After my mom went into the principal’s office, Cherry, Maddy, and the rest surrounded me. Marco tried to walk in front of me to shield me from them, but I pulled his hand.
“Marco, it’s okay. I can handle this.”
“I’ll stay here to protect you, Esme.”
I walked a few steps, then whispered in his ear, “Thanks, Marco, but if every time someone wants to harass me, I need to count on you, then I’ll depend on you for the rest of my life.”
Marco nodded. “I understand, love. It’s a habit I find hard to resist. I mean, protecting people I care about is my instinct, especially you, my mate.”
Marco’s words warmed my heart. I leaned toward him and kissed his upper arm, then stared at him. “Thank you, my love.”
Then Cherry ruined the beautiful atmosphere between Marco and me. “What now? Do you wan
