing a kiss in her direction, and I notice Cason’s knuckles are turning white with how hard he’s gripping Blake’s shirt.

“Watch it,” I warn Blake and then turn my attention to Cason. “What is going on?”

“He won’t shut the hell up. I told him to back off, and he fucking won’t. I’m not going to let him get away with his bullshit.”

“Cason, don’t do this,” I hear a soft voice from Cason’s other side, and that’s when I notice Liam is standing there, one backpack strap over his shoulder as he fidgets with the other strap.

I don’t understand what the ever-loving hell is happening, but I quickly realize I need to get control of the situation. I look around at the crowd and shoo them off to class. Most of them listen to me, hustling toward their classrooms in time for the bell to ring.

There are only four students remaining.

Cason, Blake, Raegan, and Liam.

“Let him go,” I say calmly to Cason. It’s going to be really hard to look the other way on this one. It’s apparent Cason is the physical aggressor here.

“He never stops,” Cason says again, visibly shaken.

“It’s not worth getting suspended,” Liam says, and I still don’t quite understand what his role is in all this. The poor kid got himself knocked out the last time these two were in a physical fight. I thought for sure he’d stay far away from them both.

“Aw look, he’s watching out for his big tough boyfriend,” Blake mocks, and Cason growls, his hand tightening even further.

“Blake, shut your mouth,” I command. I turn to Raegan. “Do you know what this is about?”

She looks a little guilty, her eyes going to her feet and then back to me. “I could tell Blake was running his mouth, as usual, but I couldn’t hear anything from where I was standing. I only came over when I saw...” She shuts her mouth, and I realize why even before Cason completes her sentence.

“Before I grabbed this motherfucker.”

“See, he admits he started it,” Blake says smugly, and I swear to God, I want more than anything to turn my back and just let Cason beat the shit out of him. But I’m the goddamn principal, and I can’t do it.

Ethics won’t allow it, despite being that kid—that small, hungry kid who was never really settled or sure where his next meal would come from.

That kid who was terrified of being violated.

That kid who just barely escaped being raped over and over again by a guy who acted a hell of a lot like Blake does.

“Shut. Up,” I say to Blake and then look at Cason. “Cason, you need to get your hands off him, please. I don’t know what happened, but we’ll figure it out. You know I’ll listen.”

He scoffs at that, his jaw tightening. “Suspend me. I don’t give a fuck. I’m not staying here and listening to his bullshit anymore. He can’t get away with the things he says and does to people.”

My eyes catch Liam’s, and he looks away quickly. I suddenly understand this isn’t about Raegan anymore—well, at least not entirely. It seems Blake has found a new victim. “Liam, did something happen?”

His eyes meet mine, and I can tell he wants to be anywhere else. God, I was this kid. I mean, he lives with both of his parents and isn’t a foster kid, but he’s small in stature. Shy and quiet. I was this kid. “Nothing important.”

“Bullshit,” Cason says in his direction, his eyes landing firmly on the kid. “Don’t do that. I told you not to do that.”

“Aw see, you two are adorable.” Cason looks back at Blake, locking eyes with him and not looking away. Cason looks murderous, and I don’t know if Blake is just stupid or that confident in himself, but my money is on Cason.

“Shut. The. Fuck. Up,” Cason seethes.

Raegan looks at me nervously and then at her brother. “He’s not worth it. Everyone knows he’s full of shit.”

“I know what I saw,” Blake taunts.

“You didn’t see anything,” Liam says, his words biting.

“Oh, I saw it, pretty boy.” I have no idea what they’re talking about—but I can take a guess. And seeing the way Cason looks at Liam and the way Liam is looking desperately at Cason, I’d say I’m right.

Shit. This is bad.

“Look, it doesn’t matter that you’re a cocksu—” Cason pulls him back and then slams him against the lockers with a loud bang, but Blake just won’t shut up. He laughs and then says, “Cason here seems to like you just fine. Maybe a little too much, but...”

“I said, shut up,” Cason says, using two hands to hold onto Blake now, and I have to intervene. I move my hands between both of them, just slightly pushing on their chests to get them apart. Cason goes, but not without a small struggle.

He finally releases him and throws up his hand. “He can’t use the fucking slurs he uses. There have to be rules about that too.”

