Page 61 of Wicked Ends (Hellions of Hade Harbor #4)

Arianna

I ended up staying with Claire and Lulu for a few weeks before heading back to Hade Harbor.

There, it finally hit me that I was free for the first time in my life.

I cried like I’d never cried before and laughed with Lulu and Claire until my healing ribs ached.

My heart slowly filled up. I ignored the hole in it that Marcus had left and allowed myself to slowly let go.

I was free. It was hard to believe, but it was true.

Dale being gone meant that Claire and Lulu could go wherever they wanted.

They could go back to California or stay in Canada.

Claire had been asking about Hade Harbor a lot.

It would be a great town for them. A fresh start.

I wouldn’t be there anymore, but it helped my bleeding heart to know that someone I loved would enjoy the small slice of Maine heaven.

Kenna made my absence right with the administration office, and Bill managed to cover my classes. She was vague on the gossip going around about the damn pictures from Marcus’ presentation, but I knew there had to be speculation.

Dating a student was considered distasteful, but existed in a grey area, as long as it was discreet… but rubbing it in everyone’s faces?

Unacceptable.

Hade Harbor was over for me. The only thing that mattered now was fixing the things I’d broken along the way. Marcus had given me a new life. Knowing him had freed me. It was only right that I paid him back.

When I returned to town, I went to Coach Williams first.

He frowned at me as I settled across from him in his office.

“You’re here about Marcus? I don’t need excuses from anyone. If Marcus wants to get with the program, he needs to show up to practice.”

“You know that his brother has suffered a serious injury?”

Coach Williams frowned. “How am I supposed to know anything when Marcus isn’t taking my calls? He’s missed a lot of school as well. You know the Hellions are on a tight leash when it comes to skipping classes. Their play time gets restricted.”

“Yeah, and I know rules are bent all the time when it comes to the Ice Gods, aren’t they?”

Coach Williams watched me, waiting for me to go on.

“And Marcus Bailey is the only goalie you have who can get you where you want the team to go. We both know it.”

“And what did Marcus do to deserve having you fight on his behalf?”

I shook my head and shrugged. “Nothing in particular. He was just himself. Helping others, putting himself out for everyone else. Isn’t that who he’s always been on the team?”

Williams sniffed. “If you can get him to come to practice tomorrow morning, he’s off my shit list. I didn’t know about his brother, but lack of communication in a team isn’t okay. This is his final warning.”

“Okay, I’ve got it. Thank you. I’ll get him here,” I promised and stood.

At the doorway, Coach called out to me. “Ms. Moore?”

I turned on the threshold.

“You’re right about Marcus. He’s always there for everyone. It’s nice to see someone be there for him.”

My cheeks threatened to heat. I wondered if Coach Williams had any idea of the extent of our relationship.

If he’d heard about the photos. But it didn’t matter in the end.

My reputation didn’t matter. I was ready and willing to take the fall for all of it as long as Marcus could go back to his life, unscathed.

He could return to his life and forget that I’d ever existed, in time.

He wouldn’t lose everything. I wouldn’t let him.

My next stop was the dean’s office. I was sweating by the time I got to the doors. I’d already decided to throw myself on the fire and burn for my sins, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t scared to do it.

I stood in the hall and took a deep breath. I checked my watch to make sure I was on time and knocked.

“Come in, Professor Moore.” Dean Eastwood wasn’t an imposing man, but the aura of authority he wore as head of the school still made me feel small.

I sat opposite him, twisting my hands into a knot to hide my shaking fingers.

“I think I can guess the reason for this visit,” Dean Eastwood said, sitting back and regarding me with a frown.

I wet my lips and prepared to speak, when someone quickly knocked before opening the door.

“What is it, Mr. Bailey? I am in a meeting, so it’ll have to wait,” Eastwood said, nearly sending me to my feet.

I twisted around. Marcus sauntered in. I hadn’t seen him in weeks. He was a sight for sore eyes. I couldn’t look away.

“Forgive me, Dean Eastwood, but I believe that this meeting needs to include me, since the topic is highly relevant to me personally.” He sank into a chair and sent me a smirk.

“What are you doing?” I hissed at him under my breath.

