Page 85 of Campus Crush
But no, I hadn’t.
He’d just offered me money to break up with his son.
The frigid Montana air suddenly felt even colder. I stared at him in stunned silence, insulted by his offer, while simultaneously heartbroken that Foster’s dad would do something like this, even knowing it could hurt him. The string lights illuminating the restaurant’s entrance cast harsh shadows across Dennis Kane’s face, highlighting the ruthless businessman Foster had described.
I thought of Foster’s smile when he looked at me, the way he’d struggled to learn math concepts that didn’t come naturally to him, how he’d defended me at Holt & Associates without hesitation. How could this man not see the wonderful person his son was? How could he do this behind his back and try to hurt him this way?
I finally found my voice. “Absolutely not. I cannot be bought and your son, he?—”
Before I could finish my statement, Mr. Kane rolled his eyes. “He’s young and stupid and following his dick.”
I blinked at him unfathomably. The crudeness of his statement made my cheeks burn with both embarrassment and anger. He didn’t know his son at all if he actually believed the garbage he’d just said to me.
This guy could not be real. I couldn’t believe that someone would actually do this. Maybe it was naïve to think that. My fingers tightened around my purse strap, knuckles white with tension.
“It’s a lot of money you’re turning down, Abby.” His voice softened to something almost sympathetic, which somehow made it worse. “I’ve done a little digging into your finances. I know your situation. I’m offering you life-changing money.”
He’d looked into me? The invasion of privacy felt violating. I swallowed hard against the lump forming in my throat.
I didn’t need his “life-changing money.”
Foster had already changed my life. He’d made it better in ways I hadn’t even imagined possible. He was someone I’d come to rely on, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was in love with him.
I straightened my spine and met Mr. Kane’s calculating gaze. “I already told you no.”
My voice was steadier than I felt, fueled by indignation on Foster’s behalf. There was no amount of money in the world that would make me give up what Foster and I had. Not when I’d finally found someone who made me feel both safe and excited about the future.
We had a silent stare off that was thankfully cut short by Foster’s return. I could see the moment Dennis rearranged his features into the pleasant mask he’d worn all evening. Now I fully understood why Foster had been so worried about tonight.
“Here it is, Dad,” Foster said, handing his dad the valet ticket.
Mr. Kane’s demeanor changed so fast, I wondered if I’d just hallucinated the last few minutes alone with him. “Thank you, son. Well, it was a pleasure visiting with you both. Have a wonderful evening.”
His lip curled with slight disdain when his gaze met mine, confirming I hadn’t misunderstood anything. He was pissed I hadn’t taken his offer.
“Everything okay?” Foster asked as he placed his hand on my lower back. His brow furrowed with concern as he studied my face. “You look pale.”
I couldn’t bear to tell him the truth. I hated the thought of what it would do to him to know that his dad was willing to pay off his girlfriend. There was no coming back from that kind of betrayal, and Foster still had to work with hisdad. I didn’t want to be responsible for causing that kind of damage between them, especially since I knew their relationship was already rocky.
Foster had shared how much pressure his father put on him, how nothing he did was ever good enough. I’d seen firsthand how Foster tensed whenever his phone displayed “Dad” on the caller ID. The last thing he needed was to know his father had tried to buy me off.
So instead, I just smiled up at him, relieved that he’d returned when he had. I leaned into his warmth, drawing strength from his solid presence.
“Everything’s fine,” I said.
Even if it wasn’t fully the truth.
FORTY-TWO
It was official—Abby was stronger than I was.
Our study sessions had become a regular thing—a way to see her, even when our schedules were insane. Two birds, one stone.
Except…
I couldn’t study when Abby smelled like fucking heaven and my dick grew harder by the second just from her proximity to me.
She, on the other hand, seemed completely unaffected by my presence. I wasn’t sure if that was a total blow to my ego or if I should be proud of her for being so focused.
