The auditorium buzzed with voices. Representatives from dozens of companies sat at their tables, passing out brochures and swag. Students meandered around the room and stopped to chat with them.

I’d somehow let my boss talk me into being there for half the day to man the graduate programs table at the Woodward Career Expo. It was a Saturday, so I didn’t have classes, but I’d been hoping to use the day to catch up on grading papers. I had fifty essays sitting on my desk in need of reading. Just the thought of it made me sigh audibly.

My eyes kept darting to the Dorset Financial table. They were a large financial institution, and attended our career expo every year. Their account managers were never the ones to man their table, so I shouldn’t have had to worry about Blake showing up. But I had a bad feeling that he would.

William loitered near the edge of the room, his eyes always on me. I sat behind the table with Lisa and answered questions when students approached. I glanced at my phone, checking the time. I only had another hour before someone would be here to relieve me. Taking a deep breath, I glanced in William’s direction.

His body language had changed, and his face was hard, as if it had been carved from stone. I followed his gaze and my stomach turned over.

Blake stood talking to the two women at the Dorset Financial table. His eyes met mine and he smiled, lifting one hand to wave at me. I stared at him, open-mouthed.

“Everything okay?” Lisa asked.

“No,” I said. “Everything is definitely not okay.”

William hadn’t moved, but his eyes were locked on Blake. A hint of fear trickled through my veins. He looked dangerous. I thought back to what he’d said after we’d seen Blake at Dorset. I knew the chances of Blake leaving me alone were basically zero—why else had he come?—and a sense of dread poured through me. This could get ugly.

“I might need to leave,” I said. “I hate to abandon you, but… oh god.”

Blake strode over to our table. He looked polished in his gray suit, but there was something in his eyes—a wildness I’d never seen before. Usually, he wore a mask of confidence, but it looked like his mask was slipping.

William made a beeline for me, wasting no time. I felt like I was in the middle of a game of chicken on a dark highway, two sets of headlights speeding toward me, neither driver willing to be the one to swerve.

I stood and put my hands up, palms out, one in front of each man. “Stop.”

Blake ignored William, smiling at me as if he didn’t exist. “Hey, Ivy. I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Right,” I said. “I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that you decided to come. On a Saturday.”

He shrugged and adjusted the cuffs of his jacket. “They needed someone to bring another box of brochures.”

“How generous of you,” I said.

William watched Blake, his posture both completely calm and enormously aggressive. To anyone else, he might have appeared relaxed, but I could see the tension in his jaw, the strength in his stance.

“I’m only here in a professional capacity. Although I’m glad I ran into you. There are some things going on at Dorset that have me concerned. I know you’ve worked with Arthur for a while, but…” Blake’s eyes flicked to William, then back to me. “This isn’t really the place to discuss it. When you’re finished here, maybe I can buy you some coffee so we can talk.”

“No,” William said and the hardness in his voice made my blood run cold.

Blake smiled, but there was no humor in his tone. “I’m asking Ivy.”

“And I’m answering,” William said. “You can go now.”

“She doesn’t need you to answer for her,” Blake said.

“Fine, I’ll answer.” I didn’t believe his story for a second. “No thanks.”

Blake didn’t acknowledge that I’d spoken. “William, is it? That’s what you’re going by?”

William’s eyes were cold steel.

“Easy to fly under everyone’s radar when you’re off the grid, isn’t it?” Blake said. “Who the fuck are you?”

“Blake,” I said. “Stop.”

“I’m nobody,” William said.

“That’s probably the first honest thing you’ve said.” Blake shifted, turning to face him.

William’s arms were loose at his sides, but he looked like a coiled spring. “You need to leave.”

“Actually, you’re the one who doesn’t belong here,” Blake said. “I’m just trying to have a simple conversation with Ivy.”

“It’s not going to work,” William said.

Blake looked at him like he must be insane. “What?”

“I’m onto you,” William said. “And you’re wasting your time.”

“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” Blake said.

“Blake, keep your voice down,” I said.

I noticed two campus security guards moving closer. The tension between the two men was escalating quickly. I needed to get us out of here.

“William, let’s go. It’s almost time for me to leave anyway.” I picked up my purse and cast an apologetic glance at Lisa. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she said, her eyes wide.

I stepped around the table, but Blake was in between me and William. I tried to go around him, but his hand darted out, grabbing my arm. His grip was tight. I twisted my arm, trying to break free, but I didn’t want to cause more of a scene.

William’s voice was low and dangerous. “Let go.”

“Back the fuck off,” Blake said.

A look of resignation passed over William’s face, then all hell broke loose.

Blake tried to yank me backward, but William’s fist flew toward his face. He let go of my arm and I stumbled, bumping into the table. I looked up in time to see William connect another punch, sending Blake’s head twisting to the side.

Lisa screamed, and security came running. People moved back, tables and chairs scraping. Someone tripped trying to stay out of their way and almost ran into one of the security guards.

I yelled for them to stop, but there was nothing I could do. Blake’s face was twisted with fury, his eyes wild. William didn’t take another swing, just strove to control Blake, keeping him away from me. He deflected Blake’s punch, using Blake’s momentum against him. Blake rushed forward, but William took a small step to the side and turned his body, letting Blake stumble past.

One of the security guards tried to grab Blake from behind, but he shoved him off. He swung at William again. William deflected, grabbing Blake’s wrist. He twisted his arm around and slammed him down onto a table.

“Stay away from her, or I’ll fucking kill you,” William said, leaning down to speak low into Blake’s ear. Blake winced as William wrenched his arm harder.

A security guard grabbed William by the shoulders and hauled him backward. William released Blake and put his hands up in front of him. Another guard was there to restrain Blake.

I watched in horror, my stomach sick and heart pounding.

“Outside,” one of the security guards said. “Let’s go.”

Ignoring the huge crowd of people staring at us, I followed the security guards out the side doors. One of them pulled out a walkie-talkie. I heard the word police.

“Wait,” I said, panic threatening, making my voice come out high-pitched. “Things just got out of hand. You don’t have to call the police.”

“No, call the police,” Blake said. “Please.”

“Shut up, Blake.” I looked at the security guard’s name tag. Matt. I knew some of the guys who worked campus security, but I didn’t know him. “Matt, listen. The police don’t need to be involved. It’s over now. We’ll all just go.”

“Sorry,” Matt said. “Campus policy.”

Blake’s face was red, and he had the beginning of a black eye where William had hit him. William stood with his arms crossed, his expression calm. I didn’t understand how he could appear so relaxed when the police were on their way. What was he going to tell them when they asked for identification? That he didn’t have any? That he before last year, he didn’t exist? That would go over well.

Within minutes, two police officers arrived. They spoke with the security guards, but I couldn’t hear what they said. Blake tried to interject himself into their conversation, but one of the officers snapped at him to wait, and he shut his mouth.

The two officers approached William and Blake, pulling out handcuffs. I put my hand over my mouth, afraid I might vomit.

“Wait, what’s going on?” Blake asked, his voice panicky. “I didn’t do anything wrong. He attacked me. You can’t arrest me.”

The officer ignored his protests while he read him his rights and handcuffed him. William didn’t say anything as the other officer did the same—just kept his eyes on Blake, his gaze cold.

“It was just a scuffle,” I said. “Do you really have to arrest them?”

“We’ll work it out at the station,” one of the officers said. He led William to his car and put him in the back seat.

Blake tried to argue with the officer until he threatened to charge him with resisting arrest.

I stood on the sidewalk, my heart pounding, and watched them drive away.