"So am I," Cadence pipes up, reaching out to loop her arm through mine.
Johnson looks between us, his lips compressed into a grim line. He doesn't fight back though. He doesn't say or do anything. I think he knows he can't. He's not Sauron, and Cadence and I aren't Samwise and Frodo, but I think we just threw the ring in the fire and freed the school from the clutches of a monster.
Cadence and I don't say anything, instead heading toward the door. My legs still tremble, and I think she knows it because she doesn't let me go until we're outside of the building, with two doors and half a parking lot standing between us and Johnson.
"Are you okay?" she asks me then, spinning to face me. Her eyes are wide and worried, her cheeks still flushed with residual anger.
I nod, but I'm not at all sure I'm being honest. Because even if we just freed the school from Johnson…I still don't know how I'm supposed to stay with Sebastian when doing so might mean ruining his career. Leslie Holland may not have objected to our relationship, but others might. Even if Johnson never releases those pictures, when people learn that we're together, they may view our relationship the same way Johnson does, see Sebastian as a man abusing his power.
I can't let that happen to him. I won't let that happen to him. We both got ourselves into this mess, but it's up to me to get us out of it.
"Thank you for standing up for me," I whisper to Cadence, trying not to cry.
"I figured you could use backup," she says, her voice full of empathy and understanding. "He's vile. I heard most of what he said to you. If you need someone to testify in front of the School Board about his behavior, I'll be there in a heartbeat."
I bob my head in a nod, and then frown when I see Colton climbing out of the truck parked at the curb. He has a small cut on his left cheek and he holds his left arm close to his body. He looks okay though. He slams the door of his truck and heads in our direction.
"You all right, angel?" he asks Cadence, his green eyes scanning up and down her body. His eyes go hard as he notices the flush to her cheeks and the pulse fluttering wildly in her throat. "What happened?"
"Principal Johnson is a troll," she huffs, scowling at the doors of the school like she's thinking about going back inside to give him another piece of her mind.
"I said the same thing!" I blurt, unable to help myself. He is a troll.
Cadence gives me a small smile.
"What did he do?" Colton asks, a growl in his voice.
Uh-oh.
"He's just being a dick like usual," I mutter, trying to halt the storm brewing in his eyes. Colton is a lot like Sebastian. They're both protective alpha males, more than capable of destroying Johnson's entire world. And neither of them can afford to take that risk. Colton is a freaking billionaire. He does not need drama. "Cadence put him in his place though."
"She did?" Colton glances away from the school to Cadence.
"You should be proud of her," I murmur to Colton. "She verbally kicked him in the balls. I don't think he's going to be a problem anymore."
"He deserved it," she mutters.
"Fuck, that's hot," Colton growls, reaching for her hand to tug her up against his chest. "I'm so fucking proud of you for putting him in his place, angel."
They stare at each other, both glowing. They're so happy, so in love. My heart aches, sending tears into my eyes. I blink them away and bite my bottom lip to hold them off.
"I'm going to go," I say. "Um, thank you again, Cadence. Colton, I'm glad you're okay."
"Are you sure you're okay?" Cadence asks.
"Yeah," I lie. I try to smile at her, but I don't think it works because it just makes her look even more worried. "I'll see you Monday, okay?"
"Sure," she says. "Bye, Rowan."
I feel Colton's gaze on me, but I don't look at him again. He'll see right through me if I do. I'm a terrible liar.
I stumble toward my car, fighting tears the whole way. I just want to curl up and cry, but I can't. I have to find a way to say goodbye to Sebastian first.