Beau sat up, looking confused and terrified and so, so lost as he reached for me. “Savannah, what—” His head moved. Just these quick, faint shakes as his eyes searched me. “Why are you crying? We don’t have to have any more kids if you don’t want,” he tried to assure me.
“I don’t know, I feel so stupid right now,” I said as I struggled to sit up beside him. “I cried in the tub because it felt so good to relax in there—like so good. I cried when I added a whole mess of salt instead of sugar to my cake batter today. I can’t stop crying, and my—” My hands moved to my breasts. To gesture to them . . .
Because they ached.
Oh God.
A gasp ripped through me as I met Beau’s worried stare. “Oh . . . oh my God.” I covered my mouth with my hands, denial weaving through me.
I saw the moment it hit Beau.
His brows lifting in understanding and shock before his gaze fell to my bare stomach. “Are you—” His eyes met mine again before a gravelly laugh broke free as he fell back to the bed, pulling me with him. “Babe,” he murmured when a sob wrenched from my chest. “It’s gonna be okay. If you are, we’ll figure it out.”
My head shook wildly against his chest as I tried to speak, choking and stumbling over my words. “No, I—oh my God, I—I’m so excited.”
His next laugh was louder, fuller as he tightened his strong arms around me. Passing his mouth across my forehead, his voice was all love and joy as he whispered, “Crazy girl.”
Leaving Savannah and our bed had never been so difficult.
I must’ve thought up a dozen different reasons to call in these last few days of school so I could spend every minute wrapped up in her, but I’d known I couldn’t. Not only did I have to be there, I knew disappearing in the middle of the bullshit with Stephanie would only fuel the gossip, making things worse for me. And, in turn, for Savannah.
So, I’d pulled myself from where she’d slept and gotten everything in the house ready for when Savannah woke before heading out.
My office had been free of naked women, but the looks that ranged from disgusted glares to fuck-me eyes from every female staff member I’d passed on the way there had me rethinking that whole needing-to-be-there shit.
At least when Kevin came in halfway through the day, he’d given me an apologetic look as he’d crossed the room to sit in one of the chairs.
“I wanna say I’m sorry,” he began, leaning forward and clasping his hands. “Shoulda known you wouldn’t do something like that to Savannah. Just a little shocking when what I saw, well . . . when it was right in front of me.”
I nodded, my stare dragging to my phone when it went off for the third time since he’d walked in. “If only the rest of the town knew that.”
“Go on and get that,” he said, sitting back in the chair when another chime sounded from my phone.
Picking it up, I held down the lock button until I could shut down my phone. “It’s been going off since before I even got home yesterday,” I murmured as I dropped the cell to my desk, feeling relief wash over me at the simple act.
When I’d found my phone that morning, I’d had hundreds of messages waiting for me.
Hundreds.
People pissed that I would hurt Savannah. Disgusted that I would cheat on her. Calling me a coward for not responding. Letting me know Savannah deserved better. Others asking if this thing with Stephanie was serious or just a one-time thing . . . because they were free.
I’d only glanced at a few before deleting them all, but more came in. My blood crawled with anger that burned hotter and darker each time my phone went off.
“Town sure can talk,” Kevin mumbled in agreement.
I grunted as I bent back over the summer football training I’d been working on. “One thing I always hated.” I glanced up when the door opened again, jaw aching something fierce when one of the math teachers poked her head in, lip caught between her teeth and eyes all dark with want. “No.”
“I was just—”
“Whatever it is, the answer’s ‘no.’ Get out.”
“Lunch?” she still asked.
My grip tightened on my pen as I stared at her. “I love my wife,” I said slowly, voice dark and cold. “Get the fuck out of my office and away from me.”
Kevin tsked when she shut the door, looking confused and put off, then huffed out a sigh. “Looks like you might have a problem.”
“It’s bullshit,” I muttered as my office phone rang. Tapping the line, I let the call go through speaker. “Dixon.”
“Mr. Dixon, it’s Principal Warin. Am I interrupting anything?”
My stare drifted to Kevin at the principal’s all-business tone when she usually treated everyone like family. I swallowed past the knot building in my throat and said, “No, ma’am.”
“I need to see you in my office. Immediately, if you could.”
“Yes, ma’am. Be right there.” Tapping off the call, I hissed out a curse and pushed from my chair.
Kevin stood with me, stepping forward and reaching out to grab the door for me. “It’s a shame you’ve had to go through this,” he murmured as I neared him. “I’m sorry again for doubting you—even for a minute. You’re a good man.”
I hesitated near the door, then dipped my head in thanks. “Appreciate that.”
I stalked across the campus, my agitation and worry growing with each step. The darkness in my blood roaring to life with each pair of eyes I met as staff left for lunch and mingled in the halls.
It was like being a kid all over again. People judging and whispering about whatever I’d done or might’ve done. Except this was different.
I hadn’t been prepared for this.
There had been women who expressed unreciprocated interest throughout the years, but where girls fell over themselves to get to my brothers, I’d never had to deal with that headache.
A few during college and after had been brave enough to flirt, but nearly all had kept it to a suggestive look. One that was paired with as much fear of me as there was interest. And that fear had always kept them back.
Until Stephanie-fucking-Webb.
I rapped my knuckles on the principal’s door, hand already reaching for the knob when she called out for me to come in.
“Mr. Dixon,” she said, looking and sounding all kinds of stressed out as she gestured to a seat . . . right next to Stephanie. Looking every bit the high school vice principal and not like the woman who’d been waiting for me on my desk the day before. “Thank you for getting here so quickly.”
“Ma’am,” I muttered as I shut the door behind me and stepped deeper into the office. I cut a cold look Stephanie’s way as I sat and stilled when I noticed the man standing in the corner—the same school board member from the day before.
Fucking hell.
“It seems,” Principal Warin began, sitting on the corner of her desk, “some of the reprimands given yesterday were too severe while others weren’t severe enough.”
I went still.
Replaying her words and worrying about the next.
Heart pounding a hard, terrifying beat as that poison stretched through my veins. As that darkness waited, begging to be unleashed.