“Is my dad going to be okay?” Nate asked, glancing through the rear window. His usual sunny smile had disappeared, replaced by a severe frown.

We’d already turned a corner, so there was no way Nate could still see Dom, but he looked for his father anyway. I didn’t know what to say. To reassure the kid that his dad would be okay would be an outright lie. I just wasn’t sure. Grayson had been pretty badly hurt. Dom had crossed the line, and every bone in my body told me he would pay for his outburst. I just hoped his punishment wouldn’t involve jail time. For Nate’s sake. Poor kid.

“Why don’t we go watch cartoons at my place until your dad calls?” I suggested. “I’ll even give you ice-cream as long as you don’t tell Dom.”

Nate nodded and unwrinkled his face a little. “Winnie, why did Dad hit that man?”

“That man was a bad man,” I explained. “But your dad also shouldn’t have hit him.”

“Does this mean Dad is a bad man too?”

“No, your dad is a good man,” I assured Nate. “A good man who sometimes has a bad temper.”

“I’ve never seen Dad so mad before.”

“He was just protecting us,” I explained. “Standing up to a bully.”

“Will he get in trouble for hitting Jason’s dad?”

“I’m not sure, buddy. We’ll have to wait and see.”

By the time we pulled up to my apartment, it was almost four. We watched a rerun of Home Alone and ate popcorn with Ben & Jerry’s, as promised. By six-thirty, Dom still hadn’t called. He was a firefighter; he probably had his own connections. Dom should have no problem getting himself out of a jam. Right?

“I want to talk to Dad,” Nate said, his mouth covered with sticky chocolate. I probably shouldn’t have fed him so much junk food for dinner, but I just wanted him to stay calm and distracted. God, I’d make an awful mom, I realized. No discipline whatsoever. If I was in charge of meals, Nate would be morbidly obese in no time.

“We can’t really reach him on the phone right now, but I’m sure he will call us soon,” I reassured Nate. “In the mean time, why don’t you go wash up and I’ll order us some pizza. Do you like pepperoni?”

“Don’t lie to me, Winnie. Is Dad really going to be okay?”

I smiled and ruffled Nate’s hair, putting on my brave face. “You worry a lot for such a little man. Go wash up, Nate.” It wasn’t exactly an answer, but it was the best I could do. While Nate was upstairs, my cellphone buzzed. It was an unknown number and I wondered if it was Dom calling from jail. My uncertainty was cleared up when his gruff voice came from the other end. He tried to sound cheerful, but I knew he was just putting on false bravado.

“Is it bad?” I half-whispered.

“Can you come bail me out?”

“Of course. Just give me the address.”

“Don’t bring Nate. I don’t want him to see me in jail. Can you drop him off at my parent’s place?”

“They’ll ask questions…”

“Tell them Grayson got his ass handed to him by yours truly.”

“They know about Grayson?”

“The whole family knows.”

“Okay. See you in a bit.” As instructed, I drove Nate over to his grandparent’s place. He resisted tooth and nail, claiming he’d much rather stay with me and eat pizza while watching Netflix. I felt terrible for lying to him, but I also knew Dom would be upset if I brought Nate to bail him out.

By the time I finally arrived at the police station, it was almost seven-thirty. A dark, stubbly shadow hugged Dom’s jaw. He looked like a man who hadn’t slept or showered for days. Purple bags hugged his downcast eyes.

“My knightess in shining armor,” Dom said, crushing me against his chest. I felt his hot breath on my neck. “Don’t know what I’d do without you, baby.”

“Are you okay? What happened after we drove off?”

“Got arrested for assaulting an off-duty cop,” Dom said with a shrug. “My hearing is next week.”

“You don’t seem particularly worried about that.” I brushed back some of his hair, revealing a few dried-up cuts on his face. “Nate was worried sick about you.”

“Did you tell him that his daddy was unstoppable, and that he had nothing to be scared of?”

“How could I say that, knowing you’d probably be in jail for what you did?” I frowned, annoyed that Dom brushed it all off so easily. My gut roiled with apprehension. What if they put Dom behind bars, and took Nate away from him? Dom had been irresponsible and reckless.

“Do you think you’ll do time?”

“No. Probably just some community service.”

“You beat up Grayson pretty badly.”

“He provoked me. There were witnesses.”

“I can vouch for that.”

Dom shook his head. “Your testimony would be inadmissible because you’re my girlfriend.”

“So I’m useless, then.”

“Not useless, no. Never useless. You’re one of the best things that’s ever happened to me, Win.”

“I should’ve restrained you. Diffused the situation. I saw what Grayson was doing and I didn’t stop you from falling for his trap.”

