Page 6 of My Grumpy Billionaire Protector

“Miss Coombes?”

I glance up and push away all my earlier thoughts. “Yes, Tommy?”

“How many more minutes?”

“Seven more minutes,” I reply. “I know you’re all excited for recess.”

Tommy nods and a lock of hair falls over his eyes. “I can’t wait.”

I give him a bright smile and lean back into the chair. After folding one arm over the other, I let my gaze sweep over the room, momentarily envious of the simple lives they all led. What I wouldn’t give to be a child again when my biggest concern had been finding the right shade of blue and whether or not my mom had packed my favorite lunch.

Damn.

I have no idea why I am feeling nostalgic for a period of time I didn’t remember or why I am still trying so hard to break free of the chains and expectations placed on my shoulders. I just knew that something doesn’t feel right, and my friends wouldn’t understand, especially not TJ.

TJ’s mother is a senator, and he comes from a long line of old money. Being groomed to take over the family business is practically a birthright, and I know all too well that, someday, he is going to don his big boy suit and run for office, just like his mother’s family before him.

It is in the Larson family DNA, and TJ has never even questioned it. On the contrary, the rich and privileged lifestyle suits him to a tee, and he embraces it with open arms. Honestly, I can’t really imagine TJ leading any other kind of life, but it doesn’t make it any easier for me, considering our history.

Now and again, I think of TJ’s limp and the looks people toss his way when they think he isn’t looking. It makes me sick to my stomach. TJ deserves better than being known as the man with the limp, but I can no more change that than I can change the part I’ve played in causing that disability. Whether or not he wants to admit it, we both know I am the reason TJ’s life took a dramatic turn and why he spent a year of his life in physical therapy.

And no amount of money or apologies is going to change that.

I fucking hate that.

I go back to that night often, way more than I care to admit, but no matter how many times I play it out, combing through every detail, none of it makes sense. What had started as a night of fun, with Sienna following behind us in her car, had quickly spiraled into disaster, with the ambulance arriving on the scene shortly after. As I sit there in my chair and cast my mind back, a pounding begins in the back of my skull. My head falls forward, and I bury my face in my hands, trying to keep the memories from dragging me under like they usually did.

But I can’t…

* * *

“You sure youdon’t want to ride in the car with us?”

Sienna rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I’m sure. I’d rather not be stuck waiting for you guys to finish wailing through another song.”

“Karaoke is awesome,” TJ told her with a scowl. “I can’t believe you don’t appreciate it.”

“I appreciate good singing. What you two do should be illegal.” Sienna gave both of us a dirty look and tossed her sleek brown hair over her shoulders. “It’s not even singing, so I don’t know how the fuck you still like to do it.”

“Sounds like you’re jealous.”

Sienna snorted. “Of what? You sound like a couple of screeching cats.”

I stuck my tongue out at her and revved the engine. “Whatever. Come on. Let’s get going.”

Sienna gave us a small wave before slamming TJ’s car door in his face.

He gave her a sour look through the glass before turning to face me with a thoughtful expression on his face. “Do you really think we’re that bad?”

“Who cares?” I placed both hands on the steering wheel and flashed him a smirk. “We’re having fun, aren’t we?”

“You realize our moms are going to kill us, right?”

I shrugged. “Yeah, I know, but we’ve been busting our asses for years, so I think we should have fun this summer. Let’s just forget about the tests, the assignments, and everything else.”

“What about college?”

“College is still going to be there when we’re ready.” I eased my foot off the brakes. The car lurched forward, and my knuckles went white. Then, I eased into a comfortable speed and held my hand up to the vents.

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