They clenched their fists and gritted their teeth, furious but totally lost for words.


    Winners write the story, losers just get left behind and today, they''d lost.


    ...


    After changing out of his gear, Tarquin left the gym. Lowell called out,


    "Hey, Evan and the big guy are here too. Should we get them to ride with us?"


    Tarquin wasn''t surprised. Knowing Evan, there was no way he''d miss out on the action.


    "Nah, you know they hate car rides. Let them make their own way home."


    Lowell shrugged and started the car, steering them out of the parking lot.


    "By the way, the school board president called while you were changing. He''s out of town, just heard about what happened at the preschool."


    "He was pretty apologetic. Said the school will take full responsibility for Elijah and Emmett getting hurt."


    "He also mentioned he''d talked to a bunch of teachers and kids. Apparently, Punikon''s been a problem for a while-violent, won''t listen, that sort of thing."


    "Lots of parents haveined before, and the school has tried reaching out to his folks, but they never bothered to cooperate."


    "So now the school''s decided: they''re asking Punikon to leave."


    That sounded polite, but everyone knew it was just a nice way of saying he''d been expelled.


    Tarquin''s face stayed cold and unreadable. If the school hadn''t acted, he would''ve made sure they did.


    A kid that young, already so aggressive-what would he turn into as he got older? Maybe if his parents actually cared, maybe with the right guidance, things could change.


    But Punikon''s folks clearly didn''t get it.


    If the parents'' values are a mess, what hope does the kid have?


    He definitely wasn''t about to let his own children hang around someone like that.<fn25e2> N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on find?novel</fn25e2>


    Honestly, neither would Elysia.


    Lowell went on,


    "The school said if you have any suggestions, they''re open to hearing them."


    Tarquin pulled out his phone and shot Elysia a quick text before replying,


    "Just tell them to tighten up on supervision. We can''t have anything like this happening again."


    He''d barely finished speaking when his phone rang-Elysia.


    Tarquin''s whole expression softened as he answered,


    "Hey, what''s up?"


    Elysia sounded super excited,


    "I just finished watching your match! Are you heading home now?"


    "Yeah, I left right after. You caught the livestream?"


    "I did! Winona sent me the link-babe, you were amazing!"


    The praise made Tarquin''s heart do a happy little flip. "Just wait, I can be even more amazing."


    Lowell, driving, caught Tarquin''s giddy face in the rearview mirror and rolled his eyes dramatically.


    The CEO was grinning like an idiot and didn''t even care.


    "Ahem," Lowell coughed, a pointed reminder:


    Hey, there''s a third wheel in the car, maybe tone down the mushy stuff?


    Tarquin shot him a death re, then went right back to being sweet on the phone,


    "The school just called. They''re


    bet


    expelling Punikon, so you don''t need to worry about him bothering the kids anymore."  s


    "Expelled, huh? I wonder if his parents will ept it?"


    "They don''t really have a say. Their


    kid wasn


    the wrong, and it''s


    preschool-it''s not mandatory


    School''s within


    rights.


    belongs to s


    Elysia didn''t feel sorry for Punikon in the slightest. The kid was already way off track-not worth anyone''s sympathy.


    "With him gone, the school will be a lot more peaceful. When will you be home?"


    Tarquin checked the time. "About forty minutes. And just like you asked, not a scratch on me."


    "You''re the best! Hungry? Want me to whip up something for you?"


    Elysia was in such a good


    mood—her husband safe and sound, and she could gush about him al she wanted. She felt like she''d jus? had a spoonful of honey.  s