Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Nate looks like he wants to argue, but Ben’s tone leaves no room for debate.
“Thanks for the workout, Skyler,” Nate says, flashing me one last smirk. He exits the studio with his head bowed and his hands tucked inside his pockets.
Ben watches him go and then continues staring at the closed door, probably to make sure Nate doesn’t intend to slip back into the room.
“What the hell was that about?” Ben asks.
My jaw aches from clenching my teeth.
“Nothing,” I say quickly. “Just a guy from school.”
I hike my bag higher onto my shoulder and turn to leave. I don’t want Ben to see how much Nate’s presence in class affected me. I’ve been dealing with assholes like him my whole life, and if I’ve learned anything from my experiences dealing with them, it’s that they don’t deserve so much as a second thought.
“Skye, wait...” Ben cups my chin, urging me to meet his troubled gaze. “Baby Bird, that didn’t seem like nothing.”
My resolve melts at his touch and the warmth in his voice.
“Not here,” I whisper.
I follow Ben to his office. He closes the door behind us, then takes my bag from me, and motions for me to sit in his office chair. I’m genuinely surprised when he takes a knee on the floor in front of me instead of grabbing a chair for himself.
He grasps both my hands, squeezing gently.
“Tell Daddy what happened.”
I swallow to loosen my throat muscles. “That was Crystal’s boyfriend, Nate. He showed up late to my class, after I’d already started teaching. I think he was trying to rile me up.”
Ben exhales sharply, but the fingers caressing the backs of my palms remain gentle. “Why would he want to do that?”
“I told you I know Crystal, but that’s not the whole story.” Tears flood my eyes as I realize the actual reason behind my reluctance to tell Ben how my friendship with Crystal ended: I’m afraid he won’t believe me.
After telling him how Crystal and I came to be friends and roommates, how Crystal and Nate met and what an awful person he turned out to be, I finally reach the part I’ve been dreading...
“We were at a frat party,” I say. “Crystal and I were both drunk. She went outside to get some air, and I went upstairs to use the bathroom. When I opened the door, Nate was waiting for me. He put his hands on my hips, said I was looking hot tonight, and tried to kiss me. I shoved him off and said I was going to tell Crystal what he’d done. He called me a ‘frigid bitch’ and a ‘fat slut,’ you know, super creative stuff.”
I roll my eyes, trying to play it off like having a guy scream in your face when you’re wasted and alone isn’t fucking terrifying on every level. Ben’s grip tightens around my hands as his throat works to swallow.
“What happened after that?” he asks, his jaw flexing at the corners.
“I got away from him and went downstairs to look for Crystal. But I was still really drunk. Someone told me she’d left with Nate, so I decided to text her. That’s when I realized I’d lost my phone.”
I feel my nose start to run and glance around for a tissue. Ben grabs the box, as if reading my mind, and slides it closer to me.
“How’d you get home?” Ben asks.
“I ended up crashing on a friend’s couch. When I finally caught up with Crystal the next day at her dorm, she blew up at me, accusing me of trying to hook up with her boyfriend. I tried to tell her that Nate was the one who came onto me, but she pulled out her phone and showed me screenshots of gross text messages that had been sent from my phone to Nate’s the night before. I knew then that he must’ve stolen my phone. But she didn’t believe me. That’s the worst part in all of this. I was her friend, and she believed him over me.”
Ben sighs heavily as a storm of emotion rolls across his handsome face. I can tell he’s fighting to keep his cool for my sake, to be the steady rock I need. He pulls me down off the chair and cradles me in his arms.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that, Skyler.” His chest rumbles under my cheek. “If he comes in here again, I want you to come find me. I don’t care if you’re in the middle of a class or if he’s all the way across the room minding his own business. You come and get me. Understood?”
I nod. “Thank you for believing me, Daddy.”
“Of course, baby. I’ll always believe you.”
For some reason, his words prompt more tears to flow down my cheeks.
“Shh,” he whispers. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Daddy’s got you.”