gotten carried away with it. He’s going into the school now.”
I allow her no more time to speak. I end the call and rush for my car, tucking my phone into my pocket. Nothing but fury is blinding me but I don’t care. I speed out of the parking lot because knowing he’s in the same building as her is getting to me. I can’t afford for her to get hurt again.
****
I feel like I’m too late. I’d hit the streets during lunch hour so there was a ton of traffic. I come to a screech in the parking lot, put the car in park, hop out, and rush for the school—that is until I see Natalie coming out of the front door.
And then I see Tyler standing off to the right. His fingers are tucked into his front pockets. He’s leaning against the wall where no one would look when they’re coming out of the school, a shadow hovering above him. Natalie makes her way forward and he pushes from the wall to follow after her.
I leave no time for him to even get close. I rush for him and as he sees me, his eyes broaden but I don’t stop charging for him. Natalie spots me rushing her way and her eyes are wider than golf balls. She then notices that I’m not looking at her. My target is Tyler.
My fist lifts and I punch him square in the jaw. “Nolan!” Natalie yells as I jump on top of him. I’m not sparing him. All I can see is red. All I can think is all of this time, all he’s been trying to do is fuck my girlfriend. He drugged my girlfriend.
My fists continue to crash against his face until his head falls. My knuckles throb as someone pulls me up. I spin around quickly, ready to hit but at the sight of Natalie’s wide brown eyes, I stop. Guilt surfaces as she reaches down to help me unclench my fists. I end up loosening them but they still hurt.
“Nolan,” someone calls from behind us. I turn around, spotting Sharon standing above Tyler. As she stares down at him, her eyes sadden but then she shakes her head. “I said it before, but I’m sorry for everything. Seriously.” Tyler groans and a few people pass by, staring from him to my bloody knuckles. Sharon lifts Tyler up and hooks his arm around her shoulder. She drags him towards the parking lot and Natalie and I watch until they’re in the car and swerving out of the parking lot.
“Come on, Nolan,” Natalie murmurs to me, bringing me back to sanity. Her angelic voice has just removed all of the anger. Her smooth skin against mine has made me want to do nothing but go along with her. “Are you going to be okay driving?” she asks as she spots my car and goes for it.
“I should be,” I mutter. “I should have just come with you. Did he hurt you?”
“No, Nolan. Sharon showed up. She stopped him before he could try anything.”
“Good.”
She pulls my car door open and I climb in. “You sure you’re alright?” she asks, leaning inside. She kisses my cheek and my heart beats in overtime.
“Fine, Bunny. Just need to cool off . . . I should have just killed him. I was close.”
“No, you shouldn’t have,” she scolds. “He’s not worth it to go to prison over. I’ll switch classes—maybe switch community colleges if he ever tries to show up again. He said he was leaving but I doubt it. It’s nothing we can’t handle.”
I smile. “I love how you use “we” instead of “I”. Means something, huh?”
Giggling, she hooks her arms around my neck and reels me in for a kiss. I don’t hesitate on sliding my tongue into her mouth, grabbing her waist, and breathing her in. There’s never a time when I don’t enjoy this. Her embrace is one I want to hold onto forever—one that I never want to let go of.
She’s all I need. There’s no losing her again.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Natalie
Cheesy nachos are for dinner. After making them, Nolan and I eat out on the balcony. It’s a cool night so I gather a blanket to place over my legs.
“A glass of wine for the lady,” Nolan says, placing a glass of red wine down on the table between us.
“My mom would kill me if she knew how much I drank while I was down here,” I laugh.