Page 10 of Bachelor
A ripple of laughter spread through the gym, setting my teeth on edge.
“I dodged a bullet with that one, boys,” Christian mused, grinning at his reflection in the mirror as he flexed his arms. “She had a nice rack, but you can’t dress a pile of trash up in diamonds and walk it down the aisle, can you?”
“What the fuck did you just say?”
Tyler stood up only feet from where they stood. He squared his shoulders, taking a few steps toward Christian.
“You heard me. Whitney Dahl is trash. A slut. What to know what she was up to behind my back last semester?”
“I heard you where the one falling into her sorority bed, Christian,” Tyler snapped. “She dodged a bullet when it came to you.”
“You got little crush there, Ty?” Christian looked Tyler up and down. “I see what’s happening. You’re a little defensive. Think now that leaving everything behind to chase a pipe dream just like she did, to go dig around in the dirt without a single cent in your pocket all of a sudden makes you better than me? Than us? You think you have a shot with her now, bud? You and every guy on campus. She’s been spreading those legs—”
Tyler’s fist met Christian’s face with a blow so hard the impact echoed through the area. I’d already gotten to my feet, fighting the urge to grab Christian and haul him over the railing, but now I was running toward them. Christian roped an arm around Tyler’s neck and tried bringing him to the ground, but Tyler shoved him, hard, hard enough he stumbled back and fell over one the benches, taking two of his buddies down with him.
“Enough!” I shouted, but Christian launched himself on Tyler.
I grabbed Christian by the back of his shirt and yanked, tossing him down onto the floor.
“Who the hell do you think you are? This doesn’t involve you,” Christian sneered. He stood up, panting. “Or does it?”
“Get out of here before I take this incident to administration,” I said as calmly and firmly as possible. My hands, however, were clenched into fists, and I wanted nothing more than to know what it would feel like to drive one of them into his teeth.
Christian wiped blood from his lip and grinned at me, his teeth stained crimson. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Professor. It would be a damn shame if what you did last semester came out in public, wouldn’t it?” Each word was clipped and to the point. A barbed threat.
“Leave now.”
Tyler panted beside me, red in the face and glowering.
“See you around, Ty,” Christian snorted, snapping his fingers at his loyal companions, who followed him with their tails tucked between their legs.
I waited for the door to swing shut before turning to Tyler. I didn’t touch him, but I looked him over for injuries. He just stood there, breathing heavy, a murderous look in his eyes.
“Thank you for decking that bastard. He deserved it.”
Tyler eyes met mine wide with surprise. “I—I—Oh, I mean... I shouldn’t have.”
“I would have done it if you hadn’t gotten to him first.”
Tyler’s mouth twitched into what could have been a smile. He shrugged. “Christian’s always been an asshole. I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”
“You were on his team?”
“I was, and I know a lot about that situation with Whitney.” He gritted his teeth. “I’ve been friends with her for a few years now, not close, but sometimes we’d have the same classes. I always thought she was too good for him, and I... He’s been cheating on her from the beginning, and none of us who knew said a thing. I feel bad about it.”
“I think she knew from the beginning, too,” I said, then closed my mouth tightly.
Tyler gave me a quizzical look.
“She was rather open about the Christian situation last semester when their breakup went public.” I shrugged, hoping that would suffice.
“Yeah, well, everyone was talking about it. Now he’s with Nicole, and he’ll do the same thing to her.” He turned from me and grabbed his water bottle and phone. “Am I in trouble?”
“No, you’re not.”
“Is he?”
“I’d love to be able to take this to the dean of his program, but no. I’m not going to put you in a position to have to go in and explain what happened.”
