“No thanks, babe. Anyway, I’m pretty sure you don’t need me for that anymore,” he mutters, eyeing Declan with contempt. “Although I wonder how many others have had their turn? Hockey player, lawyer, maybe a professor or two… you do get around, don’t you?”

Declan’s entire body goes rigid in front me, and I can feel the fury radiating off him in waves. He steps forward, his hands curled into fists and his jaw tight, but his voice remains controlled.

“Watch your fucking mouth. You’re speaking to the future mother of my children.”

“Children?” Aaron’s eyebrows shoot up before he throws back his head with a barking laugh. “To each their own, I guess, but if it was me, I wouldn’t touch damaged goods that’ve been passed around the entire campus. Who knows where she’s been⁠—”

The punch happens so fast I barely register Declan’s movement. His fist connects with Aaron’s jaw with a sickening sound. The crack of bone meeting bone echoes through the hallway, and Aaron stumbles backward, landing hard on the floor. Blood trickles from the corner of his lip, and his jaw is already swelling.

As Aaron scrambles to his feet, looking like he might actually try to take a swing back, Declan moves toward him again, his eyes dark with a fury I’ve never seen in him before. My heart leaps into my throat—if this escalates into a full-on fight, Declan could lose everything he’s worked for.

Darting forward, I reach out to grab his arm. “Wait, Declan, don’t! He’s not worth it.”

I feel the tension in his muscles, the controlled power vibrating beneath my fingertips. For a moment, I think he might shake me off, but then he looks down at me, and something in his eyes shifts. The fury recedes, replaced by concern.

“Let’s go,” I urge, tightening my grip on his arm. “Now.”

Declan nods once, his lips pressed into a tight line as he turns away from Aaron, whose shoulders slump a bit. We move quickly down the hallway, finding a side exit so that we won’t have to weave our way through the crowd in the main space where the event is being held.

As we round the corner, I hear Aaron shout something crude behind us, but his voice fades as we push through the exit doors and step out into the crisp night air.

A sudden quiet envelops us, broken only by the sound of our breathing. Declan’s hand is warm and steady around mine as we walk briskly around the building and back to my car.

“Are you okay?” he asks, stopping when we reach the passenger side. His eyes search mine, worry etched across his features.

“I’m fine,” I say, my voice steadier than I would’ve expected. “Thanks to you.”