Chapter 32 #2
The contact with him makes it complicated to concentrate, but I manage. Eventually, I move on from the book I’m reading and pick up a new one. This one is thin and old, the cover is worn, and the golden engraving in the center is peeling. It looks like a rose, with wilting leaves and thorns.
I trace my finger along it, and images dance in my mind.
“You see this?” My aunt points at a drawing she did in her sketchbook. “This is an important symbol, Maddy. If you ever see this anywhere, don’t go near it.”
I’m sitting in my bed, and I’m so lost as I glance up at her. “Why?”
“Because it’s dangerous,” she explains as she stares at the page and traces her fingers along the charcoal lines and shades on the page. “Remember that thorns are always dangerous.”
I remember, when she told me this, I’d thought she meant thorns on rose bushes were dangerous. I was only like six or seven, and I’d once fallen into a rosebush, so it made sense to me then. Now, though …
“River,” I whisper under my breath. “Does this symbol mean anything to you?”
He leans over, his face close to mine as he examines the symbol on the cover. “I don’t think so.” His gaze welds with mine. “Why?”
“My aunt drew it once.” I skim my fingers along the cover. “She told me if I saw it, to stay away from it because it was dangerous. I thought she meant thorns and roses in the literal sense because I was like seven.” Pressing my lips together, I move to open it—
River places his hand on top of mine, stopping me. “If it’s dangerous, maybe you shouldn’t look at it. At least not in the open. We can check it out and take it home.”
I hesitate. “Say we check it out, and someone finds out I have it?”
The corners of his lips tip downward. “Shit, that’s probably not a good idea then.
” He blows out an exhale as he slumps back in the chair.
He glances around at the few people sitting at the tables.
More have been wandering in the later it gets.
“I still don’t feel comfortable looking at it in the open. ”
I briefly dither before pushing my chair away from the table and rising to my feet.
With the book tucked under my arm, I nod for River to follow me as I hurry toward the bookshelves.
He snatches a hold of my hand before I make it far but doesn’t pull me to a stop.
He walks with me, both of us moving briskly as we rush out of the public eye and into the shadows of the bookshelves located at the far back, where the sounds of chatter fade into stillness.
“Okay, what are we doing back here?” River asks as I release his hand.
“This place might not have a secret passage that we know of, but there’s a lot of places to keep a lowkey status.” I gesture at the emptiness of the row in front of us. “Let’s look at the book back here. No one’s around.”
Reluctance masks his features. “I don’t know, Mads. There are cameras everywhere.”
“Stand in front of me then.” I move closer to the shelf behind me. “And pretend we’re making out or something.”
He blinks at me in a comical way. “What?”
“I said pretend,” I clarify. “Come on; you’ve kissed me before, so you know I don’t have cooties.” I smirk.
He stuffs his hands into his pockets and warily glances around. “I don’t know … Maybe you do, and I just haven’t caught them yet.” He looks back at me, a smile playing on his lips.
Rolling my eyes, I open the book. “Get closer to me.”
He does, inching nearer until the tips of our shoes touch. Then he slants forward and places his hands on the bookshelf behind me so I’m trapped between his arms.
Okay, I so did not think this through properly. I do my best, though, to focus past my thundering heartbeat and open the book. I turn a few pages that are introductions and indexes before finally reaching an interesting page. I quickly read a few articles.
“Jesus, this Everford family went through so much. Not only were they hunted, but they were targeted by a specific family who wanted them all dead because I guess there was some treaty made back in the day where if their family bloodline ceased to exist, this particular family would get all of their wealth and land.”
“What was the family name?” River murmurs, his face close to my head.
I think he might be smelling my hair. I can’t judge him since I always take a deep breath when I get into his car because it smells like him.
“Hold on.” I turn to the next page, but before I can read the words, I spot a person out of my peripheral vision heading down the row in front of us. “Shit, someone’s coming.”
River stiffens, pushing back. “Who is it?”
I peek over River’s shoulder. “He looks around our age. He has black hair, and he’s definitely staring at us … Wait, I think I’ve seen him walking around the academy with Eli.”