Eastwood sighed and leaned back again. “I don’t see how, but regardless, as long as Professor Moore doesn’t object, let’s continue. I’ve been talking to MacKenna in Administration.”

I froze. I’d assumed Eastwood was expecting me to talk about the photograph and my inappropriate relationship with a student. But maybe it was even worse than that.

“Yes?”

Eastwood steepled his fingers. “I understand that there was an element of subterfuge in your records.”

I opened my mouth to speak and found no words there.

Marcus took over. “I believe, and jump in if I’m wrong, Dean Eastwood, but regardless of Arianna’s last name, her qualifications are unchanged. Only the name was changed in order to protect her identity from a violent stalker. I believe MacKenna in Admin explained as much.”

I turned to Marcus, confused by his confident tone. Had he been planning this with MacKenna?

Eastwood nodded slowly. “I can understand the issue, and I want to let you know that MacKenna shared your last name and professional transcripts with me, in order to reassure me that you hadn’t pulled the wool over our eyes here at HHU.”

“I didn’t. I have the qualifications that you think I do,” I said numbly.

“Actually, it seems you have a few more.” Eastwood tapped something on his computer and turned the screen to show me.

It was an old article from a few years ago.

“Talents like Spencer are redefining what it means to make music.”

I knew the headline well. I’d stared at it enough. I’d even bought a frame for it and hidden it in my room. Just one of the things I’d left behind when we’d fled in the night. Marcus leaned in, reading the article with interest.

Heat filled my cheeks.

“We didn’t know we had a rising star composer on our faculty,” Eastwood said.

“Now that you do, I assume a pay rise and tenured position is in the cards?” Marcus drawled.

Eastwood shot him a look. “May I ask why you are here?”

Everything was getting away from me. I hadn’t prepared for this. It was getting off track.

“I feel certain we’re getting there,” Marcus sighed and nodded his chin at the dean. “Isn’t there another reason for this meeting?”

Eastwood flushed and stared at me, then his eyes skittered away. “Yes, well, it has come to my attention that there were rumors of certain photographs circulating.”

“It’s my fault,” I blurted out immediately.

Marcus sighed.

Eastwood stared at me. “So, you’re admitting to these photographs. It’s you?”

Heat scorched my cheeks. I couldn’t let the news about my identity being discovered distract me from my purpose, which was clearing Marcus’ name. “It’s me. It’s my fault. I was inappropriate. I acted unbecoming to my position.”

“Bullshit.” Marcus’ mocking tone cut through the tension in the room.

Eastwood turned to him. “Excuse me?”

“I called bullshit. Those photographs were Photoshop creations I cooked up, because I asked her out and she turned me down. If you’re going to blame anyone, blame me.”

I stared at him, horrified by his words.

“Mr. Bailey, if that’s true, it could have serious consequences for you.”

“It’s not true!” I protested.

But Marcus simply nodded. “I’m aware, but I can’t have the good professor here fall on her sword for me. It wouldn’t be right. She turned me down, like she should have, and I decided to get some petty revenge. She should go. You can tell me my punishment once she’s gone.”

“No!” I pushed my chair back. “This is all lies.”

The dean frowned between us. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but if Mr. Bailey is taking responsibility, I don’t see why you’d interfere, Professor Spencer.”

“Because it’s not right?—”

“So, you’re saying you took those photos and uploaded them to my presentation yourself?” Marcus turned his hard voice on me.

I stared at him, and he stared right back. He didn’t flinch.

“Well, no, I didn’t, but?—”

“Then it’s on me, isn’t it?” He jerked his head toward the door. “You can go, Professor.”

“This isn’t right,” I muttered as I stood frozen in place.

The dean frowned at me. “Did you take those photos?”

“No.”

“Did you upload them for the class to see?”

I shook my head helplessly.

“Then I think Mr. Bailey is right, and you should leave. I can assure you he’ll be punished for what he’s done, starting with being benched in upcoming games.”

“You can’t bench him, he’s just getting back on the coach’s good side after all the trouble there’s been,” I argued.

A hand closed around my wrist. I leaned over the desk toward Eastwood, wishing I could shake some sense into him.

“It’s okay, Professor. I’ve got it from here.” Marcus’ thumb rubbed a circle against my pulse point, and that simple touch weakened my knees.

