Page 71 of Further To Fall

“Last time I didn’t walk you all the way in, you almost got strangled by a crazy person.” John’s head snapped up, and I stiffened. Austin squeezed the back of my neck to soften his words. “Sorry, baby. Didn’t mean to remind you. I just won’t ever take chances with your safety again.”

I forced a smile to my lips. “Good thing you taught me how to kick some ass, huh?”

Austin grinned at me. “Damn straight. John, she broke the guy’s nose and crushed his nuts.”

John held open the main door for Austin and me. “Good for you, sweetheart.”

“So you know I’ve got your back if anything goes down.” John chuckled in response.

Austin kissed the top of my head. “My Firecracker, always causing trouble.”

I grinned as I swung the door of my classroom open, but it died on my lips. The walls were covered in black and white photos with red writing:whore, slut, bitch. And when I saw what the pictures were of, vomit crawled up the back of my throat. It was me, straddling Austin, top off, head thrown back. My immediate reaction was that I had to get rid of them, no one could see these. I reached out my hand to the images directly in front of me, but John stopped me. “You can’t touch them. There might be prints or some kind of trace evidence.”

“The kids can’t see these.” My voice was high and panicked, sounding foreign in my ringing ears.

“We won’t let them.” Austin’s voice was hard.

“I think I’m going to be sick.” John grabbed the trashcan by my desk, and I emptied the meager contents of my stomach into it while Austin held back my hair.

When the heaving stopped, Austin handed me a tissue. I took it with a shaking hand. “Let’s get you to a bathroom.”

“Toothbrush. My desk.” I pointed that still-trembling hand towards a drawer in my desk. John retrieved the brush, handing it to Austin.

“John, here’s my phone. There’s a contact for a Detective Massey. Call him and explain what happened.” Keeping one arm around me, Austin handed the phone to John, who nodded. “Baby, where’s the teachers’ lounge?”

“Next to the office.” My voice sounded foreign to my own ears. Dead.

Austin ushered me down the hall to the lounge. Following me into the bathroom, he leaned against the door as I brushed my teeth and ran a damp paper towel over my mouth and neck. When I was done, he pulled me to him and held me tight, massaging my nape. His heart pounded against my cheek, and I knew rage was flowing through his veins, but he was containing it, not wanting to scare me further.

“Those pictures were taken last night,” I said softly, hesitantly. “Someone was on your property.”

“I know.” The words sounded like they were barbed and ripped from his throat. “I’m going to have John double the number of guys we have on duty.”

I inwardly cringed, thinking of the cost, but didn’t say a word. We just continued to stand there. “This is crazy.” The image of all those photos and ugly words overtook my mind, and tears brimmed in my eyes. “So many people are going to see those pictures.” The tears crested my lower lids and fell down my cheeks. My skin began to crawl, and my body trembled. I pushed away from Austin. “I need to take a shower.”

His brow furrowed as he studied my shaking form. “What are you talking about?”

Sobs wracked me as I struggled to get words out. “I-I feel so dirty.”

“Oh, baby, no.” Austin pulled me into his arms again. “You are not dirty. You are everything pure and beautiful in my world. You are perfect.” He held me as I cried everything out. As the tears slowed, Austin pulled back slightly and began sweeping the tears away. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. Absolutely nothing.”

He cupped my face in his hands, continuing to catch any stray tears with his thumbs. When they stopped altogether, he kissed each lid and then my forehead. “I love you, Carter. We are going to figure this out, I promise you.” I nodded but didn’t speak, afraid more tears might fall. I knew Austin was taking this hard. I knew it killed him that he couldn’t build a wall between me and anything that might possibly hurt me. I had to be strong, if not for myself, then for him.

Austin and I exited the bathroom and headed back towards my classroom. He held me firmly against him as if he could shield me from all that was to come. I paused our movement, tilting my face up to his. “Let’s just wait out here.” I didn’t need to see those photos again. Once had been enough.

“Okay, baby.” He pressed his lips to my forehead.

Within minutes, Detective Massey and other officers arrived at the school. Massey squeezed my shoulder reassuringly and then went to talk to Principal Hughes. When he returned, he pulled Austin and me aside. “We’re going to put your students in the gym for now, they’re bringing in a substitute, so you don’t need to worry about that. The only people who will enter that room are trained law enforcement officers.” I nodded, grateful for the reassurance. “Do you know when the pictures were taken and where?”

I nodded again and forced myself to speak. “They were taken last night at Austin’s house.”

Austin spoke next. “I had two members of my security team on hand, one at the gate, and one patrolling the perimeter of my property but, clearly, they missed this guy.”

I bit the corner of my lip. “Liam and Ford must have arrived right around when those pictures were taken, maybe they saw something.”

Austin kneaded the nape of my neck. “I think they would have said something if they did, but it’s worth checking.” He turned towards Detective Massey. “I can give you their contact numbers.”

He took the numbers down on his notepad. “I’m going to send some officers over to your home to check for any shoe prints or other signs that someone was lurking outside.”

---