THIRTY-TWO
DAKOTA
I wasn’t the violent type, but, when someone hurt the people I love, I didn’t mind clearing things up. Even if it meant resorting to violence.
I hurried to the front door, hopping into my car as I ignored both men calling out to me.
My hands gripped the steering wheel as my car sped down the road. Rage clouded my vision and all I could see were my hands wringing her neck using every ounce of strength inside of me.
I needed to get to her first. She had possibly just ruined Logan’s career, and my campus reputation by reporting this. We were perfectly fine before her, and now—
I stepped out of the car, slamming the door behind myself as I marched to the front door.
I banged my fist on the door with force until it finally swung open.
“Dakota—” I cut her off with my fist smashing into her jaw. “What the fuck!” she groaned, stumbling back and I stepped into the house.
“Josie Greene?” I said, shoving her back into the wall. “Daughter of Lolita Greene. Dean of my campus?” I said, throwing another punch, knocking her to the floor. “Lolita Greene…” I said, getting on top of her. “CEO of Greene Haven.”
She slapped me across the face, wiggling out of my grip but I pinned her wrists on either side of her head.
“Get off me!” She fought back.
I wrapped my hands around her throat, squeezing hard, and her eyes bulged out of her head with fear. She dug her nails into my forearms and I winced in pain, pulling away but she kicked me off her. I flew back, crashing against the wooden table in pain and glass shattered at my side. Fuck.
“You’re smarter than you look,” she winced with a heaving chest as she tried to lift herself.
With frustration, I launched for her again but she grabbed a glass vase, smashing it into the side of my head.
I collapsed to the floor and heavy footsteps marched down the stairs. “What the hell is going on here?” Anthony barked, rushing over to help Josie to her feet.
I watched the blood pour from her nose, puddling on the floor.
Feeling lightheaded, I got to my feet with a racing heart.
“How did you know?” she asked, standing on weak legs in Anthony’s arms and ran the back of her hand across her nose.
“You’re hiding behind his last name. Sinclair,” I said, stepping back. “And you told me your mother owned Greene Haven—or rather you bragged about it. That night. I remembered.”
“You need to leave before I call the police,” Anthony said but I was already out the front door.
I slipped back into my car, and started the ignition. As soon as I pulled away, the tears started rolling.
* * *
I rested my forehead against the wheel as soon as I got home. My quiet sobs were endless as searing pain squeezed my heart. My mind couldn’t wrap around all of this—it was too much.
The school knowing, me accusing Solace of betrayal, my parents knowing, Logan facing backlash, what I just did to Josie, I just—
My head rolled back against the headrest as I slowly exhaled. Deep breaths, Dakota.
Between my mom and Solace, my cellphone had been ringing non-stop. Through blurred vision I texted my mom that I was fine before turning my phone off and tossing it to the passenger seat.
I raked my hands through my wet, messy hair and tugged at my roots in frustration. My eyes fell closed. This isn’t about you, Dakota. Logan could lose everything. He needs you. Get it together.
With a shaky exhale I brushed my tears away, needing to calm myself down. I needed to stay level-headed. My emotions couldn’t run all over the place right now.
The front door opened and relief filled my body as Logan appeared. I hurried out of the car, running straight into his arms. He caught me and I wrapped my legs around his waist, tightening my arms around him.
I pressed my face into his neck with an aching heart.
“Dakota, what happened?” he asked in utter concern, running his hand down my tangled hair.
I shook my head, clutching onto him and with a heavy heart I squeezed my eyes shut.
He held me and stepped into the house. I pulled back, dropping to my feet as I grabbed his hands. “Are you okay?” I asked and his eyes fell to my bruised knuckles.
His eyes shot up to mine and I pulled my hands from him, holding them behind my back but he grabbed them again.
“It’s nothing,” I assured him.
Before I was able to speak, Chase and Kaden both entered the foyer, except Chase seemed very disappointed with his cellphone pressed to his ear.
Eventually, the call ended and he slipped his cellphone back into his pocket.
I swallowed hard. “What?”
Chase’s eyes narrowed in on me. “You know what.”
I shifted my eyes between the three of them, not speaking.
“Dakota, tell Logan and Kaden where you just came from.”
I chewed the inside of my cheek. “Campus.”
His arms folded across his chest, eyes daring me to lie again, and I sighed.
“5 Longmeadow Lane.”
“And who lives there?” he questioned, making me look up at him. I glanced over at Logan and Kaden, who both seemed to be patiently waiting for my answer. Logan even cast Chase a glance, not understanding where this was going.
“Josie,” I muttered.
“Why were you at Josie’s house?” Logan asked to my right.
“To give that little— to give her what she deserves,” I truthfully answered as I headed into the kitchen.
“Dakota,” Chase reprimanded from behind but I ignored him as I entered the kitchen. I grabbed a water bottle and when I turned, all three men were in front of me.
“What?” I asked, pulling the bottle from my lips. “It’s not my fault your ex is crazy.”
“We must have a type then,” Kaden chimed in and my jaw dropped.