God, I missed him.

I stepped back, and he dropped my wrist.

“This is all a mistake,” I said stiffly.

Marcus shrugged and turned his attention to Eastwood.

I left, dismissed and ignored. Damn that idiot. He was going to mess up his chances with the Hellions once and for all, for what? My reputation? I didn’t give a damn about it, or this job. He’d already given me the only gift I’d ever wanted… my freedom.

I stormed out of the office and into the hall, then sank down in a seat right outside. After a few minutes, Marcus emerged.

“What have you done?” I charged toward him.

I’d only just gotten within touching distance when he grabbed me.

His hands cradled my face, and he stepped flush against me, making sure there was no air between us.

He kissed me hard, like he’d been a drowning man and I was the air he needed to live.

Right there in the school hallway, he kissed me like his life depended on it.

An endless amount of time later, he pulled back and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

“Fuck, I thought you were never going to come home,” he said.

Home . My heart tremored at the thought.

“What did you do in there? I came back to make things right for you. I already spoke to Coach Williams. He wants you at practice tomorrow, and if you go, all is forgiven.”

“That might be a bit tricky seeing as Eastwood has suspended me from the team,” Marcus said, his arms still holding me close.

Tears sprang up behind my eyes. “Why did you do that? I was going to take care of it all. You didn’t have to worry about anything.”

“It would have been a lie, and I’m over that shit. No more lies, no more secrets. It was my fucking fault, my stupid vindictive shit, and I’ll pay for it.”

“Even if it costs you your dreams?” I asked, my voice hollow and despairing.

Marcus gave his signature shrug. “Someone brilliant once told me that it was doing the right thing when it was hard that matters. I’m trying to live up to her standard.”

He stroked my hair back from my forehead.

“To be worthy,” he added.

“Worthy?” I could have cried; his words were so ridiculous. “You—you saved me. You changed my life. Knowing you saved my life, don’t you see? I owe you everything, for the rest of my life,” I blurted out.

Marcus considered my words, his dark-eyed gaze darting across my features, drinking me in.

“Fuck. Don’t say shit like that to a man like me, birthday girl; don’t you know how dangerous it is?” he finally said and brought me close again, this time into a hard hug.

“Why not? It’s the truth.”

“It’s your version of the truth, and yet, I’ll still use it to trap you.

Trick you into being mine, force you into staying with me.

I’ll marry you, and fuck you until you’re carrying our kid, and buy a house with both our names on it.

I’ll make sure everyone knows you’re mine, so you can never leave me.

Be careful with owing a man like me. I’ll take all of you in return and never give you back. ”

I pulled away as a student appeared at the top of the hall. Soon, the corridor would fill with students.

I swallowed the hard knot of worry in my throat. “So, what now?”

“You come to work tomorrow, like usual,” Marcus didn’t skip a beat answering.

“And you? You just what, mope around The Clutch and let your brother drag you into that life?”

“Hey,” he protested, his customary smirk making its way to his face. “I don’t mope. I brood. It’s much sexier.”

“Marcus,” I sighed.

“Ari,” he sighed back.

“You need to go to practice tomorrow. Even if you can’t play, you can train. I’m sure Coach Williams will appreciate the gesture. He’ll understand that you intend to get good with the team again, I know he will, and if he doesn’t, I’ll speak to him?—”

“What will you give me for going to practice?” Marcus interrupted.

“What?”

“I asked what will you give me. I need an incentive to go and get my ass handed to me in practice, and then not even get to play after. What is it worth to you?”

His future? Everything.

“What do you want?” I held my breath as he considered me.

I would give this man anything and be grateful he wanted it.

I would sell my soul to make him happy, but he didn’t need to know that.

He had a wicked enough reputation as it was.

Just when I thought he’d say something scandalous, he stepped back and shocked me by letting me go.

The disappointment was humbling. Students had appeared in the hall, talking animatedly and rushing to their next classes.

They streamed around us, and even in between us, pushing us apart.

“Meet me tonight, after ten. I’ll text you the address,” Marcus announced.

I took a few steps back to let people pass. “What?”

“It’s what I want,” he tossed over his shoulder.

“But why?” I called out.

But he’d gone already, his tall form striding away down the hall, leaving me more confused than ever.