Before I can utter another word, River dips his lips toward mine and whispers, “Just play along with me.” Then he kisses me.
For a stage kiss, this is beyond intense as he parts my lips with his tongue and kisses me until I’m breathless.
I clutch onto the book as he does in a pathetic attempt not to grab the bottom of his shirt and pull him closer to me.
I lose the battle, though, and drop the book, so I grab the hem of his shirt.
As I pull him closer, my knuckles brush the hard, lean lines of his abs.
He shudders, moaning, and then he bites my bottom lip.
I groan, thinking about what it felt like to grind against him the other day when we were in his dorm room, how good that orgasm felt. It makes me want another one.
I’m about one step away from latching my leg around his waist when someone says, “Hey, River, get a room.”
Laughter follows as River pulls away with reluctance that causes my belly to swoop.
His eyes are wild as he stares at me, sweeping a path along my bottom lip with his thumb. “Wow,” he breathes out.
“I—” My gaze snaps to the guy standing a ways behind us, staring at us. “That guy is staring at us.”
River doesn’t glance behind him. “I think we should go. Just stick the book on the shelf behind you as discreetly as you can.”
I nod in agreement with the first thing but don’t put the book back on the shelf. I slip it underneath my shirt and tuck it into the waistband of my pants. It’s thick enough that my shirt hides it for the most part. Although, if anyone checks out my ass, they’ll notice. I’ll have to be careful.
He frowns, but doesn’t comment. I can’t tell if he disapproves or not. He threads his fingers with mine and pulls me with him as he walks toward the guy harassing us.
“Dude, I never thought I’d see the day where River would be making out with some chick in a library,” the guy says as we approach him. His gaze slides to mine. “Apparently, the rumors about you hooking up with the northsider are true.”
“Obvious. And I think you know that already, considering what happened the other day.” River glares at the guy, not bothering to stop, instead swinging right past him.
The guy narrows his eyes at us, but River ignores him and keeps walking. I angle my body to avoid letting the guy get a glimpse of the book tucked in the back of my pants. I probably look like a freak, but who cares?
I’m unaware of even holding my breath until we arrive at the table where our belongings are. I exhale loudly as River places a hand on the lower section of my back and dips his lips toward my ear.
“Are you planning on taking that book out of the library?”
“I was,” I whisper under my breath. “Do you have a problem with that?”
“No, but I …” He trails off, shifting his weight as he leans back.
I assess him. “You’ve never stolen anything before, and you’re nervous.” It’s not a question but a statement. “Obviously, why would you ever take anything?” I wink at him. “Don’t worry, gothic prince. My sticky northside fingers got this.”
He shakes his head, on the verge of smiling. “You’re so feisty.”
“And you so love it.” I grab my trash and throw it into a nearby bin. When he doesn’t argue, I flash him a smirk. “Your silence means you agree.”
He remains silent again with a smile on his face. Then, with a quick brush of his fingers across my cheek, he grabs his bag and says, “Come on; let’s get out of here. I don’t like that James is here, watching us.”
I walk beside him as we make our way toward the exit. “You mean that guy you were talking to back there.” I hitch my thumb over my shoulder as we pass by the receptionist’s desk.
The woman behind it smiles at River, but she eyes me suspiciously. If she suspects I’m stealing a book, she doesn’t say anything. I wonder if she does and remains quiet because of who I’m with.
River nods to answer my question while flattening his palm against the door.
“He’s a friend of Eli’s. He’s not as bad as Eli, but he’s definitely someone we don’t want to be around, mainly because he’s connected to the …
” He pauses as he opens the door. He waits for me to walk outside then follows, letting the door click shut behind us.
“The society,” he says in a hushed whisper as he scans the stairway in front of the building and the grassy areas around it.
His back is stiff, and he has his hands stuffed into his pockets.
“Afraid one of the members is hiding in a bush or something?” I question with an arched brow.
“You never know,” he mutters then nods for me to follow as he starts down the stairs “Let’s get out of here.”
I nod, more than ready to go, too.
On the drive back to River’s house, we make a plan to visit northside. While we discuss this, I skim-read through the book I stole, seeking answers. And boy, do I find them.