“I am not crazy, Kaden.”
“You’re acting like it,” Chase added and I suppressed my very strong opinion.
“You can’t go around doing what you just did,” Logan took a hold of my arm and I turned to look at him.
“Yes I can. Just did.”
“No, Dakota,” Logan sternly said and I scoffed, pulling out of his hold.
“What? I couldn’t just sit around doing nothing.”
Collectively, they pinned me with a frightening look. I raised my arms. “It’s not like either of you could hit her.”
“We don’t resort to violence,” Chase crossed his arms over his chest.
“Oh yes, we do,” I nodded at him.
“How’d you even get her address?” Kaden questioned.
“Her mom’s the dean. I’d visited their house a couple times with my dad. At the event, she said she still stayed with her mom,” I explained.
Chase ran a frustrated hand through his hair, and Kaden seemed somewhat impressed, even though he was clearly pissed off as well.
Logan… Logan seemed different compared to them.
Where Chase was disappointed and Kaden was upset, Logan was simply…
unfazed. As though all he cared about in his moment was me.
So, naturally, I drifted to him. “What happened on campus.”
“I handled it,” he answered, but my brows only knitted together.
“Handled it? What do you mean you handled it?”
“I mean, you don’t have to worry anymore. It’s over now,” he assured me, and even though I had a million questions, I couldn’t help but trust him.
“So, does that mean we’ll just go back to campus like nothing happened?”
He hesitated. “You’ll go back, Dakota.”
“What about you?”
“I resigned.” My heart sank and he held my face in his hands. “It’s for the best. And, I don’t want this affecting your education, or your social life.”
“Logan—I don’t care about what other people have to say,” I shook my head, reaching up to hold his wrists.
“I do. If I stay, they will start discrediting you, and your hard work.”
“So what? You’re just going to leave? Go to another college.”
He confirmed with a nod and my shoulders dropped in disbelief.
“But,” I protested. “What if you see a new super sexy, smoking hot, incredibly talented and smart cheerleader who needs tutoring?”
He smiled, tightening his hold on my face as he stepped forward. “Then I’ll ask you why you snuck into my new classroom,” he answered, sealing it with a kiss to my lips.
I cast Chase and Kaden a smug look, and Chase dropped his head with a chuckle. The corners of Kaden’s lips lifted into a timid smile as he shook his head at me. Good answer, Logan Hale.
“Oh, well,” I sighed, pulling Logan’s hands from my face.
“Hopefully my new professor is just as good looking, and comes with two sexy best friends that’ll welcome me with open arms,” I mused, faking a sad sigh as I turned on my heels to face Chase and Kaden.
“It was nice knowing all of you,” I smiled.
“Are you saying you need a babysitter on campus?” Kaden suddenly asked, slipping both hands into his gym shorts.
I couldn’t help the sly grin tugging on my lips as I approached him. “Why? Are you offering?” I asked, dragging my nails down his abs.
“Don’t fuck around on campus, Dakota,” he warned and my head snapped to Chase.
“But when I use foul language, I get punished,” I rested my hands on my hips in disbelief.
“Logan and I still have to deal with a couple of things, so we’ll see you tonight,” Kaden reached forward, kissing the top of my head before him and Logan left the foyer, heading upstairs.
Chase rested his hand on my lower back and signaled for me to walk.
We entered the living room and I sat down beside him on the couch.
“You are aware that what you did today is unacceptable, right?”
Before I could even open my mouth to protest, I nodded, lowering my eyes. “Yes, Chase. I know.”
“I understand that you were upset, but you can’t resort to violence. Ever, Dakota.”
I swallowed hard, hating the hint of disappointment in his voice.
I sighed, looking up and he reached over, gently cupping the side of my face. He ran a steady thumb over my cheekbone and I couldn’t help the pleading eyes I shot him.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“But Chase,” I groaned, straddling his lap and he rested both hands on my waist. “You cannot tell me that if another man did something to hurt me, that either of you wouldn’t have punched him in the face.”
He paused in thought for a second, and I could tell that he was very quickly realizing that I had a point.
“Doesn’t make it okay.”
“Yes, and I know that,” I rested my hands on his shoulders. “Just,” I paused, taking a deep breath in, then exhaled. “Don’t be mad. Let it go.”
He shot me a knowing look, opening his mouth to protest then shut it. I averted his eyes—anxiously.
“Okay.”
My head snapped up in surprise. “Really?”
“I’m not excusing, or condoning your behavior, but you’ve had a lot on your plate. We understand why you weren’t thinking clearly.”
My heart sank.
It hadn’t been easy these past couple months. With finding out about Josie, her kissing Kaden, and then my father, now this…
“Thank you,” I snaked my arms around his neck, pulling him in for a hug. “And I promise to never resort to violence again,” I assured him, pulling back. “I’ll just call Kaden to do it for me,” I playfully added, making him smile.
He ran his thumb underneath my eye and lifted it, showing me the mascara residue, then attempted to run his fingers through the birds nest on my head. “Let’s get you cleaned up, yeah?”