"Gavin—"
"Get out."
He doesn't move.
"Get out!”
The roar echoes through the house. My father flinches, actually flinches, and for one second, I see fear in his eyes.
Good.
"And Bill?" Drew's voice cuts through the silence, cold and presidential. "Don't bother coming to any more alumni events. I'm calling a vote to have you expelled from the fraternity for assaulting a member."
My father's face goes purple. "You can't, I've been a member for thirty years!"
"And you just punched a brother in his own house." Drew doesn't flinch. "Pretty sure that's grounds for expulsion. The board will be in touch."
Dad sputters, but Drew's already dismissed him, turning to check on me.
Doc tugs my sleeve, voice quiet. "What does that mean? Expelled from a fraternity?"
"Means he loses his legacy status. Can't come to events, can't network with brothers, can't put it on his resume anymore." I watch my father's face as the implications sink in. "For a guy like him? Who built half his business contacts through alumni connections? It's a death sentence."
Doc's eyes widen slightly. Then a small, vicious smile crosses his face. "Good."
Troy is already at the door, still cradling his arm. Dad looks at me one more time, jaw working like he wants to say something. His eyes dart to Drew, back to me, and I see it, the moment he realizes he's lost more than just a son today.
Then he turns and follows his older son out.
The door slams behind them.
Nobody moves.
My legs feel like they might give out. I'm shaking, whole body tremors I can't control. Years of being scared and keeping quiet and faking it, and it's done. It's finally done.
"Gavin." Doc's voice, soft now. His hand on my arm. "Hey. Breathe."
I look down at him. This tiny, fierce, terrifying person who just took down my brother without hesitation. Who threatened to permanently damage him with medical precision. Who's looking at me now with so much concern. It makes my chest hurt.
"Didn't know doctors could do that," I manage.
His lips twitch. "They can't. But I'm not a doctor yet." His hand slides down to grip mine. "And no one hurts my man."
My man.
My chest goes tight, but not in a bad way. More like... full.
"You good?" Drew's voice. I look up to find the whole room still frozen, watching us.
"Yeah." I'm not sure if it's true. "Yeah, I think so."
"For what it's worth," Ian says slowly, "that was the most badass thing I've ever seen. Both of you."
"Doc went full supervillain," Jaren adds, slightly awed. "That was terrifying."
"I learned pressure points from a YouTube video," Doc says mildly. "He'll be fine in an hour."
Tyler snorts. Ethan is staring at Doc with new respect.
