Ask Me If I Care (SWAT Generation 2.0 4)

“You have no authority to fire her,” Booth said. When had he gotten there? “That’s the school board or the superintendent.”

Bailey, who looked like he knew Booth as well, looked pissed.

“Speaking of fathers that don’t take care of their children,” Bailey sneered.

Booth stiffened.

Booth had a child young. He and Delanie, his baby mama, had barely been out of high school when she’d had the baby. And though he’d tried to be a part of that baby’s life, he hadn’t been in much of it for over a year since he was deployed overseas. A year of memories that he was still trying to make up for.

So, of course, Bailey touching on this subject was bound to have a knowing effect on Booth.

I took a step forward, my fists squeezed tight.

Surprisingly, it was the secretary that handed Bailey his ass.

“Now, Bailey,” the office chick growled. “I know that your father didn’t raise you to act in such a manner.”

“Mrs. Teague.” Bailey narrowed his eyes. “You of all people know what it does to a child that has to be raised by teenagers. You damn near raised me yourself. I’m speaking from example here.”

Mrs. Teague rolled her eyes.

“And I would say Booth has done a damn fine job with the life that he was given,” Mrs. Teague growled. “Now, it’s time to figure this out. This school hasn’t been this out of whack since you were in high school.”

Mr. Bailey narrowed his eyes. But Mrs. Teague didn’t realize just how pissed off that Bailey was.

The next thirty minutes was spent talking with everyone about everything that happened. Going back as far as to when shit started to go down with Avery. And Mrs. Teague was extremely helpful, being very blunt and honest about the decline of the school since well before Avery even happened.

At some point, Ares arrived by herself, and I assumed that the student had gone back to class. Ares looked pissed beyond belief and stayed mostly quiet other than a few snorts of derision here and there as Mrs. Teague, Toomey and Bailey spoke.

“And the boys that did the bullying today?” Ares asked through clenched teeth.

“Will be dealt with,” Bailey growled, looking pissed.

Ares nodded once, as if she was appeased with that answer.

People dispersed after that. Bailey to his office to the boys that had been sitting there for the last half hour. Mrs. Teague to her desk. And Toomey to his office that was just across the hall.

But his eyes were all on me and Ares.

“I fuckin’ hate that guy,” Booth grumbled.

Ares walked over to him and hugged him tight, making a distinctly uncomfortable feeling rocket through me.

I knew that she knew most of the SWAT team—a lot of the new members were kids of the former members—but it didn’t make me feel better that she was hugging Booth.

Booth gave her a side hug back and said, “He really was a big dick. Even in high school. He’s gotten worse, though. He never would’ve said those things before.”

“No,” Ares agreed, pulling away from him.

The moment that she was close enough, I reached forward and tugged her into the curve of my arm, staking my claim in front of my friends.

She was mine.

And all of them saw it.

Even Toomey from his seat in his office.

His eyes narrowed and he moved forward and kicked his office door closed with one foot.

Ares jumped at the sharp sound, looking over Booth’s shoulder.

The rest of them didn’t flinch.

“Tell me about Bailey,” I ordered.

She rolled her eyes and tried to pull away, but I didn’t let her get far.

“Bailey is a little prick. Woe is me is his entire attitude.” She rolled her eyes. “His parents made him when they were still in high school. They married young. Dad went into the military, and the mother went with him. Then he was deployed, and she moved back home. When he came back, he joined the KPD. His father is actually someone you know.”

“Who?” I barked.

“Patman,” Ares answered.

I immediately scrunched up my nose in disgust.

Patman was the police academy instructor and an all-around asshole of a guy.

No wonder Bailey was such a douche.

“I fucking hated him,” I admitted.

“Like father like son,” Ares murmured. “Needless to say, if he ever left I wouldn’t be too cut up about it.”

There were snickers from the men with me.

“I gotta go back to work,” I said, finally dropping my arm from Ares’ shoulder.

She moved almost reluctantly, looking at me with a frowning expression on her face.

As if she was upset I’d dropped my arm, too.

“I’ll catch y’all outside,” I said to Booth.

Easily catching the hint, the guys left, leaving me alone in the hallway with Ares.

At least for a few seconds before Toomey came storming out, looking like I’d just ran over his puppy.

Seconds after that, he stormed into Bailey’s office, looking at the kids involved with the entire ordeal today as if he wanted to castrate them. As if they’d ruined his day inadvertently.