Page 34 of Teaching His Babygirl

Jasper’s eyes narrow as he flops down into one of the chairs across from my desk. He tosses a file folder onto my desk. Warily, I open the folder finding it full of pictures. Pictures of what looks like a fucking shrine to Darlene. Dozens of pictures wallpaper a wall. Pictures of her walking to school, teaching class, smiling with Melinda, her head thrown back in laughter at something… Pictures of us walking into The Playground, of us on our date the night that Leon and his parents saw us, even some of us here at school together. Then more disturbing are the next set of pictures… Me coming and going into her apartment with vivid red x’s drawn over my face.

I look up at Jasper. “What the fuck is this?” I growl, feeling a fierce protectiveness clawing at my throat, knowing that my Darlene is home alone right now and someone is obviously stalking her.

“Levi Troy has fallen off the map. When I couldn’t track him down, I called in a couple favors for a search warrant for his apartment and found this.” He waves his hand toward the file I’m still thumbing through. “It seems he has a little bit more than a simple infatuation with Darlene. The fucker is obsessed. And he’s none too happy that you’re dating her.”

“So you think Troy put Leon up to attacking Darlene?” I growl, feeling positively feral with my anger.

Jasper shrugs. “I assume so, but Leon isn’t talking. His lawyer wants no part of any conversation that doesn’t include him getting off without a record.”

“No fucking way,” I spit. “Darlene is pressing charges. That little asshole is going to burn as far as we are concerned.”

His lips twitch up in a smile. “That’s almost verbatim what I told them… except you were nicer.”

I laugh darkly. “As long as everyone knows where we stand on the matter. Now what the fuck are we going to do about Troy?”

“Already have a warrant out for him. I put Ransom on Darlene’s apartment building.”

“I thought he retired?” I ask.

“He did, but he’s more than happy to pull out some of his training to protect one of our own.”

“Good. I wouldn’t trust anyone more than him with her safety.” And it’s true. Ransom is ex-military and used to run his own private security business before deciding to retire and take on a job with fewer bullets flying his way. If anyone can keep my girl safe, it’s him.

“Don’t worry, Colt. We’ll find the bastard.”

“He better pray you find him first.”

Jasper chuckles. “Here’s hoping. I’d hate to have to arrest you for assault.”

“It would be well worth it,” I growl.

“Indeed.” Jasper grabs the folder from my desk and heads to the door. “We’ll find him. Until then, just focus on Darlene.”

* * *

The restof the day crawls by. When the final bell rings, I’m out the door and heading to Darlene’s place. I’ve been itching to hold her since I left her apartment this morning, and the desire has grown to a fever pitch since seeing those pictures Jasper brought.

Darlene opens her door on the second knock. She’s still in the same clothes she was wearing yesterday, and her hair is in a messy knot on top of her head. She looks nothing like her usual happy self. She’d look beautiful in a burlap sack, but she seems almost defeated, and I hate it.

She welcomes me inside with a hug. She holds onto me like she’s not sure she will ever get to hold me again. Wariness prickles down my spine, tripping warning bells in my mind. I brush it off as her just being upset and in need of comfort.

“How was school?” she quietly asks. I know what she’s not saying. She wants to know if rumors are going around and what they are about.

“Everything is okay. I called a staff meeting and laid everything out so that there won’t be any rumors. I told the faculty about Leon—a very watered-down version of what occurred. I also explained that you and I are in a relationship.”

Darlene flinches at that. I know she wants to keep us a secret, I knew this would be the hardest part, but at least I can tell her with confidence that no one in the school is judging our relationship. None of the things she’s been worried about have come to pass.

“Don’t worry, beauty. No one was shocked. In fact, everyone was happy for us. I was asked multiple times what people could do for you. They are all just upset that you were attacked at school. No one cares about us.”

“For now. They only care about the sensationalism of the attack. When that wears off, they will start talking about us. I know how this story goes, Colt. Eventually, someone is going to think you’re playing favorites or worse. This sort of thing never ends well.”

Cold chills race through me at that. Is she thinking about ending things? Why would she say it like that? “What do you mean, ‘never ends well?’”

She throws her hands out and paces away from me. “I mean exactly that. Relationships like ours eventually cause drama within the faculty. Heck, the student body is impacted too. Look at Leon.”

I growl. “Leon was not a normal situation.”

Darlene sighs, “I know. I’m sorry… I’m just-”

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