“That was neatly done,” Mr. Trujillo commented.
Landry turned and glared at him. “You sicced her on me yesterday so don’t even play like you don’t appreciate her finer qualities as one of those therapist types who pries in the name of doing good even when they have absolutely no business prying.”
“That’s fair.” Mr. Trujillo folded his arms over his barrel chest and gazed down at Landry. “You’ve been acting odd. Some of the other teachers were concerned. They wanted to make sure that you were all right after your unfortunate incident before.”
“That was years ago now.” Landry shook her head. “And you’ve got no business asking me about stuff like that when my job performance has not been called into question.”
“I suppose that’s true. But we have a responsibility to make sure that you’re stable enough emotionally to deal with children.” It was a weak excuse for poking his nose into her business and they both knew it. He didn’t seem willing to give though. “The way you spoke to Mr. Lambert today was unacceptable, Landry. You cannot talk to parents like that. It’s not your place to point out their personal issues and then poke at them.”
“The guy was pressuring me to change a grade. He wasn’t going to be satisfied until I did. Is that what you want? You want me to just fold because I can tell someone is on the edge?” Landry glowered at him. “You want me to just roll over for him and change his kid’s grade? How afraid are we of our students and their parents now?”
“It’s not about fear.” Mr. Trujillo was having a bit of trouble justifying that. She could tell. “It’s about keeping the peace and finding a solution that benefits everyone.”
“Like compromising on the grade and changing it just this once even though the man signed a freaking policy that says it won’t happen? There was no reason to change it. You know that. The kid doesn’t even have a bad grade. It would have changed nothing.”
“So do it and avoid this!”
“No!” She gritted her teeth and wished she could strangle him. “It’s the principle of the matter!”
“This is not about those kids who attacked you in your yard. It is not about the principle of the matter when it comes to people getting punished for the crimes they commit! These are children and their parents.” He was shouting now, but it wouldn’t have mattered.
Landry drew back as though he’d slapped her. Turning on her heel, she headed for the door. She was going to go out there and face those cameras. She was going to tell the truth about what had happened and she did not care what happened in the meantime. Mr. Trujillo could rot in hell for all she cared.
Landry kept her head up and left the building with all the speed she could muster that did not involve a straight out sprint. Of course, it was a little more intimidating when she reached the parking lot and realized that there were a lot more cameras and reporters there than she had previously realized.
They were like ants scurrying about and sticking a microphone in the face of whatever person looked as though they might have some kind of information to share. Landry stood and watched for the span of a few breaths. The anchors were all carrying microphones, but you could tell the news reporters from the radio ones because of their clothing. Radio people didn’t seem to care about what they were wearing. They had on ratty jeans and boots and sweaters that looked as though they could be someone’s everyday casual wardrobe.
The television reporters were a stark contrast. The fall day wasn’t all that cold even though it was heavily overcast as though it were going to rain at any second. The TV anchors were dressed in wool suits and pencil skirts and blouses and matching jackets and most of them were wearing hats or something of the sort and they held their microphones in gloved hands. And the moment they spotted Landry it was like someone had kicked that ant hill. The level of activity shot up to a frantic pace.
“Is that her? That’s her!” A reporter in bright royal blue rushed Landry. The woman’s hair was sprayed so stiff that it reminded Landry a lot of Tisha Olivares-King. “Ms. Fisher! Ms. Fisher, how are you? Do you have any words for the public to explain what happened? Did Mr. Lambert truly attack you for no reason? Was it unprovoked? Or was it related to the personal attack on you several years ago resulting in your hospitalization? Are you still angry about that incident and now taking it out on the parents of your students?”
What. The. Hell?
All of a sudden Landry didn’t know what to say. She felt as though her tongue were coated with cotton. She could not begin to imagine why they would say such things to her. Why would this be related to the attack on her in her own backyard? Or were they just looking for something to poke at? If they just wanted a story they were certainly angling to get it.
“Wow, ya’ll are really scraping the bottom of the barrel for a sensational story, aren’t you?” A low drawl lifted about the din of the crowded parking lot and seemed to come from behind Landry. She turned just in time to see Zane striding toward her.
He looked amazing. That was the only thing that she could say about it. Or think about it. The sight of him was like a breath of fresh air after being stuck inside a stuffy classroom for the entire morning, which she had been. He was dressed in his jeans and boots and a very snug black T-shirt. He wore no coat and the fall breeze didn’t seem to faze him at all. It was like he was utterly impervious to the environment. His wavy hair fell about his forehead and ears. His dark eyes were almost merry and yet there was a very firm sense that he was angry with what was happening in this parking lot. Suddenly Landry Fisher had a guard dog and she could see the whole collection of reporters and emergency personnel take a physical and mental step backwards.
“Mr. King, are you involved with Ms. Fisher?” The shout came from pretty much the middle of the lot. It was impossible to say who was talking and who wasn’t. Maybe it didn’t matter anyway.
“Of course I’m involved with her.” The derision dripping from Zane’s voice was enough to make all of them look uncomfortable. “She’s my friend and has been since we were kids. You guys are out here like a bunch of sharks trying to rip her apart and I decided the poor woman needs someone on her side.”
