But I was done with this whole scene. I grabbed Teddy’s wrist, feeling his pulse racing under my fingers.
“Actually,” I said, “Teddy’s coming with us to celebrate his win. You two can fuck off back to whatever miserable estate you have in New England.”
Teddy’s father’s face contorted with rage, his eyes bulging as I pulled his son away from him.
“How dare you?” he sputtered, reaching for Teddy’s other arm. “Theodore, you willnotwalk away from us!”
But Teddy didn’t resist my pull. Instead, he allowed me to guide him through the crowd of stunned onlookers, his teammates watching with wide eyes as I practically dragged him across the pool deck. Linden followed closely behind, his massive frame creating a barrier between us and Teddy’s parents.
“Nerion,” Teddy whispered, his voice trembling. “I can’t believe you just did that.”
I couldn’t quite tell if he was angry or impressed, but I wasn’t about to stop and find out. Not with his father’s voice still booming behind us, demanding that Teddy return immediately. We pushed through the exit doors and out into the crisp autumnair, putting as much distance between us and the natatorium as possible.
Only when we reached the quad did I finally slow down, my grip on Teddy’s wrist loosening. I turned to face him, bracing myself for his anger, for him to tell me I’d overstepped. Instead, I found him staring at me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. It was shock mixed with something that looked almost like wonder.
“I’m sorry,” I said, suddenly feeling uncertain. “I shouldn’t have?—”
“Thank you,” Teddy interrupted, his voice quiet but firm. “No one’s ever stood up to them like that before. Not even me.”
Relief washed over me, followed immediately by a surge of protectiveness that scared me with its intensity. “They shouldn’t talk to you like that. You were amazing in there, Teddy. Everyone could see it.”
“Except them,” he said with a sad smile.
“Well,fuckthem,” I replied, earning a surprised laugh from Teddy. “Seriously. You just swam the race of your life. We’re celebrating, with or without their approval.”
Linden, who had been quietly observing our exchange, stepped forward. “He’s right, man. That was some impressive swimming. And these two,” he jabbed a thumb behind us, where Teddy’s parents had emerged from the building and were scanning the quad, “need a serious reality check.”
“They’re coming this way,” Teddy said, his body tensing beside me.
Without thinking, I grabbed his hand and tugged. “Then let’s go. We can get off campus for the night and celebrate.”
Chapter 21
Teddy
I’d never run away from my parents before. And I’d definitely never snuck off campus. But with Nerion at my side, I was more than happy to do it all and brave enough not to run back with apologies spilling from my lips.
And that’s how I found myself in a bar on the ocean side of Boston on a school night, eating french fries and drinking cheap beer with a siren and a dryad, both in their human forms.
But I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
“To Teddy, fastest swimmer in the world!” Nerion raised his glass, a mischievous gleam in his eyes that made my heart race.
“To Teddy!” Linden echoed, his deep voice carrying over the noise of the bar.
I felt my face flush as I clinked my glass against theirs. The beer was bitter and cold, nothing like the expensive champagne that flowed at every single get together my parents dragged me to. This was better. It was honest and unpretentious, just like the company I was keeping.
“I still can’t believe we just left,” I said, shaking my head as I grabbed another fry. “My parents are going to lose their minds.”
“Good,” Nerion declared, sliding closer to me in the booth. His thigh pressed against mine, warm and solid. “Maybe they’ll realize they can’t control you anymore.”
“You don’t know my father,” I sighed. “This will only make him double down.”
Linden leaned forward, his enormous frame making our table seem tiny by comparison. “Parents can be tough, but sometimes you need to show them you’re your own person.”
“Exactly,” Nerion nodded, taking another swig of beer. “Besides, you’re what, twenty-two?”
“Twenty-one,” I corrected.