Page 82 of For Emery

He shrugged. “I gave her roommate shit when I first met her, so she wanted to hate me for that. But then she got to know me, and my uncle helped her and her hockey player boyfriend with some legal stuff.”

“So, she has a boyfriend?” I said, trying to hide the fact that the information brought me relief.

“Yeah. He plays professional hockey now. She won’t be around here long. She’ll follow him up north, no doubt.”

“Why weren’t you nice to her friend?”

I shrugged.

“No, tell me.”

His lips twisted as he contemplated whether he should. “I hated the world after you disappeared. I didn’t trust people.”

My stomach clenched uncomfortably at his words. I hated that I’d hurt him.

“And I sure as hell didn’t want to stand by and watch a weak female put up with mistreatment—like you had to do for your mom’s sake. So, when I first saw Finlay—that’s Sabrina’s friend—I knew she needed to toughen up if she was gonna put up with a bunch of rowdy football players. So, I gave her shit until she gave it back. I guess I just saw you in her. And I wanted her to stand up for herself.”

“You don’t think I stood up for myself?” I asked, disappointed he viewed me that way.

He stopped us and tunneled both hands in my hair so his nose was almost touching mine. “I think you’re one of the strongest people I know. The fact that you lived that way with Wayne and still smiled every day, showed how strong you really are. Do I wish we could have stood up to him and gotten him out of your house? Hell yes. But we were kids. And it was something we couldn’t do.”

I nodded, his words stealing my breath away and silencing my fears.

“Now,” he said, pulling back a little. “Let me walk my girlfriend to class so everyone on this campus can see me with her.”

I laughed. “You really are crazy.”

“And you love it, baby.”

* * *

Jordan stood outside my building after class ended, looking all hot and protective.

I greeted him with a smile. “You take your bodyguard duties very seriously, don’t you?”

“If anyone’s gonna be guarding your body, it’s me.” He dropped a kiss on the top of my head as he swung his arm over my shoulders and walked me back toward my dorm.

“That line’s never gonna get old for you, huh?”

“Not likely.”

We ended up back at my dorm a few minutes later. “Let me walk you upstairs,” Jordan said, outside the front door.

“I’m fine.” I patted his chest gently as I pulled the strap of my bag over his head. “Now, hurry up. You don’t want to be late for your class.”

“I don’t care about that.”

I scanned my ID card beside the door. It buzzed and the door unlocked. I pulled it open. “Have fun,” I said.

“Yeah.” Jordan laughed before turning and jogging away. He was definitely going to be late.

I closed the front door behind me and climbed the steps to my floor. I walked down my hallway and stopped outside my room. I typed in the passcode on my door. I must’ve missed a number because it didn’t unlock. I tried again, this time making sure to press each number slowly and accurately. The door unlocked. I reached for the handle.

“Emery?”

I spun around with my pulse ricocheting off my chest.

Flip stood there.

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