Okay, that was a bit on the awkward and uncomfortable side. It was on the tip of Landry’s tongue to argue that she didn’t need anyone to defend her. But right now was not the opportune moment to have this discussion. Not when she was in the middle of being torn apart by these jerks.
Then Zane took the whole thing out of her hands when he suddenly knelt in front of her on the sidewalk at the base of the middle school’s front steps. He took her hand and looked up into her face.
“Just go with it.” He mouthed the words, but she was still confused as to what he could possibly mean until he spoke his next sentence out loud—very loud. “Landry Fisher, will you marry me and make me the happiest King in Dallas?”
Oh God.
Chapter Eighteen
He had surprised her. Well, that should be no real surprise to him. Right? It wasn’t like Zane had given Landry any kind of indication that he would be proposing. Actually he hadn’t decided to do it until he spotted all of these reporters. It was ridiculous! There were like ten news vans in the middle school parking lot. They were like hungry sharks circling the blood in the water, and at the moment Zane needed to make sure that he put a major wrench in whatever ridiculous plan his mother had been concocting. Let the Dallas Star report on this.
“What are you doing?” Landry whispered. Her expression was frozen and she looked very confused. Her blue eyes were wide and her lips were pressed into a tight line.
Zane really needed her to cooperate on this one. Maybe he should have sent her a text or something. Right now he had no choice but to whisper and beg for her to just follow his lead. “Please? Just go with it.”
“Go with what?”
A reporter seemed to be sensing that there was a hiccup in what was happening right now. Of course they could smell bullshit from miles and miles away since they specialized in it.
“Well, Ms. Fisher? Are you going to make Mr. King the happiest King in Dallas since he needs a place to call home and a good woman to love him?”
The mocking tone in those words burned Zane like acid. Damn his mother to hell and back! Zane had to force himself to keep his gaze locked on Landry. He could not turn toward that bastard in the ugly blue suit and glare at him. He could not bite out some scathing remark about the reporters in general. He had to play nice and hope that they put this center stage on the evening news.
“Zane, are you sure?” Landry said the words loudly as though she were attempting to buy herself time. “You’re the hottest bachelor in Dallas, remember?”
Oh, for shit’s sake, was she actually quoting that stupid newspaper article in the Star? Zane was not imagining the laughter of the other reporters as they sniggered and kept their cameras rolling.
“Yeah, I don’t know who told the Dallas Star that I’m the hottest bachelor in Dallas,” Zane said with a withering dose of sarcasm coating each and every word. “Especially since I’ve been in love with you since about the fourth grade.” Damn. Had he actually said that out loud? Whoops. He was going to have to explain that one later.
“Fourth grade?” Landry’s elegant brows lifted in surprise. “That was when I beat you up with your own lunchbox.”
“A man has to appreciate a woman who can hold her own in a fight.”
A shadow touched her eyes. “A fair fight at least.”
“A fair fight,” Zane agreed. “So come on, Landry. Will you agree to fight fair with me for the rest of our lives?”
“Oh hell no!” she joked. “But I’ll agree to take advantage of you whenever I can. And then maybe I’ll agree to give you a place to live as long as you promise to take out the garbage every week.”
“Done.” He was almost laughing too hard to even pretend that he was being serious. Wait. Was he being serious? It kind of felt like he was.
“So the bachelor is off the market!” Someone was shouting at their news camera. Sheesh. How annoying was that? “It’s official, Dallas! The hottest bachelor looking for love is off the market and in the arms of his childhood sweetheart!”
Landry gave a tiny shake of her head. “Are we supposed to be kissing or hugging or something?”
“I don’t know.” Zane stood up and wondered the same thing. They had the entire city for an audience right now. As Skye had told him, there was no better time.
But the idea of somehow forcing his attentions on Landry was appalling. Zane didn’t want to scare her. He didn’t want to intimidate or force either. He needed her to be agreeable and maybe even a little excited. Of course, that was just his ego talking, right?
Very gently drawing her into his arms, Zane cupped Landry’s face in his hands. He gazed down at her and all of a sudden it was like the entire crazy circus scene evaporated. She had such a cute little pointed face. It was dainty and so very feminine that it fascinated him. Her nose was perfectly shaped and turned up just a little at the end. Her chin was a bit pointed but strong. Her cheekbones were high and elegant and she had the most adorable sprinkling of freckles across her pale complexion that were especially visible across the bridge of her nose. Soft bits of her hair blew around her face. The length of it was in a ponytail that hung over her right shoulder.
Zane leaned forward very slowly. He lightly brushed his lips over hers and felt her inhale sharply as though she were surprised. Then her arms wound around his neck and her fingers tangled in his hair. He loved the way it felt. He loved the tug on his scalp and the light scrape of her nails against the back of his neck.
Then she drew him down and kissed him soundly on the lips. It was like a benediction. The absolute acceptance in that kiss left Zane feeling overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement. He moved his mouth against hers. Their lips melded together and he lightly slicked his tongue over her full lower lip until she parted them and he could push his tongue deep inside her mouth to mate with hers.
