Page 61 of Under His Protection
We find our friends waiting for us outside the history class lecture hall.
Layla runs up to me and throws her arms around me. “We heard,” she whispers. “This morning, Jake McIntyre called Jason to brief him on the situation. I’m so sorry! But thank God Philip’s with you.”
Philip and Jason stand a few feet away having a rather serious conversation.
Jasmine hugs me next. “Who is this asshole who’s harassing you? Just point him out, and I’ll break his dick in two.” The scary thing is, she sounds quite serious.
I laugh so hard, Philip actually stops what he’s doing to watch me.
Layla, Jasmine, and I take our usual seats. Philip and Jason are seated in the back row. They both have a direct line of sight to Layla and me.
I do my best to focus on the professor’s presentation, taking detailed notes. I really should get an audio recorder.
When class is over, the girls hug me goodbye. Normally, we’d go to the cafeteria to have lunch together, but I don’t have an appetite. I’m too nervous thinking about meeting with the detective at noon.
Philip and Jason shake hands, and we part ways.
“Are you sure you don’t want any lunch?” Philip asks.
“I can’t even think about food right now, but if you’re hungry—”
“What would you normally be doing about now, if not eating lunch with the girls?”
“I’d probably stop in at the student union to get a coffee and a bagel.”
He holds his hand out to me. “Why don’t we do that? I think you should eat something.”
We hit the café, and both of us get coffee. Iced caramel coffee for me. Black for Philip. I get my bagel and some blueberry cream cheese. He grabs a couple of cheeseburgers. That man can really put away the food.
We luck out and find a small table for two.
While we’re eating, my phone chimes with an incoming text. I glance at the screen, expecting it to be a message from my mom.
But no. It’s not.
UNKNOWN – What the fuck is he doing here? He’s not a student. He shouldn’t be here.
My stomach tightens into a painful knot as I stare at the screen.
“What is it, Haley?” When I don’t respond right away, Philip holds out his hand. “Let me see it.”
I hand him my phone, and he scowls as he reads the message.
His expression tightens. “Fuck.”
“It’s like he has eyes everywhere,” I say. “He always knows what I’m doing.”
We finish our food and throw away our trash.
As we’re walking out of the building, my phone chimes again. I check the screen.
UNKNOWN - Roses are red. Violets are blue. It doesn’t matter who he is. Because I’ll be the one fucking you.
Immediately, there’s another text.
UNKNOWN – And don’t pretend you don’t want that, too, because I know you do.
I glance up at Philip, too shocked to say a word.
