He was stopped by a rumble that came from not only behind me but from my own throat as well. Lennon and I both growled as he started to talk shit about the woman we both cared about.
I held up my hand for him to shut up and walked toward the door, motioning Lennon to follow. He looked torn, hesitant to leave his sister, but he whispered something to her and met me in the hall.
“Your mom is sorry she couldn’t be here; she was about to take the stand in court and is beside herself right now having to have sent me or anyone else. With that said, I’m going to ask you one question, and I know you don’t trust me, but your mother must have if she sent me.”
The kids had been staring at me not enthused that I was there, probably even pissed it was me who’d arrived, but the moment I mentioned River trusting me, something in his eyes softened. He didn’t say anything, but he nodded his head.
“I’m not going to ask you for all the details, but I will ask you for one. Why did you hit the other kid?”
His hands balled into fists again and his jaw tightened.
“I need something, so I know how to handle this,” I told him.
Through gritted teeth, his voice full of venom, he said, “The asshole touched my sister in the hall without permission right in front of me and then proceeded to tease her along with his friends.”
He paused, his body vibrating with anger. I wondered what else he was about to tell me. I could see it in his eyes, there was more. But then he just said, “Nobody is getting away with that shit when it comes to her and walking away.”
I wasn’t going to pry anything else out of the kid, what he said was fucking plenty.
“Thank you,” I told him. “Come with me for a minute.”
I walked back in the office, Lennon right behind me, and motioned to Breland. “Grab Breland and wait for me in the hall, I’ll be there in a minute.”
Lennon’s eyes widened and his brows rose.
With a nod of my head, I reiterated, “Go on, I’ll handle this.”
He jumped into action doing as I asked while the principal's voice got louder and more enraged at my attempt to dothings my way. Which isexactlyhow it was going to go after what I just heard.
I tuned him out and waited for the kids to leave the room, then I turned to the man, took a step closer to him and I let loose.
“I suggest you learn how to do your damn job. While those kids were sitting here, Breland being obviously very upset, there is another little shithead out there doing whatever he likes after having put his hands on a young girl without her permission.”
Mr. Wilson’s eyes bugged right out of his head.
“Yeah, please tell me what your fucking policy is on sexual harassment and assault?”
I didn’t give him time to respond because I needed to get this out before I really blew a gasket.
“You better figure it out because once I speak to their mother, I guarantee you if that isn’t taken care of right, and also really damn fast, we will be going to the school board.” I was spitting mad and not done yet. “And we have a damn good lawyer in our back pocket that with one call will be all over this in a matter of seconds.”
He swallowed as he took a step away from me. I couldn’t blame him; my voice was menacing and loud.
I glanced at the woman at the desk. She may have been doing nothing to help Breland or Lennon who’d been upset, but I hadn’t wanted to scare her either. She just sat, wide-eyed, with her mouth hanging open. She didn’t seem too distraught, so I landed one more parting shot before I went to find the kids.
“Handle it or Lennon’s temper will look like child’s play compared to mine when I come back!” I shouted.
I stormed out of the office, two sets of wild eyes staring at me as I entered the hall.
Then a small smile tipped Breland’s still trembling lips and Lennon gave me a look of approval.
Protecting them felt as natural as it did protecting their mother.
Chapter Nine
RIVER
I blinked rapidlyin stunned confusion.
