Page 47 of Ruthless Protector

It was insane how much I wanted that. On the back of Jude’s Harley, arms wrapped around him, the wind in my hair. That feeling of freedom, of safety, it was something I hadn’t felt in a really long time.

Maybe.

I cursed softly as soon as I sent it. That was totally giving him mixed signals. I quickly typed another text before he could reply, before this little conversation could go in a direction it shouldn’t.

So what are you doing? Or is it a secret squirrel assignment?

Hunting.

A bad guy?

I knew they went after people who skipped out on their court dates. Like bounty hunters or whatever. Because I’d checked The King Agency website. I didn’t want to think about why I did that, why I’d wanted to know where he worked and what he did.

Yeah.

I shivered again. His job was dangerous, but I knew Jude was more than capable. Honestly, it was kind of a turn-on. Everything about the man was a turn-on.

Happy hunting.

Going to bed?

Belly flutter. Yup.

I’m on surveillance tomorrow. A lot of sitting on my hands, going stir crazy. Can I text you?

Could he? What harm could it possibly do? Jude was still my landlord; it would be in my best interest to get along with him, right?

That’s what I told myself as I typed my reply and hit send.

Sure.

11

Willa

“We have a zero-tolerance policy for physical violence at this school. We have no option but to suspend Tilly for two days.”

I stared across the desk at the asshole who seemed to be loving every moment of this. Tilly sat beside me, her head dipped, hands clasped together, visibly upset, and I was close to jumping across the short distance and gouging his goddamn eyes out.

“You can’t be serious,” I said, trying with everything I had to keep my cool because losing my shit here, in front of this jumped up little prick, wouldn’t help Tilly.

“I assure you, I am completely serious,” he said, his thin, pinched little mouth tightening on his pasty face.

“This kid, Blake, has been bullying Tilly for weeks. I’ve spoken to her teacher more than once about it. I’ve had her coming home in tears after he’s picked on her all damn day, and this is how you help her, this is how she gets treated for sticking up for herself…protecting herself, after you failed to do that for her?” Okay, maybe I wasn’t keeping a lid on my emotions as well as I should, but Tilly had been bullied enough in her life, starting with her asshole father.

“Blake has been spoken to…”

“Has he been suspended as well? He pulled her hair.”

“Well, no…”

“Why not,” I fired at him.

“Because Blake wasn’t physically violent, and Tilly was.”

“He did so pull my hair,” Tilly said, her face red with anger.

Mr. Clayton looked at her. “Not another word from you, young lady.” His gaze slid back to me. “No one saw him pull her hair, but we have several witnesses that saw her punch Blake.”