My nostrils flair. My anger flames up like a fire doused in gasoline. I peer over at the smirking blond kid with a fringe of hair, obscuring half his delicate face. I want to take a shot at him myself. The smug smirk on his cupid’s bow lips tells me everything I need to know. The little shit started this. His blackened eyes, bruised cheekbone, and bloodied lip tells me who finished it. “Can you explain to me why Bolton looks like this?” I ask, turning my attention back to the principal with the superiority complex.
“It seems he and Mr. Alexander got into an altercation. I know Mr. Barrett has been going through a tough time, given where his mother is, and his father just returned from, but we simply cannot use violence as the answer.”
Mr. Alexander snickers.
My shoulders stiffen. “I don’t see how that has anything to do with it. I’ve known him a lot longer than you, and I can say with complete confidence he does not fly off the handle as you’re trying to indicate. The boy has never been in a fight his entire school career. I won’t let your bigotry affect his school records. He has a 4.0, exceptional attendance, and a handful of teachers who’ll vouch for him. Can Mr. Alexander say the same? Do you think his record will hold up to Bolton’s? Something tells me it won’t. Matter of fact, I’m willing to bet from the incredibly smug expression and the air of entitlement rolling off him like a bad cologne, he’s been in and out of trouble for years. You see, sir, I don’t care if you like me, his father, his mother, or the Kings of Chaos. You think we’ve made bad decisions, and come from bad seeds, and that’s your right. But I’m not about to let you crucify my nephew for it. Now, you can give them both equal punishment, with equal blame, or you’re going to have a lot of bad press and legal action taken on this school.”
“You’ll have a lot more than that.”
Shadow’s husky voice makes my loins quiver. As he comes to stand behind me, I can feel his heat searing my back.
“You got a problem with my boy, Dick?” he asks.
“I have a problem with any young man who comes in and causes trouble,” the principal replies. He straightens his spine and clears his throat. Sweat beads appear on his forehead and his pulse point pops wildly in his neck.
I watch him unravel before our eyes.
“Huh. What happened, Bolton?” Shadow asks. He never raises his voice, but he didn’t have to. There’s a promise of retaliation in his quiet tone.
“Brandon and his friends thought it’d be a good idea to run their mouths about Mom and you. I blew it off. I don’t care what they think about me. But when they started pushing me around in the hallway and trying to bully me, I knew I had to make a stand.” Bolt shrugs.
“You hear that, Dick? Sounds like my boy was the one wronged,” Shadow drawls. “I want to know what you plan on doing about this to make it right.”
“Well, both boys will be suspended for the next three days and they’ll both be written up,” Mr. Bateman answers.
“You putting this on his permanent record? Trying to hurt my kid’s chance to go to college?”
“This is standard procedure, Mr. Barrett.”
“Hmmm.” Shadow rubs his beard and narrows his eyes.
“I-I’m sure it w-wouldn’t hurt to leave it off his record, but have him serve the sentence.”
“I think that’ll be about right, Dick,” Shadow says.
I bite the inside of my cheek to hold in the snicker threatening to come out. He managed to turn Mr. Bateman’s name into a mockery. The tables can turn quickly, can’t they? The pompous ass of moments earlier is gone and a deflated man shaking in his boots is now present.
“You got something you need from us, Dick? ’Cause I’ll be taking my boy and leaving now.”
“Just some papers that need to be signed,” Principal Bateman replies.
“Babe, take care of the paperwork. Bolton, you come with me.” Shadow’s gaze comes to rest on the blond boy in the corner. “I’m sure we won’t be having this problem again, will we?”
“N-n-no, s-sir,” the boy stutters.
Shadow sneers.
The boy all but wets himself. His face is ghost paper white and his hands are shaking.
Not so cocky now, are you? I hate cowards who find their courage when the odds are only in their favor.
“We’ll see you outside, babe,” Shadow says, placing a kiss on my cheek.
When his beard tickles my skin and his scent envelopes me, I close my eyes and inhale deep.
He pulls back and steps away, and I get back to business. “Paperwork, Mr. Bateman?”
“O-of course.” He fumbles with a small stack on his desk and comes up with two papers.