Understanding dawns on me now. “He called Liam a name?”

“He always calls Liam fucked-up shit. Always talking.” Cason glares at Blake from over my shoulder. I’m facing Cason now, not really caring about Blake, who’s behind me.

“Cason, is that why you’ve been getting into fights with him?”

“Yes,” Liam says at the same time Cason says, “No.”

“Yes. It is,” Liam says, straightening his shoulders and locking eyes with Cason. “I told you I don’t need your protection.”

“And I told you he’s not going to talk to you that way.”

“Jesus, fuck. Why don’t you two get married already?” Blake says loudly, and I turn to look at him.

“You know what. Slurs are a punishable offense at this school. They will not be tolerated.”

Blake looks at me with uncertainty for the first time since I’ve known him. The cocky little shithead has always been so sure he won’t get suspended. “You can’t prove I said anything.”

I turn to Liam. “Did he call you a slur? You don’t have to say the actual word or words, but did he?”

Liam looks over at Cason, who furrows his brow at him but doesn’t give him any direction otherwise. Liam then looks at me and gives a stilted nod. “He did. Several. Many, many times.”

I’ve heard enough. “Okay, thank you for being honest with me, Liam. You should go on to class, but if you need to talk to anyone about anything, please reach out. To me or to the school’s counselor.”

I notice his eyes roaming over Cason quickly, but then he gives a brief nod and hightails it toward his classroom.

My eyes go to Raegan. “Are you okay?”

She nods, her eyes on Blake. “He doesn’t scare me.”

Good girl. I can’t help but feel pride at her standing tall and confident. “Okay, go on to class.”

I make a mental note to talk to Felicia about the incident, so she can check in with Raegan, but then my attention is on Blake. “Let’s go to my office and call your parents. You’re suspended from school for two weeks.”

“What? You’re fucking crazy. You can’t suspend me for words.”

“I can, and I am,” I say, guiding Cason and him to my office.

“What about him? He assaulted me!” Blake gestures toward Cason, who looks totally unbothered, taking one of the seats in my office as Blake takes the other one.

“Cason isn’t any of your concern.”

“You’re fucking corrupt, you know that? My dad is going to sue your ass.”

“See you in court then,” I say and then make the call to his father, telling him to come pick up his son. There are some threats when his father arrives, but nothing I can’t handle, and when it’s just Cason and me in my office, we sit in silence for a bit.

Both lost in thought. Cason doesn’t look too worried about being suspended. I know I’m supposed to do that, but I also think I need to go with my gut.

“Aren’t you going to ask me?”

“Ask you what?” I say.

“About Liam. About what happened with him.”

That honestly hadn’t crossed my mind. “I don’t think that’s really any of my business.”

“Nothing fucking happened. Blake doesn’t know what he saw. It was just a moment of me being a crying little baby and...”

I hold up a hand to stop him. It’s apparent this whole thing has left him rattled. And I don’t need to know what happened between Liam and Cason. “Cason, all I see is a kid who I would have killed to have as a friend when I was growing up.”

His brows pull together in obvious confusion. “What?”

“Well, I mean I did sort of have a friend like you. Tatum,” I say, though it’s obvious who I’m talking about. “But he couldn’t always be around. And I’m glad Liam has someone watching his back.”

Cason swallows hard at that, visibly shaken. “We aren’t like you and Tatum. I don’t like him like...” He huffs. “I’m not fucking moving in with him someday or some shit.”

I can’t fight the smile but do manage to quell the laugh trying to bubble up. “Okay then.”

“So am I suspended?” He doesn’t appear to care either way, but I shake my head, coming to the final decision.

“No. You were protecting your friend. Physical violence isn’t okay, but I think with Blake being suspended, I’m not going to see any problems with you.”

“He’ll be back though,” he says grimly.

I nod. “Yes. And when he comes back, I’ll remind you to keep your hands off him. No matter what, Cason. I can’t have it in the school.”

He nods his head appreciatively and stands up. “Can I go back to class?”

“Yup.”

He starts toward the door, but stops, turning to me. “I’m glad you and Tatum moved in together though.”

I smile at him, my fondness for the kid only growing. “Me too.”

He smirks and then heads out of my office, while I sit back in my chair.

Today feels like a victory for the bullied, and all I feel is a deep satisfaction at that.