a threat to either of us in sight. She meets Aisling at the coffee shop, and I take my position outside her classroom.
Nothing seems out of place, but my conscience isn’t easy. Someone or something’s lurking.
Fiona comes out of her first class and comes straight to me. She’s either oblivious of the stares of others or doesn’t care what they think when she walks up to me, puts her arms around my neck, and kisses me. “I missed you,” she whispers in my ear.
I hold her to me and kiss her back. “Missed you, too, sweet girl. Did you behave yourself in class?”
She gives me a coy wink. “May have gotten a bit cheeky. Why?”
“It’s my job to make sure you’re safe, of course,” I tell her, as we walk hand in hand toward the next building. “But it’s my pleasure to make sure you behave yourself.”
I love the way she flushes pink.
“Tell me about your class.” I love to hear her talk. I love when she waxes eloquent on the books that she’s read or the discussion she got into. I love the way she’s passionate and driven, and that a girl like her cares for a guy like me.
“Professor’s a bit of a dick,” she says with a frown. My lips twitch.
“Is he? Do I need to pay him a visit?”
“Oh, hell no,” she says seriously. “Lachlan, you can’t rough up my professors.”
I bloody well can if I have to, but I grant her this one concession with a noncommittal shrug.
“Just all demanding. Called me out for not knowing the answer on a chapter we hadn’t been assigned yet, said anyone who took this seriously would’ve read ahead.”
“You’re right. He’s a dick. Offer still stands.”
She smiles shyly, but the next second she’s nearly knocked right out of my hands by a huge, burly guy in shorts and a tank top. Fiona stumbles, and a frisbee clatters to the pavement in front of her.
“Watch where you’re bloody going!” I kneel next to her to see if she’s okay. Her hand’s at her head and she’s wincing, but she looks otherwise unharmed. The boy that knocked her over apologizes profusely, his eyes on me widened in surprise and fear as if he’s worried I’ll kill him. I bloody well might.
“Oh hell, I’m so sorry!” he says. “I didn’t even see you there. God, I’m sorry!”
“It’s alright,” Fiona says, rubbing her head while giving me a warning look. She knows I’m ready to beat the crap out of this bloke. She puts a placating hand on my arm. “I’m fine. But God, yeah, watch where you’re going, will you?”
“I’m so sorry. Can I take you to the nurse?” he asks. The boy looks barely old enough to be out of high school, but I still want to hurt him for hurting my girl. Age is no excuse. I was inducted into the Clan by his age.
“I’ll take care of her.” I’m in his space, and he finally gets the point. He nods, turns, and runs.
“Jesus, Lachlan,” she says in a harsh whisper, her eyes flashing at me. “Put your fucking gun away.”
Christ, I didn’t even realize I’d reached for my gun. I haven’t taken it all the way out, but my fingers are on the grip.
“I don’t think they saw it,” Fiona says, still whispering, while she looks around to see that no one noticed.
“Don’t bloody care if they did.”
“You should!” She gets to her feet and glares at me.
“Don’t you lecture me on what I should and shouldn’t do.”
She fumes and clamps her lips shut. “I will not argue with you here.”
“Fine, then. We’ll argue back at the hotel.”
“We bloody well will not,” she retorts.
I quirk a brow at her.
“I know how arguing with you there goes.”
Smart girl. She’ll end up with my belt across her arse and her knickers around her ankles. My cock stirs.
Jesus, she’s perfect for me. When we reach the cafeteria, she frowns. “Shite, I lost my phone.”
“Did you leave it back in class?”
She shakes her head. “No, I texted Megan literally while I was walking out of the building and coming to meet you. Slid it into my pocket…” she groans. “Oh, God, it must’ve fallen out when that guy knocked me over.”
I feel my body tighten. “Wasn’t an accident, then.” Maybe I shouldn’t have put my gun away.
She rolls her eyes, leans into me, and grabs hold of my shirt. “They’re not all enemies, Lachlan.”
She’s so fucking innocent. I could tell her stories that