Page 65 of Bachelor

She frowned, then shrugged. “Just you and me then, isn’t it? Let’s go. I want to beat the dinner rush and get a good table.”

I followed Jessica out of the gym, shrugging into my heavy coat. Outside, the air was crisp, and snow fell heavily in clumps that stuck to our shoulders as we walked across campus toward the trail leading into town. I felt eyes on me as we walked. I could almost hear people whispering as we passed groups of students lingering along the trail.

I was in my mind.

Finally, we stepped off the trail and crossed the street into Downtown Gatlington. Lights reflected off the icy road as we stepped onto the sidewalk. We passed Bill’s bookstore, and Jessica stopped to wave to Bill, who smiled and waved back and started making his way around the counter.

But then my blood ran cold as a figure came into view, trailed by three men taking up the entire sidewalk ahead of us.

“Look who it is,” one of them sang, followed by the laughs of his companions.

Christian came into view, smirking like a devil. “The slut of Gatlington.”

“Back the fuck off!” Jessica said with fury as she attempted to step in front of me.

I held her back with my arm just as Bill came through the door of his shop, his expression shifting to concern and annoyance when he laid eyes on the jocks blocking our path.

“What’s going on here?” Bill asked in a tone I’d never heard him use before.

Christian’s eyes rolled to look at Bill. He looked him up and down, chuckling. “Go back inside. This doesn’t concern you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Bill.” Jessica laid a hand on Bill’s chest, shaking her head, but Bill was seeing red.

“Did you just call this woman a slut?”

“She is one. It’s not like it’s a lie. You’re not a student, so you wouldn’t know about the drama she’s cooked up. Sleeping with one doesn’t count.” Christian eyed Jessica like a predator for a moment.

“Get out of our way,” I said as firmly as possible.

“Or what, Whitney? You’ll run to the administration?” He took a few steps forward. “It’s probably in your best interest to not go to them with anything now, is it?”

“Shut up, Christian,” Jessica snapped.

“Who gave you the right to talk to me?” he sneered, shifting to face her. “You’re a charity admission. Gutter trash from Jersey—”

Bill swung, his fist meeting the side of Christian’s jaw. Christian staggered backward.

“Get out of here, now,” Bill said. “If I see you talking to these women again, you’ll be begging me to drop you off at a hospital.”

“Do you have any idea who I am?” Christian spat.

“Oh, is your Daddy’s lawyer going to call me and threaten to shut me down?” Bill snorted a laugh. “Good luck, kiddo. You’re not the first, and you won’t be the last. Get off the sidewalk and crawl back to the hellhole you came from.”

Christian went red with anger. He turned his attention to me, rubbing his jaw. “I heard you got pretty fuckin’ cozy with Professor Ellis during that ski trip.”

“I don’t know why you keep acting like any of this is true.”

“It is though, isn’t it?” He laughed, eyeing Bill before stepping off the sidewalk. “You’ve been whoring yourself out. Your parents are horrified. Everyone is talking about your fall from grace back home.”

“Get out of here!” Bill shouted, which caused a group walking on the other side of the street to turn and look at us.

“You stupid slut. You have so much heat coming your way, I promise.” Christian turned toward the street, motioning for his friends to follow.

“What did you just say to her?” Rhys’s voice cut through the air like a knife—cold and pure steel. I turned around, seeing him walking briskly toward us, his eyes narrowed on Christian.

Oh, hell, no. If he did anything...

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