Chapter 25

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

Chase

Jaxon parks his Jeep right next to Liv’s abandoned Mini, which they left behind at the college yesterday. We decided that despite everything, we should try to live our lives, but with the understanding that Liv shouldn’t be alone at any time.

The last part of Liam’s letter didn’t sit well with me. Liv believes that exposing her to the press was his ultimate goal, as he will relish seeing her suffer, but to me, it sounded even worse than that.

Today, I volunteered to stick by Liv’s side, so I canceled my dance classes to accompany her to college. Maybe I’ll learn a thing or two along the way. At least she won’t have to face all those reporters alone.

I sit in the backseat of the Jeep while Liv rides shotgun. She’s wearing a stunning red dress that hits just above mid-thigh and is sleeveless. I gave her a puzzled look when she stepped out of the bathroom, but she simply shrugged and said, “I’ll show everyone what he did to me, even if they don’t want to believe it.”

I could see the resolve in Liv’s eyes as she prepared herself to face the world. She refuses to be a victim again, determined to expose the truth and stand up for herself. Her strength inspires me, and I’m honored to be by her side through it all. Still, before we left the house, I grabbed one of my black hoodies, making sure we have something with us to cover her up if she feels the need to.

Liv glances at me, her eyes searching for reassurance.

“Ready?” she asks. I take a deep breath, my hand reaching out to squeeze her shoulder.

“I’m right by your side, gorgeous,” I reply.

Jaxon reaches over and cups Liv’s face in his hands.

“You’re so fucking strong and capable,” he tells her earnestly. “They don’t even know what’s coming for them.” He kisses her passionately, and Liv melts into the kiss.

We get out of the Jeep, and I take her hand. I can’t help but feel nervous as we walk along campus. We haven’t even reached the building where Liv’s classes are when a man in his forties, dressed in a suit, intercepts us.

“The dean would like to talk with you, Ms. Baker,” he states.

My gaze turns to Liv, expecting to see fear, but instead, she seems to be wearing a mask of composure. She smiles at the man.

“Of course, please lead the way.”

He nods and turns, gesturing for us to follow him to the dean’s office. We walk through the hallways, the atmosphere tense and filled with curious whispers from fellow students. The weight of the situation hangs heavy in the air, but Liv walks with grace and determination, as if she’s prepared for whatever may come. We arrive at the dean’s office, and the man opens the door, ushering us inside. The dean, a middle-aged woman with a stern expression, sits behind her desk.

“Please have a seat,” she says, gesturing to the chairs in front of her.

Liv and I take our seats, exchanging a brief glance. The dean studies Liv intently for a moment, her gaze scrutinizing.

“Ms. Baker, I’ve been made aware of the recent developments regarding your personal life,” she says, her tone professional. “It seems your presence is drawing significant attention, which is having an impact on the wider campus life.”

“It’s Ms. Michaels now, and yes, that’s correct,” Liv replies with a nod, maintaining her collected demeanor. “I trust you understand that I never sought out this kind of attention. Besides, I can’t control or prevent it from happening in the future. The behavior of the press is out of my hands.”

“I have no doubt that if you could control this uproar, you would, but that’s not my primary concern,” the dean starts. She leans forward, her voice dropping a notch. “What truly bothers me, Ms. Michaels, is the reputation of our institution. Your decision to hide your true identity and circumstances undermines trust and honesty. It raises questions about our college’s reputation. If you had come here with complete transparency, we could have assisted you, maybe even avoided this situation.”

I stifle a huff. As if they could have made a difference. The campus doesn’t even have proper security. Liv takes a deep breath, her hands clasped together in her lap.

“I understand your perspective, Dean Thompson. I want to assure you that my intentions were never to harm or undermine the integrity of this college. The circumstances surrounding my enrollment were complex and driven by a need for safety and anonymity. I never intended to cause any harm to the college or its reputation,” she says, and the dean’s expression softens slightly, her eyes reflecting a mix of skepticism and curiosity.

“Ms. Michaels, I must emphasize the importance of honesty and trust within our academic community. I also recognize that people find themselves in extraordinary situations that can lead to unconventional choices. Therefore, I’m willing to consider a resolution that upholds the values of this institution while considering your unique circumstances.”

“Thank you, Dean Thompson,” Liv replies, a glimmer of hope shining through. “I’m genuinely grateful for your willingness to understand my situation.”

“I will need some time to reflect on this matter and consult with the other board members of the college,” she says as she straightens in her chair, her tone firm. “It may be beneficial if you could demonstrate your integrity and loyalty to our college by assisting in upholding its reputation.”

I furrow my brows. What the fuck does she want from her?

“Of course, I am more than willing to showcase my integrity to this college,” Liv says, remaining composed, her smile unwavering. “I’ve heard that the college is seeking funding for the renovation of the performance building. I believe I could help expedite this project significantly.”

“Are you suggesting that you could aid in advancing the renovation project?” the dean asks.

“You can inform the other board members that the entire project is accounted for,” Liv says, her smile frozen on her face.

The dean’s eyebrows lift, clearly taken aback by Liv’s offer. She stands up from her chair.

“That is a remarkably generous proposal, Ms. Michaels. I have no doubt that I’ll be able to persuade the rest of the board of your unique circumstances. Perhaps we can even consider naming the new facility the Baker Arts and Performance Center.”

“I’d prefer not to have special mention, Dean Thompson, as I’m more than happy to assist without seeking personal recognition,” Liv says, her smile faltering slightly. “Thank you for taking my situation into consideration. I hope I won’t cause you any further difficulties.”

As we rise from our seats, the dean extends her hand, and Liv accepts the gesture, shaking her hand firmly.

