Chapter 8

Tessa’s POV

Had Joseph just done that to Brian?

Brian remained on the other side of the hall, trying to recover from that massive throw. Amanda ran to be by his side, causing Ruby to roll her eyes in annoyance.

I couldn’t keep my eyes off Joseph though. He stood with his arms across his chest, staring down the hallway with disinterest on his face.

It didn’t make sense that Joseph was able to throw him across the hallway so effortlessly like that. Brian was a big, muscled guy and Joseph had a more proportionate body. However, Joseph was taller than Brian.

“Holy hell!” Ruby laughed, clapping her hands together. “That was incredible!”

How had I not realized Joseph was nearby in the hallway? His classroom door hadn’t budged the entire time we’d been out here.

But maybe with all the commotion a few minutes ago, I didn’t notice him leaving the classroom.

“You’ll pay for this!” Brian mumbled as he got back to his feet. He began walking back toward us and for a moment, I feared what he might do. But Joseph looked unphased by him. “Who do you think you are?!” Brian growled as he approached Joseph. Then Brian paused and looked Joseph over carefully. “Let me guess… you’re the bastard that slept with her last night, right?”

I felt blood draining from my body at his words. I looked up at Joseph who was frozen for a moment, also stunned by his words.

Before either of us could say anything, Ruby spoke.

“He’s our writing professor,” Ruby said, narrowing her eyes at him. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

I sighed, relieved that Ruby was there.

“Well, writing Professor, you should mind your own business. Tessa and I are in a relationship, and we are having a couple's argument. This doesn’t concern you,” Brian shot at him.

“It’s from my understanding that the two of you broke up,” Joseph said in return, keeping his voice calm. “So, who she sleeps with also isn’t any of your business.”

My heart fell into my stomach hearing those words.

He heard the entire conversation I had with Brian before he made himself known to us. I looked over at Ruby who had her mouth gaping as she also stared up at Joseph.

“I could have you fired,” Brian seethed. “What kind of professor throws a student across a hallway and talks about sexual relationships?”

“Maybe keep the conversation away from my door and I won’t make it my business. But considering you chose to have a very personal and loud conversation in this very hallway where I happen to be doing work, I’m going to have to step in and ask you to leave the property. It’s after hours, you are clearly intoxicated, you are no longer welcome here.”

“Fine, I’ll leave,” Brian said through his teeth. “But I’m taking her with me. We have things to discuss at home. Personal things that don’t involve any of you.”

He took hold of my arm, pulling me along with him with so much force, I nearly fell to the ground.

“I will be forced to call the police,” Joseph said, keeping his dark gaze on Brian.

Brian paused and turned back, the anger had melted off his face and all that was left was pure amusement.

A glimmer of a grin appeared on his lips.

“Fine,” Brian said, taking in Joseph’s stern features. “Call the police. Call them right away.”

Without saying a word, Joseph pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and began typing on his phone. This only caused Brian to laugh loudly. I heard Amanda let out a little chuckle as well from a short distance.

“There isn’t an officer in the city that doesn’t have innumerable connections with my family’s business. There’s nothing you can say to them that will get them to side against me,” Brian said, still laughing.

I swallowed a lump that had formed in my throat. As much as I hated to admit it, Brian’s family was incredibly well-known, and they were very rich. Brian’s father is personally friends with every officer in the city and he provides them with supplies and resources.

Joseph had no idea what he was getting himself into with this guy.

But Joseph seemed unfazed by Brian’s words and continued to type on his phone. He was sending a text message, but to whom, I wasn’t sure.

I heard the sound of his message being sent just as he put the phone in his pocket.

“You seriously think that little text will do anything?” Brian laughed, shaking his head. “That’s pathetic. You obviously haven’t heard about my family. But let me educate you. My father runs the biggest organization in the city and one day his organization will be mine. He basically owns you.”

“Quite some bold words,” Joseph said in return.

There was no trace of emotions coming from him and I wondered what he might be thinking. He was so incredibly calm and collected.

It was almost impressive, and I found myself holding my breath.

“You don’t know anything yet—” Brian started to seethe until his phone started to ring.

He looked puzzled for a moment before his face turned into annoyance. He pulled his phone out and frowned when he saw the name.

I wanted to ask him who it was, but I thought against it.

It didn’t really matter anymore.

He had finally released my arm and I stumbled away from him, going back to Ruby who was standing in the distance and watching everything unfold before her.

“Mom? Why are you calling me right now?” Brian muttered into the phone.

He was trying to keep quiet, but we could still hear him anyway.

“Calm down, what are you talking about?” Brian asked, his tone lowering even more.

I could hear the muffled and erratic sounds of his mother on the other end of the phone and she was definitely in a panic about something.

I looked up at Joseph who was still staring at Brian with a disinterested look in his eyes.

“What?” Brian went on to say. “I didn’t say anything to him about anything.”

He paused again as his mother continued on the other end.

“I’m telling you, I didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t know why the Nightwalker police want to look into our family and the enterprise,” Brian argued, I could hear the panic in his voice.

I saw the life draining from Brian’s face and his breathing grew hollow.

“Recorded evidence?”

Brian’s phone dinged and he looked down at the screen.

He gasped and looked as if he had seen a ghost.

On his phone the familiar sounds of Brian’s voice, “There isn’t an officer in the city that doesn’t have innumerable connections with my family’s business. There’s nothing you can say to them that will get them to side against me.”

The sounds cut out soon after and it left us all with our mouths hanging open.

We turned our bodies to face Joseph who just stood with his arms across his chest and his right brow raised.

Had he done this?

He had connections with the Nightwalker police?