Chapter 35 Parker
PARKER
“Where are we going?” Sable asks as I pull her down the hall and away from everything that’s just happened.
Her boxes are all packed, with no clothes left behind.
They’re stuffed into Orion’s and my rooms, which is the least we deserve as the only two guys they didn’t bother to fill in about finding Sable.
I’m so fucking angry I could kill Hadrian, Soren, and Lex, and even Orion because ultimately they’ve all fucked me over today.
The only way I’ve known to let off steam lately isn’t available, and the hand that doesn’t hold on to Sable flexes with the urge to punch myself and take the edge off the pressure.
This situation with Arabella having access to Sable’s room and thinking she’s our new Offering is beyond out of hand.
My whole body writhes with tension. I’m out of practice with how to deal with normal stressful situations.
With Sable gone, I had no prospects and had more or less given up on living.
Now I have to continue while picking up the pieces I let fall apart during that time.
I was there when dumbass Orion caused this too.
I could have and should have stopped him then.
If I were thinking straight, I would have, but I was as insane as Orion, and now look where we all are.
“I said, where are we going?” Sable repeats, but I give her tiny hand a squeeze instead of an answer and keep walking.
Fortunately, the halls of Bellthorn are empty right now.
People are back at school, but it’s cold and drafty in the winter, so they tend to go back to their rooms much more quickly.
“Seriously, where the fuck are we going?” Orion starts, and I wish he would keep his damn voice down. The fact that we can’t see anyone doesn’t mean no one is watching.
“Shut the fuck up, Orion, before we wind up with even bigger problems.” The implication is thick in my voice.
He makes eye contact with me for a moment, then opens his mouth to argue, but seems to think better of it.
Instead, he has the good sense to look down with a flash of shame.
He and his fucking brother have caused me enough problems.
“Parker?” Lex asks, ever the voice of reason. “Is something wrong?”
“Fuck you too, Lex,” I say, and this pulls him up short. We’re not best friends or anything, but we don’t usually have problems. They all stop in the middle of the hall, and I try to pull Sable along to keep us moving, but she stops too. I’m forced to turn and face them too.
“Did we do something?” he has the nerve to ask as my anger builds. My free hand moves through my hair. I refuse to let go of Sable for fear of how I might explode if she stops touching me.
“Did any of you think about texting me to let me know Sable was alive? Was it really necessary to just show up here without any warning?” I ask, eyes moving between Lex and Hadrian. “You took fucking Soren and neither one of you could call me?”
“Parker!” Sable gasps, her expression immediately falling. “I am so, so sorry. I should have—”
I slap a hand over her mouth, perhaps being too rough, but absolutely unable to stand hearing her apologize when I’m mad at them.
She’s been through enough, and calling me didn’t need to be the first thing on her mind after she was assaulted every which way.
But them? They could have spared a thought.
Her blue eyes redden and fill with tears as I watch, and guilt stabs me like a knife.
“Don’t you dare apologize to me. You hear me?” I wait for her to agree, but a tear drips over the edge of her lashes as she stares into my eyes instead. “The only thing I wanted or needed from you was to come back to me in one piece. You did that. Please don’t cry.”
My free hand unclenches to wipe away her tears. When she finally nods, I pull my hand away from her mouth.
“I’m going to take her somewhere else if you don’t tell us where we’re going,” Hadrian says, stepping forward like it’s a good idea to challenge me right now.
The musician really doesn’t want to fight with me right now.
I’ll enjoy fucking up his pretty face too much.
Plus, he and Soren are suddenly buddies again?
Running off together and then only including Lex because Sable needed medical intervention.
I think I might beat the shit out of him instead of myself this time.
Sable tugs on my hand, bringing me back from the edge.
“The athletic department,” I finally answer to avoid the impending explosion. I’d like to think I could fight all three of them off at once, but that may actually prove challenging.
“No one wants to watch you work out,” Hadrian says, vastly overestimating my patience.
“I might want to,” Sable says, and my heart nearly leaves my chest at her words. I would do absolutely anything she wanted, especially if it stopped those tears.
“We should have called, Parker,” Lex says. “I was too distracted with Sable being hurt to think straight, but you’re right. I’m sorry.” A heaviness in his shoulders tells me the apology is genuine.
I nod at Lex, understanding his explanation far better than the others.
“Why are we going to the athletic department?” Lex asks.
“There are recovery rooms with king-sized beds for athletes who have been injured near the therapy suites.”
“So what?” Hadrian works my last nerve like it’s his job.
“So,” I answer sarcastically, “Sable needs a place to sleep tonight that’s big enough to fit us all. Plus, there are perks.”
I tug Sable’s hand, and we start moving again. Everyone follows, and there’s momentary silence as we walk the empty halls.
“Why didn’t you tell us, Hadrian?” Orion asks, and the two of them start to bicker.
Once they’re fighting, I feel much better and tune them out as they follow me deeper and deeper into the university.
Sable doesn’t ask any questions or try to pull her hand from mine, and she’s such a good girl that if I wasn’t already planning on worshipping every inch of her body, I would be now.
I squeeze her hand just to reassure myself she’s actually here, and much to my thrill, she squeezes back.
“What are these perks?” Orion asks, staying on our heels and refusing to let Sable get even an inch away from him. He doesn’t realize I’m also angry with him, and fuck if all this rage isn’t tiring.
“You’ll see,” I insist, not as mad at him as the rest of them because I know he really didn’t mean to cause the issues he did. He’s just Orion.
As we get closer to our destination, I can’t wait any longer.
I lift Sable into my arms, sweeping her legs out from under her.
She laughs, a quick, shocked sound, but it’s a laugh all the same.
My half-dead heart races along with my feet.
The guys move ahead of us to grab the large cathedral doors leading into the athletic department.
This entire part of the college is tremendous, but it’s organized in a way that makes getting around fairly easy.
Within five minutes, we’re in the hydrotherapy department, and then I open the door to the—
“Whoa, is this a church?” Sable asks.
“What the fuck?” Orion echoes the curiosity in his own way.
“Let me show you.”