“Thank you. We’ll be in touch,” the dean says, a smile creeping across her face that sends a shiver down my spine. We exit the dean’s office, and make our way back toward the building’s entrance. Walking down a big stairway, I lean closer to Liv.

“What the heck was that? She acted like you just handed her a million dollars,” I whisper. Liv chuckles softly.

“Two,” she replies, her voice barely audible.

I turn my head to her. “Huh?”

“I gave her two million dollars,” she whispers. My steps falter, and I grip the railing to steady myself.

“You did what?” I ask, my voice a mixture of shock and disbelief. Liv tugs on my wrist, urging me to continue walking.

“Come on, Chase. I have to get to class,” she says, her tone laced with a hint of amusement.

Stunned, I follow her, my mind racing with what she just said. I mean, we all figured that she has money, but not to what extent. Jaxon and I invested the money from his fights, so we’re well off, but we could never just throw around two million dollars like it was peanuts. Questions swirl in my head, but I realize now is not the time. At least Liv’s actions seem to have secured her place at the college.

We get to the building where Liv’s classes are and notice only four reporters waiting outside. We quickly pass by them, ignoring their presence and not giving them any opportunity for comment or engagement. Inside the classroom, I take a seat beside Liv, grateful for the teachers who treat her as just another student, not drawing attention to her fame or my presence by her side.

Since I knew Liv’s major was dance, I wondered whether I should’ve chosen that subject instead of business administration and marketing, but after joining her for those two classes, I’m relieved that I didn’t. While I can clearly see it’s perfect for Liv, I would have been fucking bored and probably dropped out if I’d pursued it.

Just as we gather our stuff, getting ready to leave the classroom, two girls approach Liv’s desk. They resemble the type of girls I gravitated towards before Liv—easy lays.

“Hey, Olivia, how are you holding up after yesterday?” one of them asks Liv, concern in her voice. “It looked pretty intense.”

“Yeah, it must have been scary,” the other girl adds.

Liv lets out a frustrated huff and steps around them, walking towards the exit. As I move to follow her, the taller girl places a hand on my chest, her smile turning flirtatious.

“And you are?” she asks, and I raise an eyebrow, my expression flat.

“Not interested,” I reply curtly, removing her hand from me with two fingers before sidestepping her and catching up to Liv, who’s waiting for me by the door.

A smirk is on her face as I approach, and without hesitation, she pulls me into a passionate kiss. As the kiss breaks, Liv shoots the two girls a glare.

“Marking your territory, gorgeous?” I whisper in her ear, smiling. She links our pinky fingers.

“You’re taken, and they better get that quickly,” she says loudly enough for them to hear, her voice filled with a mix of possessiveness and playfulness. Fuck, why is that so hot?

We smile at each other as we walk out, but the lightheartedness of the moment had me lower my guard.

As we exit the building we get swamped by reporters, and Liv gets pulled away from me. I try to hold onto her hand, but it’s no use. The chaos is overwhelming, with flashing lights blinding my vision and the cacophony of shouted questions filling the air.

In the frenzy, I’m pushed even farther away. I desperately try to make my way back to her through the crowd. I shout her name, but my voice gets lost in the chaos. I hear her calling my name in return, but it’s impossible to locate her amidst the mob. It seems that now not only is the press gathered here, but also some of Liam’s loyal fans.

Panic rises when I get pushed completely out of the crowd, landing on my ass on the concrete. I scramble back to my feet, cursing under my breath while I try to push my way back in, but it’s no use. Fuck!

I’m frantically searching my pockets for my phone, intending to call for backup, when Gunner suddenly appears, running toward me from the parking lot. He’s dressed in a black suit, earpiece in place, and doesn’t even look at me or slow down his run when he reaches the crowd. He just gets right at it, pushing the people out of his way like it’s nothing. He towers over all of them, and I watch him grimace when he finds her before lifting her up to his chest as if he’s holding a little girl. Compared to him, she’s so small.

He holds her up with one arm under her butt like she weighs nothing while he pushes a reporter away with the other. When he makes his way out to me, he just nods his head in the direction of the parking lot, telling me to follow him without words. Liv’s face is nestled against his chest as we jog towards his Land Rover, the crowd following suit. He places her gently on the backseat, and I quickly take my place beside her, pulling her into my side while he heads to the driver’s seat. Before closing his door, he loudly addresses the reporters who followed us.

“I don’t care who stands in front of my car. Move away or risk getting run over.”

It seems that they all decide not to fuck with the mountain of a man, so we have no problem driving off, not one of them even attempting to follow us.

He drives like a maniac. I glance down at Liv, who is trembling even more than I am. I kiss her head repeatedly, whispering apologies to her.

“I’m so sorry, Liv. I’m so damn sorry.”

My own eyes tear up as well. How could I have messed up so badly? I hold her tightly, and she winces.

“What’s wrong?” Gunner asks from the driver’s seat, and I scoot back slightly, examining her from head to toe. Her right upper arm is red, and you can even see a handprint. “Who did this to you? I swear I’m going back to fucking kill some people.” Gunner’s eyes are focused on the rearview mirror rather than the road, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.

“Keep your eyes on the road, man,” I caution him.

“Oh, don’t you dare tell me what to do, or I’ll go off on you. Why the hell weren’t you with her?” he says.

I can’t even defend myself. I messed up.

“Stop it, Gun,” Liv says, her voice hoarse from screaming. “I’m fine. They caught us off guard. It’s not Chase’s fault.”

“It was. I should have paid better attention,” I say, shaking my head.

“Oh, you think so?” Gunner scoffs.

“Guys,” Liv croaks out.

“Where are we going?” he asks, his tone softening as he speaks to her.

“Looks like you’ll have to set foot in that fancy ass fitness studio after all,” Liv smiles at him.

I glance up and catch a smirk on his face in the rearview mirror.