Page 23 of Kristoff

Her hand spreads over her breast, and she lets out a shriek worthy of a scream-queen horror flick. I’m not over being impressed by the power of her lungs when she shrieks again, nearly blowing out my eardrums.

I grit my teeth, cocking my head as I scrunch my eyes closed. I have to curl my fingers into my palms to stop myself from bringing my hands up to cover my ears.

“What the hell, Gerald?” Harlan booms from nearby.

“Get out!” Celia releases the curtain then stares down at her feet. Oddly enough, she has her toes crossed.

“I didn’t—”

“Get the hell out of there,” Harlan barks.

There’s a scuffle.

“Get your hands off me,” Gerald whines.

“You need to go,” Kristoff warns.

“But that’s Celia in there,” the other man insists with a hint of disbelief.

“No shit it’s Celia.” The door slams shut as Harlan says her name.

We both give a collective sigh in our little cubby. Her shoulders slump, but I’m still too wound up to breathe properly.

“And nothing happened here she didn’t consent to,” Harlan adds.

“I knew it!” Gerald pipes up loud enough to hear him over the water. “I knew her innocent act was just for show,” he says with confidence. “The little—”

Celia’s face turns bright red. Despite this impromptu scene, she may be as innocent as Gerald originally thought.

“Watch your mouth.” Harland’s voice comes across with a steely edge. “Or I’ll bust out the teeth you have left.”

She brings a hand to cover her mouth. Although her demeanor is calm and collected, her fingers are shaking against her lips. “Idiot,” she mutters.

Whoever or whatever Gerald is to these people, he has enough sense to keep his mouth shut. If Harlan’s showing half as much emotion as what he showed when she was taking her clothes off, Gerald should be freaking terrified.

“Calm down,” Kristoff interjects.

I’m not quite sure which of the two he’s directing the comment to.

“I hear a single word about her in town,” Harlan warns. “And there’ll be hell to pay.”

“Gerald isn’t going to say anything,” Kristoff assures him. “Right, Gerald?”

“I should have no reason to say anything,” Gerald states, sounding uppity.

But the fact of the matter is, he didn’t actually answer the question.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Gerald

I march down the stairs, coming to an important decision. This time, I’ll grant them mercy. The teacher isn’t in the building. Clearly, it will be best to wait for a proper moment to set them straight.

“You can’t come barging in here every time you have a wild hair up your ass,” Schunior says, gritting his teeth, as if someone like him can demand anything of me.

I puff out my chest, straightening my back to pull myself to my full height. “This is official business,” I state with indignation.

“What official business?” Harlan asks sarcastically.

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