Chapter 37
" H aley," Richard says. For just a fraction of a second, he sounds the way he used to when it was just the two of us. Vulnerable. Taken aback, even. He regroups quickly, though, rising to his full height. "Ms. Cohen. We weren't expecting you today."
The guys all bristle at his tone, but I give a subtle shake of my head. Turning to face him fully, I put on a smile that's as sharp as my outfit. It's intended to draw blood. "I was under the impression that you weren't expecting me at all. Or have I misheard?"
Richard darts his gaze around. The bell rang at some point in the last few minutes, and the halls are now deserted except for our weird little crew.
He glances at my entourage and all but squirms. Tipping his head toward the office, he holds out his hand.
"Perhaps we should discuss this in private. "
"Perhaps you should discuss it right here," Deandre says, firm and deep. Jeez, that tone of voice shouldn't make me wet, especially not when he's directing it at my ex-boyfriend, but damn if my body doesn't react.
It's only been twenty-four hours since the last time I had one of these guys inside me, and yet it feels like forever. It's probably the longest I've gone without getting fucked in a month. I thought I might never see them again, and my blood is flashing hot now.
I need to concentrate, though. I can't be running off into some sort of sexual frenzy just because I haven't had a cock in me yet today. I have to deal with Richard. I have to figure out what to do about my job, about my life.
Pushing my desires away, I cross my arms over my chest and stand my ground. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell you thought you were pulling trying to give my job to someone else."
And Richard… flinches .
Holy shit.
Power flows through me as my ex, who always intimidated me—who always, to some extent, controlled me and lorded his power over me—shows a flashing hint of weakness in the face of my standing strong.
My stomach flips. Have I really never done that before? Stood up to him? Refused to yield?
Maybe it was my time on Lonely Peak. Maybe it was burying my grandmother and getting back to my roots, picking myself up from my grief and returning to face the world in the aftermath.
Maybe it's the five ripped mountain men literally at my back.
But I feel strong. I feel powerful and confident in a way I never, ever have before.
I hold my head up higher. "So? What do you have to say for yourself?"
He glances behind me again, nervousness in his eyes. "Haley…"
"Ms. Cohen, please."
His gaze returns to me. "Ms. Cohen. Your job wasn't being given away. But your sabbatical cannot go on forever. Surely you don't expect us to leave our students without a teacher—"
"Surely you don't intend to violate the terms of the Family Medical Leave Act." I know my rights, goddammit all.
"Many people who choose to take FMLA time don't return."
"And what gave you the impression that I was going to be one of them?"
He hesitates.
So I pounce. "You had no reason, other than the fact that you don't value me. Not as a professional, and not—" My voice breaks. Shit. I can't say it, not here. I stammer. "Not as anything else, either."
"That's not fair."
"That's more than fair." My throat threatens to close again, my eyes stinging.
I thought I was over all of this, but apparently I wasn't. His betrayal haunted me.
It made me doubt myself. It made me doubt the men I love.
"You cast me aside. You let me think I was important and you took that away without a second thought. You treated me as disposable."
I'm supposed to be talking about my value to him as a teacher at this school right now, but I'm not.
I suck in a deep breath, fortifying myself.
"You threw me to the wolves, Richard. Personally.
And now you're ready to do it professionally, too, but you know what?
You don't have to. You can take your new teacher and you can keep him.
You can't steal my job, because I'm giving it to you. I quit. And you know why?"
"Why?"
"Because I can do better. I'm doing better. I'm worth so much more than you ever, ever believed."
"Damn right she is," comes Cayden's voice from behind me, and I could kiss him.
With any luck, soon, I will.
Richard flinches again but then flexes his jaw. "Well. If that's all. Thank you for delivering your resignation in person. I wish you well in your future endeavors."
I'll bet he does.
Before he can walk away from me, I turn and stalk away from him. That has me running all but full tilt into the cluster of my boys, arrayed around me. They part deferentially, and something about that treatment—them looking to me, following me—makes me want to cry.
I hold back the tears, though. The whirlwind of the last couple of days paired with the stress of confrontation has me on a hair trigger.
I meet Cayden's gaze. Voice low, I murmur, "I really, really hope you meant it about wanting to keep me."
"Always," he promises, eyes fierce.
"Oh, thank God." My hands tremble. "Because I think I just talked my way out of a job."
"I think you just quit a bullshit job," Jax says.
"And it's a damn good thing, too," Sergio adds, his tone downright dangerous. Another shiver buzzes through me, but it's the good kind, this time.
"Is he still watching?" I ask.
"Like a hawk," Adam says.
"Like a cowardly fucking hyena," Deandre corrects him.
"Okay. Okay." I reach out my hand. I hardly care who takes it. I just want to make a point.
In the end, it's Cayden who hooks his fingers in mine. He squeezes my palm, and that's exactly what I needed.
Without a backward glance, I march with my men clear out the door. We emerge into bright sunlight, the early morning clouds having parted, and for a moment I bask in it.
I'm trembling with exhaustion. I'm tired and relieved. My chest burns with a hope strong enough to crack my ribs.
But I'm not done yet. I'm not.
I turn to the guys. I take another breath to fill my chest, then let it out, nice and slow. "Come on. I think it's high time we had a nice, long talk."