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“That’s what I thought.”

“She’s gonna fight you on it,” Kenzo warns with a grin.

“There’s nothing to fight. I took care of it.”

“And by taking care of it, you mean you talked her into staying?”

“I hacked her files, declined scholarships, and changed her grades so she won’t get in anywhere.”

“Yeah, I thought that’s what you might say.” Kenzo chuckles. “Quick question: When she’s done with high school, what are you expecting her to do? Ride your dick?”

I open my mouth to reply but close it when I don’t have an answer.

“Maybe look at online options or local community colleges. If all else fails, I could always find her a job at one of my restaurants.”

“She doesn’t need to work.”

“That doesn’t mean she won’t want to,” Atlas says before turning. “Anyway, we’re getting off-topic. What did you make of the principal?”

“She’s a brown-nosed bitch. If you told me she was sucking Claire’s daddy’s dick, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised. She refuses to expel Claire because one incident shouldn’t tarnish a promising woman’s future. Funny, though, according to Hayden, she seemed to have no issue blaming Starling. We’re taking care of her, too, right?”

“You take care of the others. Miss Evans is mine.”

Kenzo’s grin is feral as he rubs his hands together with glee. “Well, I have it on good authority that Miss Evans will be late at school tonight. Some sponsors are coming to watch the game, and she likes to show them around the school, give them the whole experience, and probably even give them a free blow job.”

“I can work with that. I’m going to sit with Starling for a bit. I’ll need an alibi for tonight.”

“I’ll pay one of the nurses to say you were here all night,” Atlas offers.

I nod my thanks and open the door. Pausing, I turn to look over my shoulder. “Thank you. I’ll talk to both in the morning.”

I head inside and close the door behind me. I walk around the bed and see Starling awake and staring out the window.

“Hey, how are you feeling?”

“Sore. Tired,” she says without looking away from the window.

“Get some sleep, Birdie. I’m not going anywhere.”

She nods, a single tear slipping down her cheek as her eyes flutter closed. I cover her hand with mine and watch her sleep for hours until she stirs. Her eyes open, and for a moment, she seems confused before everything comes crashing back and tears fall down her face.

“It’s okay. You’re okay now. The doctors said you were lucky. You might not feel like it for the next few days, but the pain will fade.”

She doesn’t say anything, and her silence unnerves me more than her tears.

“Birdie?”

Her eyes flick to mine. “I’m not going back.”

“You don’t have to. You have enough credits to graduate, and you’ve completed all the required courses.”

“How do you know that?”

“Lucky guess?”

The door opens, ending any more conversation.

“I come bearing food,” a cheerful woman in scrubs states with a smile. She sets down a tray with a sandwich, some fruit, a cup of Jello, and an apple juice on the table at the end of the bed.