Gettin' Hooked by Nyomi Scott Page B

taking. “Not today, Miss Lane.”
    â€œWhat? I’m being suspended?”
    The ass actually smirked at me and I had to grip the metal chair arm to keep from reachin’ across his desk and straight-up smacking it off his face.
    â€œNo. Your father is picking you up.”
    I spun around in my chair and looked at the door like he’d be there. He wasn’t. A shiver of nervous excitement slithered across my skin. “My dad’s coming?”
    â€œYes. You can wait for him in the lobby. I’m finished talking to you.”
    Oh, he was through. Ha, he had no idea how whack this was. I didn’t need to be explaining my site to him. He should deal with school shit, and that’s it.
    Getting to my feet, my knees trembled a little, but I ignored it and grabbed my backpack off the floor. As I headed toward the office door, I said, “Pixx,” and flashed him a peace sign.
    When I reached the admin office lobby I plopped back down on a chair to wait for my dad, a little freaked about why he was coming and afraid it meant something bad. I didn’t even know he’d landed, and thought he wouldn’t be here until Wednesday.
    Closing my eyes to ward off a rush of tired and frustrated tears, I leaned my head back, feeling worse every second. Wrapping my arms around my middle, I had to wonder if the chills I’d been having hadn’t been annoyance, but really fever.
    After a quick sec, I took a deep breath and pulled my cell out of my pocket, then thumbed in a message for Kayla, Pop n twn. 2K GH mem, to let her know I wouldn’t be around later and that something was blowin’ up with our site.
    Just as I hit Send, my dad walked in and I went into his arms.

CHAPTER 10
    â€œI didn’t know you were coming in today, Daddy,” I said, snuggling into his embrace, not givin’ a damn that we were standing in the admin office. Only seeing him a few days a month wasn’t enough. But I knew he was gone all the time because he was doing his best for me.
    His arms were tight around me, his chest strong and lean. The warm scent of Polo cologne that clung to his clothes was bringing tears to me eyes, reminding me of when I was younger and he’d cradle me close. When his flights had been domestic, rather than international, and he spent more time at home.
    â€œMy flight schedules were rearranged.”
    â€œWhat are you doing here?”
    He chuckled, the rumble against my cheek familiar and comforting. “I live in this area, in case you didn’t know,” he said teasingly, one large hand stroking across my hair.
    â€œI mean at school. You came home to me being in trouble.” Snap, I hadn’t meant to say that. Mr. Alton was straight trippin’ and I hadn’t done anything wrong.
    My dad put his hands around my shoulders and backed me out of his embrace. “Trouble, Imani?” His gaze landed on my black eye, then his dark eyes narrowed. “What’s going on, girl? Talk to me.”
    â€œIt was an accident. Really,” I added when he continued to look at me all skeptical like.
    He nodded, but still looked pensive. After a quick sec, he stroked a gentle thumb over my bruised cheekbone. “You win?”
    â€œI wasn’t fighting.”
    With another nod he gave me an odd look, then smiled as he hugged me again, planting a kiss on my temple. “Let me check you out and we’ll get out of here.” He took my pack. “You can tell me about your trouble in the car.”
    About ten minutes later we’d escaped the office, made our way through the pouring rain and finally took refuge in his hella clean black Lexus, and I was free of school for the rest of the day. That helped ease my whacked-out, frazzled nerves, but I was still feeling the onset of a cold and the lingering festering of a heart that been used the wrong way.
    Cuddling up in the leather seat, I leaned my forehead against the cool glass as my daddy