“You’re not going back. You’re gonna play hooky. Let me take care of this.”
“Hunter, no. I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not asking. I’m telling you. He’s not getting away with this. Let me do some digging today, see what I can find to use against him.”
“Like what? He’s not right, Hunter.”
“I don’t know. For starters, I’m gonna hang around his class. See if there are any other girls he’s interested in. Get proof.”
Her sullen expression tells me she doesn’t like the idea, but there’s no other way. “It’ll be fine. Wait about five minutes and sneak out. Dad and Olivia will be gone soon. Just stay out of sight until I get home, okay?”
“Yeah.” I open the door and look out, thankful it’s clear. I’m about to head out when she says, “Hunter, nothing happened.”
“What?”
“Between Mr. Gibson and me. Nothing happened. I lied about it all.” I fight to hide the relief. I’d wondered how much talk and how much action she was. It fucking ate me alive to think of him touching her the way I have. Having something so sweet. I don’t give her what she wants. Just a nod and I’m gone.
It’s time to put our sleazy physics teacher in his place.
Chapter 15
Samuel
I storm into my office and slam the door, grabbing at my hair. Who the fuck does she think she is? After asking the secretary to notify me when she arrived and sending her directly to my office, they informed me she called in sick today.
Sick my ass.
If she thinks she can avoid me, she has another thing coming. That little bitch is taunting me. She wants me to beg. I start to pace my office, every tick of the clock driving me further into madness.
“You know what? Fine. This is what you want? Fine.” She’s just playing hard to get. They always do. She just needs me to make her remember the way she looked at me that first day. Practically fucking drooled over me. I just need to make her remember. And she will.
My cock starts getting hard thinking of all the ways we’ll be good together. The things she’ll be willing to do for my attention. I grab at my cock, massaging it. “Soon.” I can almost taste her.
My office phone rings, and I remove my hand, inhale a steady breath, and answer. “Samuel Gibson.”
“Hey, Samuel. Jake Beller in the counselor’s office. Glad I caught you before class. Just wanted to let you know a student of yours transferred out, so there’s no need to claim her on your roster for the rest of the semester.”
My body tenses as my fingers grip the receiver tighter. “Oh yeah? Her?”
She wouldn’t dare.
“Yeah. Catalina Mitchell. She’s going to be spending—”
I slam the receiver down. The last of my patience snaps, and I bash the receiver onto the base over and over. I take my hand and swipe everything off my desk. I’m going to make her pay. That little bitch is going to pay.
A roar travels up my throat as I slam my fist into the wall.
Hunter
This piece of shit has some nerve. I watch Mr. Gibson walk into the physics class, his eyes bloodshot, appearing less put together than usual. I smile smugly, noticing the faint shiner I gave him last night. His gaze immediately zones in on Cat’s seat, a tick in his jaw noticeable when he realizes she’s not there. Then his eyes fall on me, and he pales. That’s right, asshole. I know what you did, and I’m going to ruin you.
He fumbles with his lecture, no doubt struggling to teach. Probably because he knows he’s fucking caught. I should stand up right now and expose him. Let the school know what a sick fuck they have working on their staff. He mumbles to the class to read chapters in our book and quickly excuses himself. I’m tempted to follow him, but I bide my time. He’s unhinged, there’s no doubt. He’ll slip up, and when he does, I’m going to catch him.
As everyone opens their books and reads, I begin to think of Cat. Maybe I shouldn’t have left her alone. The last thing she needs is to have a run-in with her mom. I’ve been so unfair to her. I didn’t believe or see the way Olivia was. It was there the whole time; I just never noticed. She’s hostile with her daughter. Cold. Unloving. And the damage she’s caused Cat shows. I guess in the end, we’re the same. Two kids neglected because of the selfishness of our parents. When I found myself watching her, I never understood why she had such sad eyes. Now, I can’t imagine not being the one to prevent it.
Mr. Gibson returns, his hair more chaotic than when he left. Did I tell Cat to lock the doors? I take my phone out to shoot her a text. The condition he’s in, I don’t trust he won’t bolt and go after her again.
Me: Make sure to lo
My phone is ripped out of my hands before I’m able to finish my message. I cuss, looking up to see Mr. Gibson above me. “What the hell?”
“No phones in class, Mr. Graham. You know the rules.”
“Great, I’ll put it away. Give it back.”
The way he gazes down at me sets off an uneasy feeling inside my gut. “You can pick it up from the office after school.” He walks back up to the front of the class. Anger rolls off me in waves. He is so fucking done. When the bell rings, I shoot up from my seat and storm down the aisle. “Move. Get the fuck out of my way.” I fight through the crowd, but he’s already gone.
“Dammit!”
I head down to the physics offices. If he’s going anywhere, it’s there. The hallways begin to clear out, and the bell for the next class rings. I jog past my second-period classroom, my stomach churning. The closer I get to his office, the more the anticipation of confronting him builds. Proof or not, this ends now. He’s done taking advantage of his position. As soon as I confront him and get my phone back, I’m texting Cat to go to the cops, then I’m going to the office and exposing him.
I walk into the physics department and look around for his office. When I see his name on the closed door, I strut to it, surprised to find him inside with a student. She’s cradling his hand, her thumbs intimately brushing over the knuckles. Busted. Without knocking, I open the door, and they both jump back. The girl’s eyes go wide. Jillian Bishman. Freshman. Barely fifteen if that.
“Wow, isn’t this interesting?” I say. You’re done, motherfucker. Jillian’s face pales, and she quickly grabs her backpack off the chair.
“Uh…I’m gonna go.” She hurries past me, but I shoot my arm out and capture her before she escapes.
“Be a smart girl and never come back here.” Her eyes blaze with fear. Acknowledgment. Yeah, little girl, I know your secret. She nods quickly and rushes out the door.
“If you need something, make an appointment. I’m busy—”
“How many?”
“How many what?” He turns to his desk, busying himself with a stack of papers.
“How many underage students are you screwing? Using your status to take advantage of? We have two for sure. How many more is it? Five? Ten? How many—”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Catalina came on to me. The conversation you interrupted was me asking her to leave me alone. Nothing else.”