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"Why didn’t you text first? Or call?"

He shrugged, co his hair back from his forehead with one hand, the other stuffed into the front pocket of his jeans "I was in the building"

I angled ht you’d just stop by and I’d be in my room?" I had planned to just be in my room, but that was beside the point

"No, of course I didn’t assume you’d be there," he backpedaled "I hoped you’d be there" He looked toward the curb again "Is… that guy waiting for you, or so?"

I turned then and saw Lucas, arainst his motorcycle I couldn’t make out his facial features fro the dore spoke volu threatened "No He was just dropping me off"

After a smirk of disdain in Lucas’s direction, Kennedy turned his sharp green eyes to h he understands the concept of ‘dropping off,’ if you ask me"

"Well, I didn’t ask you What do you want, Kennedy?"

So inside called out, "K-Moore!" and Kennedy acknowledged hi me "I told you, I want to talk"

I crossedto feel the chill in the air I hadn’t felt pressed to Lucas "About what? Haven’t you said everything that needs to be said? Do you want to devalue me some more? Because I have to tell you, I’hed as though tolerating soht outburst, a fa inflexible--his word--that I’d seen otten about that until seeing it again "There’s no need to be inflexible," he said then, as though reading my mind

"Really? I think there are plenty of reasons for headedness--"

"I get it, Jackie"

My hands made fists at my hips "It’s Jacqueline"

He stepped closer, his eyes flaring For a split second, I thought he was angry--but that wasn’t anger in his eyes It was desire "I get it, Jacqueline I hurt you And I deserve everything you’re saying, and everything you feel" He raised his hand to hts chaotic Dropping his hand, he added, "Imy mouth closed, I spun to swipe h the door I turned to tell hi the door just before it snapped shut Stepping next to ed between them the moment Kennedy turned and noticed him

"You okay, Jacqueline?" Lucas asked, his eyes never wavering from my ex

"Lucas--" I started to reiterate verbally that Kennedy was no physical threat toat Lucas

"Wait--aren’t you the uy? The one who repaired the A/C at the house?" He glanced at me, and back to Lucas "What would ad around the students?"

The look on Lucas’s face wasKennedy’s question as though it hadn’t been asked He turned his eyes tofor my answer

"I’ he’d believeeach other and whispering

"Are you hooking up with this guy, too?" Kennedy interjected

"Too?" I asked, but I knehat he meant before he confires of my vision closed in "What?"

Kennedy took h hehis wrist and re his hand from me easily

"What the fuck?" Kennedy’s voice was a lol as he jerked his arhtly in front of ht of the developing spectacle was stock-still and gawking The two of them looked evenly matched, but I knew Lucas’s proficiency firsthand Kennedy would lose, and Lucas would be expelled

I stepped around my ex and laid a hand on his forearers "Kennedy, leave"

"I’ you with this--"

"Kennedy, leave"

"He’s a maintenance man, Jackie--"

"He’s a student, Kennedy" I decided not to point out that Lucas was in our econ class, in case he recognized hi out with me

Kennedy inclined his head, his expression transforwas clear and directed at Lucas The two of us were about to spend several days in our hometohere he would have unrestricted access to me, without the nuisance of interference

I wanted to tell hi to say to hihtly that I couldn’t speak Still unsure what I was even doing over Thanksgiving break, I ignored his implication that ould be alone then Judiciously, he didn’t try to touch h his lethal expression matched Lucas’s as they faced off I didn’t exhale until he went through the door

Onlooker disappoint around to see if there would be a bonus roeen Lucas and h his, and when I reached a hand to his forearranite under layers of leather and flannel

"I’hed heavily "Well, as okay as I can be after that" I squinted up at him "Exactly how uru, fixit guy, parking enforceavefor twowhen I ran into the library to return a book?"

His shoulders relaxed with host s tickets The, u is rare And I volunteer ti"

What I’d left off this list, and what he didn’t add: econouess we should add onehim closely He had a superb poker face No reaction at all "Personal defender of Jacqueline Wallace?"

The faint sain