Page 128 of Grin and Bear It

Her throat worked as she shook her head.

“So, how is this any different? I thought that was what we were about as educators, advocating for kids who can’t do so for themselves, helping them when they really need it. Otherwise…” She sucked in a breath, then another. “Otherwise, what the hell are we doing? These are kids, just kids. Just Maddox and just Knox. They’ve been here since year 7, found their place in the school community. We gathered around them after they suffered unimaginable trauma, tried to provide a safe and supportive environment, so what’s changed?’

“You know what’s changed,” June replied, her eyes narrowing. “And don’t forget your role in all of this. If your… questionable hobby hadn’t made it into the hands of students then perhaps—”

“Don’t say another word.” I barked that out without even meaning too, but as soon as I saw Ellie go completely pale, the words came out. I forced my attention back to the bloody bitch, injecting about as much menace as I could into my eyes. “Don’t.”

“Or do.” Cole’s smile spread slowly, the evil twist of his lips making clear his intent. “I haven’t taken fur for a long time and sneaking through your hydrangeas, going sniffing around your back door? My beast would like that a whole lot.”

“Stop,” Ellie said, sounded terribly weary. “Just stop. That isn’t helping and…” She shook her head. “And neither are you.” Her gaze was sharp, pitiless as she stared at her old boss. “You know, more than anyone, what this will do to two kids who need their friends, their community. I don’t give a shit about what you do to me. I’m done here anyway and…” She blinked, straightening up now, as if throwing off some unseen burden. “And it’s a relief really. But not the boys. Don’t do this to the boys.”

“If you want this all to die down, as I think you do, then you have to know the boys can’t continue their education here,” the principal said. “If the twins are here, stories, curiosity will persist. Some children will seek to see if they can… replicate what happened at the assembly. I appreciate that the isolation of distance education might not be a good fit for the boys, but I’m going to have to insist you find another solution, away from Greenbank.”

And with that, we were dismissed.

We all filed out of the perfectly silent office. I was willing to bet not one person there took a breath until we walked out of the front door.

“So that’s it then…” I said, not sure if we’d won or lost, the hollow feeling inside me feeling like it was getting bigger. And then I looked at her.

Ellie.

I saw the paper-thin skin under her eyes, saw how it looked swollen and bruised at one and the same time. Saw the struggle going on inside her, her expression making clear what she was thinking and the how rapidly her thoughts were moving. And I could feel her through the bond, even as fragile as it was currently. But as I moved forward, as the others did the same, pulling her into the safe harbour of our arms, I was reminded of it. Live or die, a sleuth was strongest together. I clasped her tighter when her arm went around me, her other snaking around Cole’s waist. For just a moment I breathed her in, that sweet honey scent filling my nose, driving everything else away.

We’d find a way. We had to. The boys didn’t have anyone else in their corner and we needed to step up.

But right as I felt that moment of certainty, my phone started to buzz again. I pulled away to answer it, worrying it was Lin.

“Nash?” It was Daisy, Declan’s mum. “Declan’s just filled me in on… well, everything. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright, Daise,” I said. “We’ve just talked to the school and we’re pretty sure they aren’t going to take things any further. They won’t let the twins come back to school though.”

“Oh, Nash…” I heard her sigh down the phone, that moment of empathy a welcome thing. But I was apparently on the list for a full plate of shit sandwiches, because she sucked in another breath. “That’s not why I rang though. The families are circling the wagons and they want to hold a community meeting at Nat and her sleuth’s house tonight, but… Declan told me.”

“Told you what?” I couldn’t seem to muster the requisite emotion to respond to any more news, that desire to go back to bed and never wake up rising again.

“He let those boys into Cole’s studio. Didn’t want them taking Cole’s ute out for a spin and he thought that was the lesser of two evils,” she said, the censure plain in her voice. “Didn’t say anything to me though, did he? Just left that poor Miss Jennings hung out to dry. He knew those boys took a photo of one of Cole’s paintings and… Well, you know what happened?”

I did, my teeth cracking as I clenched them tight.

“I do, Daise. We’ll catch up at the community meeting tonight, talk more then.”

Chapter64

“I need to go home,” I told the men as we turned to leave the school, but I wasn’t met with the response I was after.

I’d worked out where they’d gone when I went downstairs to grab a glass of water, and I’d rushed over to the school to burst into the negotiations, thinking I could somehow facilitate the process.

Except I didn’t have that kind of pull with the school anymore, because they’d sacked me.

Cole stiffened and I didn’t need to be a bear shifter to smell fear on him. His fingers twitched, like he wanted to reach out and stop me from doing just that physically. “I just need to drop my car home and—” I tried to explain.

“I’ll follow you,” Tyson offered in an oh so reasonable tone. “You took Lin’s car?”

“Yeah.” I smiled then, feeling hopeless and bemused all at the same time. “That was a mission and a half. I had to pull the seat forward a lot and…” My voice fell away. “And you can take his car back to him.” I grabbed the keys out of my pocket and then went to hand them over. Each man just stared.

“Ellie.” Nash ambled closer, taking the keys, then my hands and pulling me closer. “I’m sorry about your job, but we’ll get through this together, I promise. We’ll find a way forward—”

“When I get back to your place,” I finished for him, smiling even though I didn’t feel it. I was overwhelmed, couldn’t they see that? This wasn’t a rejection, but I needed… to take a breath and just… stop for a second to collect my thoughts and work out a way forward. “I’ll be there in a couple of hours.” I squeezed his hand. “I’ll bring some clothes, make this a real sleepover.”

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