Page 38 of Steel

Pulling into the parking lot, I threw the car in park and jumped out, heading inside. When I stepped into the front office, I saw Nayelli sitting on one side of the office and another little girl glaring at her from the other side. The other child in question was holding a bloody tissue to her nose, and her hair was all over the place. My baby, however, didn’t have a scratch on her.

“Nayelli,” I said, sitting beside her. “What happened?”

She folded her arms and didn’t say anything to me. She’d been giving me attitude since she found out about Kerrion, and I was about at my wits’ end with her.

“Nayelli Malone.”

She looked at me, then over my head when the door to the office opened.

“Mr. K!”

She jumped from her seat and ran around me. I turned to see Kerrion walking into the front office, a scowl on his face. Who the fuck called him?

“You okay, baby girl?” he asked, checking her over.

“I’m fine.”

“What happened?”

“She pushed me, so I hit her.”

Kerrion looked over at the other little girl. “This one of the kids bullying you?”

“Yes, sir.”

He turned to the child. “I bet you won’t touch her again. Let that be a lesson in keeping your hands to your damn self.”

“Kerrion!” I hissed his name.

He turned to glare at me just as the principal’s door opened, and Mr. Joe stepped out. He motioned for me to come in. Kerrion guided Nayelli back to her seat and followed me. Principal Joe looked confused with this big man, who towered over both of us, walking into the room and closing the door. Not only did he lock it, but he closed the blinds as well. While I chose to take a seat, he stood with his arms crossed in front of him.

“Who are you?” Mr. Joe asked, confused.

“Kerrion Dillinger, Nayelli’s father.”

Principal Joe’s eyes widened, and I could see the fear in them. What the hell was going on, and why did he seem so afraid of this man?

“S-she’s a D-Dillinger?” he sputtered.

Kerrion smirked. “A Dillinger. So you can see how I’d be upset that my baby called me saying some little brat put their hands on her.”

Principal Joe cleared his throat. “If you will allow me to explain?—”

“You ain’t talking fast enough!” Kerrion barked. “Hasn’t her mother been up here several times about my daughter being bullied by these little fuckers?”

“Y-yes?—”

“And we’re still having the same problems?”

“Mr. Dillinger?—”

The next thing I knew, Kerrion had grabbed him by his lapels and pulled him over the desk.

“Kerrion!” I exclaimed.

He tossed me a look that made me purse my lips.

“Let me make something very clear to you, Principal Joe. I don’t play about my kids. This has been an ongoing problem, and where I wasn’t involved before, I am now. That means you don’t want a problem with me should this bullying continue. Now, because this has been an ongoing problem, I really feellike snapping your fucking neck, but I’m not gonna do that. I’m gonna give you a chance to redeem yourself, so here’s what I’m gonna need you to do. Inform your incompetent staff that if my daughter comes home any way other than the way she was sent here, all of you are gonna have a problem with me. If you have a problem with me, then you know that means—the whole family is gonna get involved, and it will really be a shit show. You don’t want that, do you?”