I wake in the darkness, but voices carry from downstairs. My head aches from the bawl fest, and I’m filled with humiliation as I wonder what Wes must think. Or what he’ll think if I tell him everything. I’ve played out this scenario a hundred times, how I’d tell Wes if it ever came down to it. Admittedly, I never planned on it unless my hand was forced.

Fucking David. I spent two hours waiting for him to show up at the library so I could give him the latest assignments and he blows me off then has the gall to show up at The Hideout.

What’s worse than being blackmailed by your ex-boyfriend? Your new boy-whatever finding out exactly why you’re being blackmailed in the first place. I have no idea how I’m going to explain myself. Wes deserves the truth, but oh God, the truth is horrifying.

I force myself out of his bed, inhaling his scent and praying it isn’t the last time I’m allowed in said bed, and then I head downstairs. I know there will be questions about what went down and why I reacted the way I did, and I’m having a hard time finding the words even as I try to sort them in my mind.

“What are you doing here?” Fresh tears fall down my face as I run toward Vanessa.

She offers me a sad smile as she stands from her spot on the couch next to Mario and embraces me. “Checking on my best girl. Come sit, tell me what happened.”

Wes, Mario, Joel, and Z watch us carefully. It’s clear whatever I have to say, they want to hear it too. “I ran into David at The Hideout. He was an asshole, per the usual.”

“Blair, honey, you need to stop giving him face time. No more letting him pull you aside. The douche canoe knows he screwed up royally, and he’s trying to get you back.”

“That isn’t it.” I look at my hands as I say the words. “He doesn’t want me back.”

“No guy corners a girl in a bar unless he’s trying to get in her pants.” As Joel speaks, I look to Wes. His expression is guarded, and I wonder how much he’s already guessed. It seems laughably obvious at this point, and Wes is a smart jock.

“He cornered me tonight because we were supposed to meet up.”

Wes’s eyes widen slightly and then he slips the cool and collected mask back into place. I look to Vanessa, unable to watch him while I finish explaining. Vanessa raises her brows, prompting me to continue.

“I’ve been helping him with his classes. No, not helping. I’ve been doing his class work.”

“Why would you do that? You hate him.” V’s shocked voice makes me regret the months of keeping it from her.

“Because he has pictures of me. Naked pictures. He threatened to post them online, around campus, basically ruin me.” I exhale once I get it all out.

The hand that V rests on my leg squeezes. “That rat bastard.”

I peek up at Wes, who has placed his head between his legs. Shame and humiliation force me to look away.

“Baby doll, every girl on campus has nude photos.” Joel sits forward in his chair. “Check this out, these are just from tonight.”

I cover my eyes as Joel pushes his phone in front of my face and I get an eye full of boobs.

“Jesus, that isn’t helpful.” Wes stands. “V, can you stay here with Blair for a bit?”

“It’s fine. I can go home.” My bed sounds great. A private place to hide and cry for a day or year. I can’t bear to guess what Wes must think of me now.

He crosses the room and threads his hands through my hair, tilting my head up to meet his gaze. “Stay. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Where are you going?”

“To Sigma.”

“What? Why? There’s nothing else to say. I told him tonight I was done. It’s over.”

He drops a light kiss onto my lips and pulls back, but then he growls as he crashes his lips to mine. This kiss is hungrier. Desperate and hard and steals the air from my lungs before he steps back.

“Let’s go,” he says, and I watch in fascination as all the guys file out of the house.

I can’t stop the anxious giggle that bubbles up and escapes from my mouth. “Did they all just march out of here like some sort of soldiers going to battle?”

Vanessa smiles. “Yep. Off to fight for your honor.”

I groan.

“Sit,” she orders. “Tell me how this all happened?” She holds up a hand. “Actually, let’s go upstairs and wash your face. I refuse to let that ass hat be the cause of your makeup running down your face.”

Leave it to V to be concerned about my smeared makeup at a time like this.

Wes

“What’s the plan? We can’t just waltz in there and roam the halls until we find him.”

There’s a group of guys outside the Sigma house, kicked back in chairs and drinking beer. I spot David as he stands and lifts his chin in a silent dare to step on to his pad.

“Not necessary,” I grit out and quicken my pace.

We’re welcomed by the group of guys joining David and lining up across the small patio, puffing out their chests and pulling their hands into fists at their sides. No doubt, David’s already filled them in on what happened, so our appearance doesn’t seem to shock them. It doesn’t make them happy either. Having four big, athletic dudes who are clearly pissed strolling up on them makes me almost feel sorry for them. Almost.

