“Evil.”
We walked in silence, but I wasn’t as mad at him as I had been — he was right. We got to the path that led to the dean’s house, and the lights were on. I wasn’t ready to go in yet.
“We’re going to be okay,” I told him. “But you can’t do that again. You can’t take my phone like that again. You can’t make a decision like that and not discuss it with me first.”
He nodded. Serious. No charm, none of his usual cockiness. “I won’t.” His eyes crinkled at the corner. “But also, you need to change your password. Yourownbirthday? I mean, aren’t you a straight-A student?”
“God, you’re infuriating.” I stepped closer, close enough to see the heat still burning in his eyes and feel the lingering warmth of his hands. I caught one, steadying it against my chest.
“You don’t have to protect me,” I said quietly. “You don’t have to risk so much.”
“Maybe not.” His mouth twitched, almost a smile, almost a challenge. “I love you, Sav.” He pulled me closer. “I won’t do it again, but I will always, always protect you, no matter the risk.”
“Let’s agree to protect each other.” I reached up, pulling his head down to mine, my forehead touching his, the weight of everything pressing down on both of us, both acknowledging without saying it, that it felt a little bit lighter.
“Deal,” he murmured, his lips brushing mine in a kiss that sealed it, soft but unshakable. “You protect me, I protect you.”
“I love you,” I whispered, and he exhaled, like he’d been holding his breath for a long time, and tucked me closer.
We didn’t say anything for a moment. He just curled his fingers into my jacket like he wasn’t letting go.
“I’ve been thinking—”
“Why am I scared?” Dante groaned as he leaned back.
“I want to find the blogger, Hadley.”
“Why?” Dante asked, his brow furrowing.
“Her site got taken down, she was digging, there’s no way she let it go. Would you?” He shook his head. “I want to find out what she knows, and how we can use it.”
His eyes gleamed. “That’s brilliant. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Too many concussions probably.”
“So savage,” he murmured with a chuckle, dropping a light kiss on my lips. “You sure? You could leave it to your dad.”
I glared at him. “Areyouleaving it to my dad?”
He grinned. “Nope.”
“Exactly.” I looked toward the house, knowing Dad was inside, waiting for me so we could have dinner.
“You don’t have to go tonight,” Dante said quietly. He glanced back toward the path. “Let’s go to the shed. I’m still waiting to find out why you’re building a windmill.”
I huffed out a laugh. “Because I want to.”
“See how that works? Soyoucan do whatyouwant,” he teased. “Do you want to go eat dinner with your dad?”
“Not tonight,” I admitted as I pulled my phone out of my pocket. “I’ll text him.”
Once it was sent, we walked away from the house, hand in hand.
“Hadley might know even more than we think,” Dante mused as we walked.
“Yeah. I hope so.”
He squeezed my hand, pulling me to a stop and turning to face me. “This is how we’re going to do it. We’re going to win.”
