My Fake Boyfriend Is the School Bad Boy novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25 A Protective Wall Forms Instantly

Harrison slumped against the dented door, gasping for air, his eyes wide with absolute terror.

Ryder Steinmann stood between us.

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He didn’t look like a high school student. He looked like a complete nightmare. He was wearing his heavy, scuffed leather jacket, his broad

shoulders completely blocking my view of the parking lot. His dark hair fell across his forehead, casting deep, harsh shadows over his

eyes.

He didn’t yell. He didn’t scream. He didn’t say a single word.

He just took one step toward the teacher.

Harrison pressed his back completely flat against the dented car door, his hands raised in front of his chest in a desperate, pathetic

gesture of surrender. The flush had drained entirely from his face, leaving him a pasty, sickly white.

“Steinmann,” Harrison stammered, his voice cracking horribly. “Back off. I am a faculty member. You are already on suspension. You lay a

hand on me, and I’ll have you arrested. I’ll have you thrown in jail.”

Ryder didn’t stop. He closed the distance, stepping so close to Harrison that the toes of his heavy combat boots bumped against the

teacher’s dress shoes.

Ryder reached out. His movement was casual, almost lazy. He grabbed the knot of Harrison’s loosened tie, wrapping the patterned silk

around his bruised knuckles, and pulled.

Harrison stumbled forward, entirely at Ryder’s mercy, until their faces were inches apart.

“My suspension ended at three o’clock,” Ryder murmured.

His voice was a dark, gravelly scrape that made the hairs on my arms stand straight up. It was so low I could barely hear it over the wind,

but the absolute promise of violence in his tone was unmistakable.

“And I don’t give a damn about a badge, Harrison,” Ryder continued smoothly, his grip on the tie tightening until the teacher’s face began

to turn a mottled shade of red. “You corner her again. You talk to her again. You even look in her direction in the hallway, and I won’t just

ruin your career. I will find you after the bell rings, and I will tear you apart. Do you understand me?”

Harrison couldn’t speak. He was gasping for air, his hands clawing uselessly at Ryder’s solid, immovable forearm. He nodded frantically,

his eyes rolling wildly.

Ryder stared at him for one more agonizing second, letting the threat sink completely into the man’s bones.

Then, he let go.

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Chapter 25 A Protective Wall Forms Instantly

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He didn’t just release the tie; he shoved Harrison backward. The teacher hit the car door again, hard, before scrambling sideways. He didn’t try to salvage his dignity. He didn’t issue another warning. He turned and practically sprinted across the asphalt toward the faculty building, his unbuttoned suit jacket flapping behind him like a broken wing.

I stood completely frozen against the brick wall.

The adrenaline crash hit me like a physical blow. My knees buckled. I slid down the rough brick, the fabric of my blazer catching and

snagging on the mortar, until I hit the cold asphalt. I pulled my knees tight against my chest, wrapping my arms around my legs, and

buried my face in my knees.

I was shaking so hard my teeth were chattering. The suffocating smell of Harrison’s cologne lingered in the air, making my stomach roll.

I heard the heavy, slow crunch of Ryder’s boots on the gravel.

He stopped right in front of me. I squeezed my eyes shut, expecting him to tell me to get up. Expecting him to complain about the mess,

or remind me that our deal didn’t include him acting as my personal bodyguard against the faculty.

But he didn’t speak.

Instead, the distinct creak of worn leather filled the quiet space. Ryder crouched down in front of me.

He didn’t touch me right away. He just occupied the space, his large frame blocking the bitter wind entirely. The smell of his leather

jacket and sharp peppermint completely erased the lingering scent of Harrison’s panic.

Slowly, I lifted my head.

Ryder was staring at me. The lethal, dead look in his eyes was completely gone. His jaw was tight, a muscle ticking rapidly beneath the

dark purple bruise on his cheek, but his expression was entirely focused on my face. He cataloged my wide, terrified eyes, the rapid rise

and fall of my chest, and the violent tremors shaking my hands.

“Did he touch you?” Ryder asked. His voice was still rough, still gravelly, but the dark menace had been replaced by a heavy, grounding

anchor.

“Just my arm,” I managed to whisper, my throat raw and aching. “He just grabbed my arm.”

Ryder’s gaze dropped to the sleeve of my navy blazer. He looked at the spot where Harrison’s fingers had dug into the wool. The muscle

in his jaw jumped again, hard and sharp.

He reached out.

His movement was slow, deliberate, entirely telegraphing his intent so I wouldn’t flinch. His large, warm hand settled over my knee. The heat bled straight through my skirt, heavy and secure.

He’s not going to the board, Ryder stated quietly, his thumb brushing a slow, steady rhythm against my kneecap. “He’s going to go home,

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12:41 Fri, Jul 10

Chapter 25 A Protective Wall Forms Instantly

lock his doors, and grade papers. He won’t ever say your name again.”

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