“This is private property, Reynolds. You’ve already given me enough ammunition to press assault charges. Get lost, or I’ll have the cops here in five, and we’ll add trespassing to your rap sheet.”

“Maybe before you start slinging accusations you should know that blackmail and extortion are felonies. I have the Valley president on speed dial, so we could add cheating and sexual harassment to that list as well.” Joel looks at David with a smirk on his face.

Joel doesn’t like to use his family to fight his battles, so I acknowledge his willingness to call up dear old Dad with a nod in his direction before I step toward David. “I want every single picture you have of her, every emails, texts, or scraps of paper she wrote on gone. Delete it. Burn it. Erase her from your life.”

He laughs, and I fight back the urge to pummel him. First, I need to be sure he’s going to do what I ask before it comes to blows.

“And if I don’t, what is it you think you’re going to do about it?”

“Whatever I have to. You’re a sick fucker blackmailing a girl to do your schoolwork. Tell me, are you too stupid to pass your own classes or are you just holding on to her anyway you can?”

“Holding on to Blair?” He bends at the waist as he lets out a deep laugh. “That slut was annoying as fuck, all positive vibes and doing things for others.” He rolls his eyes. “And a lousy lay on top of it.”

My fist connects with his cheek, causing him to let out a grunt as his head cracks to the side. It’s chaos as guys charge and punches are thrown. David’s a pussy, no shocker there, and after I land a gut check, he collapses to the ground and holds up a hand for mercy. His signal breaks up the fight, but I still bend and get right in his face.

“Delete everything. Tonight. And stay the fuck away from her. You see Blair, you walk in the other direction. She’s mine, and I protect what’s mine.” I straighten and pull out my phone. “Say cheese, asshole.” I snap a picture of him lying on the ground, lip busted, and then flip him off for good measure. It isn’t the same as a dick pick, but for a dude like David, I’m gonna guess a leaked photo of him looking like a pussy would be just as humiliating.

I’m still fuming when I get back to the house, but when I push open my bedroom door and see Blair curled up on my bed sleeping, it dissipates.

“Sweetheart, wake up.”

Blair lets out a little groan as her eyes flutter open. I drop a kiss to her lips and pull her against me. Damn, I’d do anything for this girl. If I had any question about that before tonight, they are gone. I’m in love with her.

“Is everything okay?” Her voice is tentative.

“Everything is perfect. I’m sorry I left you alone while you were upset. You doing okay?”

“I’m so embarrassed,” she says as she buries her face against my chest.

“What are you embarrassed about?”

“For all of it. Sending him the pictures to begin with, being too mortified to stand up to him, letting him use me, getting you involved. I’m especially sorry about that. Are you going to get into trouble because of this?”

“Nah, he’s too much of a coward to tell anyone. Besides, it was worth it. You’re worth it.”

Because I freaking love you. I love you.

“The stupidest part is I didn’t even want to send him the pictures. I know lots of girls do it, and that’s cool. I totally respect a woman’s right to sexy pictures without labeling her a slut, but I did it for all the wrong reasons. He was really possessive, and I was trying to prove that I cared for him and that there was no reason for him to play the jealous boyfriend card all the time. We were fighting a lot, and I thought, ‘hey maybe this will show him.’ Sounds really dumb now.”

“Not dumb at all.” I squeeze her a little tighter. “You were fighting for something you believed in.”

“Yeah, like I said, incredibly dumb.”

“Stop talking about my girl like that. She’s smart, gorgeous, caring, and she didn’t deserve what he did to her.”

“I know.”

“Do you?” I lift her chin so I can see her eyes. “You didn’t deserve what he did. Even if you’d been the worst girlfriend on the planet, which we both know you weren’t, you didn’t deserve to be exploited and blackmailed.”

The war in her eyes tugs at my emotions, which are bouncing around like a ball in a pinball machine. I want so badly to tell her how I feel about her and make her promises I have no business making. Promises to protect and love.

Tonight isn’t about my feelings, though. It’s about hers.

As I roll over on top of her, I kiss her tenderly, taking my time and expressing everything I can’t say with gentle caresses and strokes. When I’m finally inside her, I look deep into her eyes and wonder if she can feel the shift between us or if it’s just me who’s careening into the unknown.