The two of them were oblivious to anything else around them. Zane forgot the reporters, the school, the potential of being spotted by students and teachers, and even of what his family was going to say when they saw this on the news. He didn’t care. None of it mattered. The only thing that he cared about was the warm, willing woman in his arms. She was it. She was everything and more and right now she belonged utterly to him.
Landry whimpered in the back of her throat. The sound was so damn erotic that he felt his body responding. His nerve endings sizzled and he sifted his fingertips through her hair as he cupped her head more firmly in order to tilt her head back for more. He wanted more. He needed more. He needed to feel as though there were no end and no beginning. The only thing was the two of them locked in the eternal embrace of passion.
Zane wasn’t sure when the clapping, hooting, and hollering finally broke through the haze of passion and lust in his brain. The only thing that finally registered was the slight trembling of Landry in his arms. She huddled there against him as the flash of cameras and the rolling film of the video footage swirled all around them.
“Oh boy,” Landry whispered.
Zane followed her gaze and saw a man about five foot ten with a barrel chest and the build of an athlete glowering at them. He could not imagine what had crawled up the man’s backside that he would look so blatantly disapproving.
Then Zane realized the likely identity of the man standing about thirty yards away. “Is that your boss?”
“Principal Trujillo,” she agreed.
“Damn.”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
The reporter in the royal blue blouse was waving at them with such enthusiasm that her hair should have been bouncing like mad. It was a testament to her brand of hairspray that no strand moved even a millimeter out of place. “Mr. King! Are you really off the market? In the past we’ve known you to be quite the town playboy.”
“You can publish that,” Zane told the reporter. “Zane King is off the market for good. In fact, publish it all over the place so the whole city knows that I’m a man in love with one good woman.”
“We have to get rid of these people,” Landry murmured.
It was almost like God himself heard Landry’s words because at that moment the entire sky opened up. Sheets of rain fell from the sky as though the heavens had turned on the waterworks and had no intention of shutting it off. Ever.
Reporters scurried back to their vans. Camera crews pulled out plastic covers and threw them frantically over the equipment as they struggled to follow their news anchors back to the vans. It was almost like the entire scene was about to get washed away in the rain. That wasn’t a bad thing either. As the vans started up, Landry grabbed Zane’s hand and started dragging him toward the school building’s front entrance.
They pounded up the last set of stairs to the front of the building and pushed their way inside. It was dry in here but not exactly friendly. Mr. Trujillo was standing there managing to look as though he had not just gotten wet from the rain. It was almost like the guy repelled water with his stuffy gray suit.
Zane wasn’t accustomed to feeling intimidated by people and did not intend to start now. He shook off and almost wished he could shift to his wolf form just to make the process easier and far more comprehensive. At the moment he could only get his hair. His clothing was still damp. Beside him Landry’s ponytail was dripping down her back and she had a sheen of moisture on her face from the heavy raindrops.
“Landry, would you like to join me in my office?” Mr. Trujillo gestured to the labeled doorway to the main office just a few feet away. “Actually, let me make it clear that this is not a request. It is an order.”
Landry’s expression turned mulish. Zane wondered if her boss realized that this meant anything he said was going to bounce right off. She grabbed Zane’s hand and held tight. “Zane is coming with me since I don’t have any choice about whether or not I want to come in and talk with you. At this point I feel like I should be getting a lawyer.”<
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A lawyer? Zane wasn’t used to feeling like he was about a mile behind on the story of what was going on. Why would Landry need a lawyer? Was she being charged with some kind of crime? Surely the idiot principal didn’t hold her responsible for anything that had happened that morning. It wasn’t like she had wanted some crazy parent to attack her.
Although, as Zane found himself following along in Landry’s wake he realized that he actually had no idea what had happened. It just didn’t matter to him. He would stand beside Landry even if she had gone completely crazy and launched herself at the parent while trying to stab them with a piece of chalk or something. It didn’t matter to him. Zane trusted Landry implicitly.
Holy crap, when had that happened? It wasn’t like Zane to trust anyone, much less a woman. The notion was laughable. But before he could even begin to unpack that and think about it, he was inside the school office feeling as though he had been transported fifteen years into the past. It wasn’t a particularly good feeling.
“Wow,” Zane murmured to Landry. “School offices just don’t change.”
“Not really,” she agreed. Then she cast a mischievous look over her shoulder at him. “Why? Are you having flashbacks? Do you have school-based PTSD?”
“Totally.”
They were both laughing when they followed Mr. Trujillo into his office. This did not seem to make the man any happier. The guy just looked irritated. Zane found this highly amusing, which was probably not a good thing because it was making him feel like he was about to say something that would not make him more popular.
“Sir,” Zane began as soon as they all seated themselves around Mr. Trujillo’s immaculate desk. “I want to apologize for upstaging your press conference out there.”
“I don’t want to talk about that,” Mr. Trujillo snapped. Then he seemed to exhale and try to get his temper under control. “Honestly I should thank you. The superintendent’s comment as he left was that at least all of those reporters seemed to have forgotten why they came here. And he’s not wrong. We have a serious image problem in our school district.”
Billion Dollar Wolves: Boxset Bks 1-5 Page 61