Page 100 of Promises We Meant to Keep

Elia was shaking her head before she said the word. “No. Windermere’s my home.”

“Then stay. Fight.”

“I won’t be chained anymore.” Elia placed her free hand over Kamryn’s on her cheek, holding her tightly. “I won’t let them take my freedom from me again.”

“I won’t either.”

“It’s not you that I don’t trust, Kam. Don’t you understand that? It’s them. It’s the school board, Susy and Heather, and Yara.” Elia rested her shoulders fully against the wall now. “They won’t stop until they’ve made me leave the school.”

“But what if they do?” Kamryn asked, knowing far more about what was going on with that situation than Elia. She had to. Elia had to be kept out of it, because if she was in the middle, it’d make everything so much harder.

“Don’t make promises that you can’t keep. I’m so tired of those.” Elia’s tongue dashed across her lips, and she’d barely managed to drag her gaze away from Kamryn’s mouth.

Was she thinking about something else? Or was she still talking about the school board? Kamryn leaned in closer, her breath fluttering across Elia’s mouth. What she’d give to have all of these tensions relieved, not just the sexual ones, but the pain and heartache that the school was causing.

“I’m not letting you resign until your contract is up. I’ll withhold your pension and fine you if I have to.” Kamryn cringed. She hated herself for saying that. “I need you at Windermere. The kids need you.”

Elia jerked sharply, pushing Kamryn away. “You can’t do that.”

“I can, and I will.” Kamryn stepped away, a rigidity forming along her spine which she was struggling to not feel the pain from. The look of betrayal on Elia’s face was all she needed to know that she’d perhaps gone too far. But this was the only card that Kamryn had left. “You signed a contract, Elia. And if you break it, the consequences in it are very clear.”

Elia’s jaw dropped.

Kamryn pressed her lips together, her chest tightening from the ache. She reached up and rubbed her fist right in the center of it. She just needed more time to sort everything out. She hated that this was taking so long, that she was the one who seemed to be holding things up, but she didn’t want to walk into the next ethics meeting or the next board meeting without all of the information and all of the answers possible.

“I can’t believe you’d do this,” Elia accused. “I just want to leave.”

“And you’ll be able to. On July first, when your contract ends.” Kamryn shoved her hands into her jeans pockets and rocked up on her toes. She shrugged, playing everything so nonchalant, but inside she was a twisting fury of anger, hurt, and devastation. She hated this so much.

“Kam—”

“It’s just business, right?” Kamryn clenched her jaw, hardening her gaze. “I’m your boss, remember? I hold all of the power in this relationship.”

She couldn't stand there any longer. She couldn’t bring herself to hear Elia’s reaction.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Elia.” Without another word, Kamryn walked out of the bathroom. God, she hurt. Her muscles ached, but her heart was shattered. She nodded toward Greer when they made eye contact and then jerked her head toward the door.

Greer immediately said something to Abagail and then stood up. Kamryn didn’t wait for her. She walked out of the cafe andstraight onto the street. The air was cold, biting almost. The next snowfall was due that night, and they’d likely need to bump up their departure time for the next Speech meet in order to give them enough time to get where they were going.

Again, she didn’t wait as she slid behind the wheel of her car. Greer jumped into the passenger seat, confusion written all over her. “What happened?”

Kamryn bit back her initial retort. She started the engine and then pulled out onto the street before she said anything. “We’re going back to Windermere.”

“Okay. But what happened, Kam? This is so unlike you.”

Shaking her head, Kamryn focused on the road in front of her. “I told Elia exactly what she didn’t want to hear.”

“Which is…?” Greer was entirely focused on Kamryn, and it was so unnerving. Her gaze was scolding.

“That she can’t break her contract without consequences. And that I love her.”

“You—what?” Greer squeaked. “What did she say?”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” Kamryn took a hard turn, faster than she probably should have, but the energy from the conversation in the bathroom still sizzled through her veins. She hadn’t managed to dissipate it.

“Wow.”

“I need to figure out what I’m going to say at the next ethics meeting.” Kamryn hit the main road toward Windermere and stepped on the gas. She was running out of time, and she couldn’t let any of it go to waste now.

---