“Don’t. Don’t blame yourself, Winnie. This beef is between me and him, and it goes back a long, long time. I should’ve settled things once and for all back when we were teenagers.”

“Now he’s using his law enforcement connections to punish you.”

“I just have to punish him back.”

I shivered. “I don’t know, Dom. Doesn’t an eye for an eye end up making the whole world blind?”

“Not Grayson’s eyes. Poking his eyes out will make the world a better, brighter place. He’s a dirty cop and I want him suspended, or better yet, fired.”

“How will you manage that?”

“Don’t know yet. But I’ll figure out a way.”

Since it was getting late, Nate slept over at his grandparents. I dropped Dom off at his place, and he invited me to stay the night, but I declined. The past few hours had been too exhausting and nerve-wracking. I needed a hot shower, and to sleep in my own bed. Besides, I had school the next day, and something told me that everyone and their cousin would know about what happened between Dom and Grayson come morning. Which also meant they’d know about my relationship with my student’s dad. It was bound to come out eventually, I supposed.

Let them do their worst.

I was sick of hiding and sneaking around. It wasn’t illegal to date a student’s single dad. Besides, we were in love. But if they were going to put me on a pyre for falling in love, then I’d happily bear that crucifixion.

* * *

When I got to school the next morning, the atmosphere felt noticeably heavier. I received pointed looks and a few giggles and whispers. If it was this bad at an elementary school, I didn’t even want to know how bad it would’ve been if this had been high school. I ignored them all and headed for my classroom to set up for the day. Nate didn’t come to class, and I had a feeling it was probably because he was too stressed and Dom didn’t want him to be overwhelmed by a horde of vicious kids. I made it to lunch time without any trouble, but five minutes after the lunch bell, I was called to Principal McCormack’s office. Of course I would be. My boyfriend had pummelled his brother-in-law the day before. My boyfriend was my student’s dad. I knew this reprimand was coming; I always knew we’d eventually get caught. I had nothing to hide.

Time to face the proverbial music and hope for the best.

“You asked to see me, Marlin?” I asked outside the Principal’s office. He’d left his door open, and he was seated behind a huge desk, flipping through folders.

“Have a seat, Winnie.” McCormack gestured to the plastic chair opposite his cushy upholstered one.

I plunked down on the hard seat and met McCormack’s gaze fearlessly. Do your worst.

“It’s come to my attention that you are dating one of your student’s father. Dominic Fieri?”

I nodded. “But let me reassure you, Marlin, that my personal life has never affected my professional one.”

“Some students have seen you getting rides from Mr. Fieri to and from school,” McCormack pointed out, keeping his head down. “Now, Winnie, you are one of the best teachers at Walnut Hill. I’d hate for a scandal like this to ruin your promising career here.”

“How is it a scandal?” I blurted out, frustration simmering in my veins. “I love him. Dom isn’t just some fling. We are crazy about each other.”

“Dom hospitalized a cop yesterday and caused quite a scene on school grounds.”

“I know, I was there,” I gritted out.

“Then you know how volatile he can be. He has quite the reputation around these parts,” McCormack continued. “A respectable woman such as yourself should stay away from a hot-tempered guy like him. He’s unstable.”

“You sure your judgment isn’t clouded by the fact that he hurt your brother-in-law?”

“Not just Grayson. Dom has a habit of starting fights everywhere he goes. Bar fights. Street fights. Domestic fights.”

“What are you suggesting, Marlin?”

“Why do you think his wife left him?”

“You have no proof,” I seethed. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. McCormack was more spiteful than I thought.

“Ask him yourself, then.”

“Did you bring me here so we could talk about Dom, or did you have something important to say?” I demanded, getting impatient. I was overstepping boundaries, but I didn’t care anymore. McCormack was clearly acting unprofessionally. Why should I respect what he had to say?

“I’m letting you off with a warning this time, Winnie. But next time, if I catch Dominic starting trouble on school grounds, I will have to suspend you until further notice.”

Was McCormack trying to bully me into choosing between Dom and my career?

“Why punish me for what he does?”

“You love him, don’t you? If you truly care about him, keep him in line, or I will make sure you suffer for his mistakes.” McCormack’s threat was not lost on me. I digested every syllable with extreme displeasure. McCormack was no better than his scumbag of a brother-in-law.

“Thanks for the talk,” I said, standing up. “Now if you’ll excuse me, my lunch is getting cold.”

“You’re a smart girl, Winnie. Don’t let Dominic Fieri hold you back from realizing your true potential.”

“I’m not sure he’s the one holding me back, sir,” I said before slamming the door.