“Boy, your arm better not be broken! Security! Get this piece of shit out of my cafeteria.”

Security moved forward to grab Keiran, but with one look, they backed away and reached for their sides. I prayed campus security didn’t carry guns.

Keiran ignored them and reached for my hand, leading me out of the cafeteria. I was still in shock by the time the building was out of sight.

“I have no idea where I’m going, baby. I need you to snap out of it.”

His casual tone broke me out of my trance, and I quickly snatched my hand away from his. “I can’t believe you did that.”

“Are you defending him?”

“I’m defending me! I won’t be able to show my face anymore. He’s the star quarterback.”

“So I’m supposed to let him put his hands on you because he can throw a ball? That will never fucking happen, Lake.”

“You can be such an overbearing dick! Sean is harmless. You couldn’t just walk away?”

“I’d never walk away from protecting you.” His voice softened, and I willed myself not to break. Today could have ended badly. Keiran wouldn’t have been able to win against an entire team, and if they had decided to rat him out, he’d be in jail right now.

“You sure it wasn’t just your jealous ego?”

“That, too.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. He was so adorably cute and proud about the wrong things. “What am I going do now, Keiran? I’ll be a pariah.”

Rather than answer, he pulled me close. I didn’t want to, but I wrapped my arms around his neck and inhaled his scent. “Run away with me.”

“This is not the time to try to get into my pants. You lost that privilege when you were almost jumped and arrested.”

“I’m serious.”

“Why would we run away? Where are we going?”

“I want you to come to Arizona with me. I can’t do this anymore, Lake. I tried. Fuck me, I tried.”

“I can’t just leave. What about school?”

“I want you with me. I want you in my bed. I want to see you and touch you every day.

“What about school,” I repeated.

“Arizona has an outstanding education program.”

Chapter One

LAKE

FIVE YEARS LATER

I fucked up. For the last seven months, I felt as if I were living on borrowed time as a free woman. I was responsible for the death of Mitch Masters. The father of my former tormentor turned boyfriend. He was evil, and every second he lived, he was a danger to Keiran.

I had a love to protect and a point to prove.

Keiran wouldn’t destroy me, but I might have destroyed him.

“If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.” The officer who had cuffed me continued to read me my rights, but my focus and worry wasn’t for me. It was for what I knew would happen in five… four… three… two…

“Get your fucking hands off her!”

I clenched my eyes shut and willed him away. For once, the law wasn’t after him. I was the one in deep shit, but if he came after the officers who were only doing their job, he would be in worse trouble than I was in.

“Son of a bitch!”

“Grab him!”

I twisted just enough to see Keenan and Dash leap over the porch railing and run after Keiran, who came after me with unsuppressed rage. The other officers had already drawn their guns on him and shouted a warning. I knew he wouldn’t have heeded if it weren’t for his brother and best friend. It took them both to bring him down, and they all hit the ground hard once they did. I winced at the impact, but Keiran didn’t seem to notice. His gaze was fixated on me, and within its depths, I witnessed the anger and disbelief.

“Uncle Keke.” Kennedy’s broken cry ripped through the night air. The sounds of distress and what seemed like the entire police department’s invasion had disturbed her slumber. Sheldon held her back, and I could see tears in both her and Willow’s eyes. Willow held her very pregnant belly, and I silently prayed nothing would happen to the baby because of me. I’d never be able to survive the added guilt.

“You better get him under control if you don’t want him going downtown, too. We’ve got plenty of room.”

“We got this, officer,” Keenan spat. I knew he had another word in mind to call the man but knew better with his fiancée and child standing a few feet behind. At least one of them was thinking clearly.

As I was loaded into the back of the cruiser, I glanced one last time at Keiran. I had no idea what would happen next, but I didn’t regret what I had done. I just hoped he would forgive me.