Page 81 of Unloved

“So, what exactly do you want me to do?”

CHAPTER 29Ro

Tyler doesn’t show up to class on Monday or Wednesday, finally coming back on Friday after claiming to be sick with a stomach bug.

Mostly to hide the bruising from getting his ass kicked by Freddy.

My nerves bubble to a boiling point as he enters the classroom and greets our other TAs—his friends, not mine, I am quickly reminded—before he turns toward where I’m stacking quiz sheets.

“Ro,” Tyler says, crowding into my space a little. This close I can see the yellow fading on his face, a small cut line on his lip. It nearly makes me smile.

I could greet him, make nice, and then politely ignore him. But even acknowledging him feels dangerous considering how many times that’s led me right back into his hold.

“Little too close, Donaldson.”

Turns out, I don’t need to make a decision, as Freddy reaches from behind me to press a hand to Tyler’s shoulder and push him back.

His false bravado takes over quickly, but I don’t miss the slight flinch from my ex-boyfriend.

“Just talking, Fredderic.”

I take a step backward, not realizing how close Freddy is standing behind me until my shoulder is pressing into the warmth of his chest.

“I’d rather you not be so close when you talk to my girl.” His arm comes up to circle my shoulders, fingers gently tracing my exposed collarbone in maddeningly light strokes.

I’d said no kissing because I truly didn’t think I could handle it—handlehim. But this is somehow even worse. My skin feels hot, my oversized, off-the-shoulder sweater somehow suddenly too warm.

Tyler laughs a little, but his brow furrows in a way that has me pressing myself farther into Matt’s arms, and his other hand finds my hip to stabilize my too-rapid movement.

“Like I said,” Tyler says with a sneer. “Excellent choice, Ro. He willabsolutelybe able to check off everything you wanted—let me know when you’re done playing around.”

It’s not the dig at myself that has me ready to snap—it’s a foreign sensation of protectiveness toward Matt. A defensiveness I’ve never felt once in the face of Sadie’s scathing comments about Tyler.

“Hey,” Freddy whispers, turning me toward him and settling his heavy palms on both my shoulders. “You okay, princess?”

“Yeah.” I nod, resisting the urge to peek over my shoulder and see how Tyler might be reacting.

Students are filing in, and it feels a bit like every eye in the room is trained on the touch of Matt’s hands to my bare skin.

Specifically, Dr. Tinley’s eye. She clears her throat to catch our attention and the classroom’s. “I have a no-PDA rule, Ro. Your behavior is inappropriate.”

My stomach sinks, but Freddy curtails it all with a curt nod over my shoulder to her.

“It’s my fault,” he says. “I’ll try to control myself.” He looks at Dr. Tinley again, brow furrowed, before pressing a quick kiss to my forehead with a dazzling smile that nearly makes me melt into a puddle, then quickly sliding up the slipping fabric of my sweater to cover my shoulder a little more before turning to find his seat.

But the Matt Fredderic Effect doesn’t wear off after class ends.

Tyler doesn’t bother me all day.

The slam of the apartment door startles me enough that the spoon in my mouth drops and clatters to the floor, the sound muffled by the pitter-patter of feet signaling Sadie’s brothers are here.

I walk out of my room, smiling and quickly greeting Liam with a hug and Oliver with a wave as they head to her bedroom, toting their shared hockey bag.

“Showers and bed,” Sadie says before shouting a quick “And brush your teeth” after them as they run along.

She looks… haggard. Beautiful, in the way Sadie is always beautiful, fierce and unflinching, but she’s rubbing her hands over her eyes like she hasn’t slept in a week.

“Hey.” I greet her gently, placing the spoon in the sink and replacing it with two from the drawer to offer her some of the ice cream I’m holding.

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