Except for the screeches and wailing rumbles, my mind was silent. It took me a while to register what she was asking, and when the answer came back to me, rage simmered in my blood all over again. “Those sons of fucking bitches were talking about how much they wanted to fuck your big ass. They were passing notes with drawings of their dicks up your skirt and laughing.” I spun around, looking for them. “Where did they go? I’m gonna break their jaws so they’d stop laughing forever. I’ll chop their fucking tiny dicks off and shove them downtheirasses.”
“Ty, please. It’s just some silly kids goofing around. You should have told me. I could have—”
I grabbed her arms and shook her. “Could have what? Laughed with them? Given them what they wanted? Had it three-way in the library?”
“Tirone! Are you crazy?!”
“You’re mine,” I seethed. “Mine.” The next thing I knew I was backing her into a wall, and my belt was coming off.
“No. No!”
“You’re saying no to me? Me? Where was your tongue when he was fucking you at the only place I could have you for myself? Busy licking his?” I unzipped my jeans. “You’re gonna take my cock right in front of everyone. You’re gonna scream my name and let the whole city know you’re mine just like you’re his. Mine.”
“Stop right now, Tirone. I won’t say it again.”
I dragged her away from the wall and toward her desk, bringing us to the front of the class where people outside could see us from the glass part of the door. “I won’t stop until they know.”
A sharp pain speared my foot and cracked my nuts. Suddenly, I was the one pinned to her desk with my fingers twisted behind my back. Then Jo’s palm rang across my cheek. “Never like this,” she said through her teeth before her other hand landed on my face. “Never again. Do you hear me? Never. Again.”
The pain and her slaps snapped me out of my rage. She stepped away from me, and I realized what I’d done. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” I pulled at my own hair and smacked my forehead with my palm multiple times. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Jo.” I fell to my knees, sobbing. “I’m sorry.”
If I were her, I’d leave and never look back. I’d hurt her again when I promised I’d take care of her. Did I lose her forever this time?
But Jo’s feet came my way instead of running to the door. I looked up, and she was opening her arms for me. She held my head and pressed it to her stomach. Tears streamed from my eyes and soaked the fabric of her shirt. “Tell me I’m yours, Jo. Tell me I’m still yours.”
She stroked my hair and pressed me harder to her abdomen. Then light, wet drops fell on my hair. I glanced up at again, and she was crying, too. “Please, don’t cry. I’m sorry. Just please tell me I’m still yours,” I begged.
“You’re mine, Ty, as I am yours.”
“I’ll never leave you, Jo. Never. There’s a way that will make you always mine and you can still have everything.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Just tell me we’re forever, Jo. Forever, little faerie. Promise me forever and mean it this time.”
A knock on the door, loud and persistent, interrupted us. Jo’s head jerked toward it. “It’s Doctor Ryan. She’s here to have an emergency session with you.”
“Don’t go, Jo. Don’t leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll just let her in and wait outside until you finish.”
“Don’t go, Jo.”
She kissed the top of my head. “I won’t. I promise.” She helped me up and opened the door. She spoke to the therapist for a few moments. I didn’t like the way Doctor Ryan looked at Jo. It was the first time they met, but I talked about nothing but Jo in our sessions. What were they talking about?
“Can Jo stay?” I asked the moment Jo let her in.
“I’ll be right outside, Tirone,” Jo said. “You can see me the whole time. But you need to do this in private, okay?”
I nodded once. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. Just focus on the therapy, please. Don’t worry about the principal and the boys. Furore will be here soon. We’ll take care of it.” Jo shut the door and waited outside as promised.
Doctor Ryan peered at the classroom which I didn’t remember destroying. “Maybe we should take this elsewhere.”
“No. It’s fine.” I pulled a chair that was still intact for her, and I took Jo’s seat behind the desk.
She opened her briefcase. It was full of meds, papers and syringes. She took out a notepad and a bottle of pills. “It’s a refill on your medication. Take one now.”
