Page 118 of Believing Bailey (Granton University 2)

I buried my face in his shirt, inhaled his familiar scent and tried not to completely lose it. Around me, everyone started talking about what they needed to do, but I didn’t care about any of that. I just wanted Beck to take me home and hold me until I fell asleep and this whole nightmare was in the past.

Until Tess announced she was calling campus police.

I lifted my face. “No,” I said, shaking my head. “Beck’s not allowed to be on campus. If they found him here, beating up another student—the brother of the girl who claimed he raped—what do you think’s going to happen to him?”

“Fuck that,” Beck said. “They attacked you, Bailey. We’re calling it in.”

But I kept shaking my head. “They’ll tell them what we did, how we tampered with the video. We’ll all get into trouble.”

“Bailey, it’s okay,” Paige reassured me, petting my arm. “We’ll face what we did if we have to, but honestly, what do you think will hold more water? Them physically assaulting you? Or us switching a silly video?”

“You sabotaging my tour,” Melody announced, getting to her feet to glare at all of us. “My brother didn’t touch anyone. He came in here and saw that rapist…” She pointed at Beck, “attacking Bailey, so Chance tried to stop him.”

Tess scoffed. “Oh, really? You’re going to try to lie your way out of this one too? Who do you think everyone’s going to believe this time? You or Bailey?”

“Me,” I said, stepping out of Beckett’s arm. Remembering my phone I’d dropped, I checked the bathroom stall I’d hidden in to find it still laying on the ground. When I picked it up, I was happy to see it hadn’t been smashed and was still recording. It probably hadn’t shown much of anything but the ceiling, but I’m sure I had picked up everything Chance and Melody had said.

I pushed Stop and began to play it again. When it reached the part where Melody cried, “Slap her,” Melody closed her eyes and cursed under her breath.

“That’s right,” I murmured. “This time they’ll believe me. Now take your brother and get out of here, or I will show this to everyone. If either of you bother any of us in this room again, I will show this to everyone. And if you try to tell the school administration who switched that video on the tour…”

“You’ll show everyone,” she finished lamely, glaring at me, but resigned to her fate.

I smiled. “That’s right.” Nodding, I glanced at my tribe. “I think we’re done here.”

* * *

I really loved my bed. It was so soft and comfortable and warm. Despite how much my entire head throbbed and my side ached, my beautiful, wonderful bed just kept hugging me, telling me it’d take good care of me.

I kept my face nestled deep in my pillow as I came awake. It was late Monday afternoon, and I was grateful I didn’t have a final until tomorrow—yeah, somewhere in there, I’d decided to return to school, after all—because I was in no condition to take a test right now. I swear, every inch of my body hurt.

Beckett and the two couples had taken me home straight form the incident in the bathroom, harassing me the whole way and trying to convince me we should’ve turned Chance and Melody in to the police, but I’d stuck to my decision. This way would keep us all safer. So they’d pampered me and helped me into bed. Someone made me soup and hot tea, and gave me aspirin, and then I’d fallen asleep in the arms of the man I loved.

The only problem with my wonderful, beautiful, comfortable bed now was that Beck was no longer in it with me. But I could hear the low rumble of his voice. So I opened my eyes and rolled my head that way to find him standing at the window with his back to me as he spoke on his phone.

“Y

es, sir,” he was saying as he nodded. “Yeah, I’ll make sure. I got it. Okay. Thank you. Bye.” After hanging up, he gave a long-exhausted sigh and rubbed his hand over his head as he stared out at the park across the street.

“Who was that?” I asked, surprised when my voice came out rusty.

Beckett spun to me. “You’re awake? Are you okay?” He hurried to the bed so he could sit next to me and press his hand to my forehead then the side of my face, worry lining his seeking gaze.

“I’m fine.” I brushed his hand away. “I mean, other than feeling like shit because some shithead siblings attacked me, but yeah, I’m great. Who was on the phone? You looked upset.”

He gave a low laugh. “I’m not really sure what I am, but I know I’m not upset.” Then he ran his hand over his face, appearing strangely contemplative.

“Who called?” I repeated.

“Everyone.” He laughed and dropped his hands to send me a helpless look. “I swear, since you went to sleep a few hours ago, everyone I’ve ever known has called me.”

“Wha…why?” I grew instantly worried and gripped his thigh. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” he murmured, seemingly lost and confused by that. “Everything’s great, actually. Our, um, our video switch made it viral. It already has thousands of views. The university was the first to call me. They apologized for expelling me after I was found innocent. I’ve been okayed to return to campus next semester and finish my degree. They even okayed it with my professors to take all my finals late to catch up from this semester.”

My mouth fell open. “Really. That’s great.”

He nodded, looking distracted. “Yeah. And then my fraternity called. I can return there if I want to. Chance dropped out. Then my boss at the barn called. I can have my job back. Max called.” He glanced at me before rolling his eyes. “I hung up on him.”

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