Chapter 3 #2
I slammed my phone on the table facedown. An entire morning wasted. How was I supposed to concentrate on my grading?
It was infuriating.
Iris was cleaning the table next to mine. She looked up at the sound of my phone. “Everything okay?”
“Just dealing with…” I hesitated. It was on the tip of my tongue to brush things off. But I wasn’t sure I should be closed off to people when I was trying to make friends. Iris had been nothing but kind. “An ex—sort of.”
“Ugh. Been there. Well, I can’t say what yours is like. But mine was just awful—my most recent, I mean.”
“Oh?” My brows pulled together.
“Yeah. I dated this guy I met on a dating app. He lives down in Ashton. The commute was annoying, and he turned out to be such a spoiled, pretentious dick.”
I groaned. “Yeah, I can kinda relate to that.”
“You know…” She hesitated. “I’m free later if you want to come by and hang out. We can open a bottle of wine. Bemoan our exes. All that.”
I wanted to accept. It sounded like the perfect medicine after fending off Ambrose. Then I glanced down at the stack of papers on the table and winced. “If I didn’t have like fifty-gazillion assignments to grade, I would absolutely take you up on that.”
“Already elbows deep, huh?”
“Try eyeballs.” I slouched back in my chair.
“Does that mean you’ll be wanting some tea?”
“God, yes.”
She laughed and went back to the counter.
I had awful jitters if I drank too much caffeine, and since I’d already had two cups of coffee, herbal tea was the safer bet.
Iris returned with tea and a chicken salad sandwich on a croissant. “On the house. To help you get through your ex issues. And your grading.”
“Are you sure? I can pay.” I glanced at my watch. How was it already past lunchtime?
“Absolutely sure. You look like you need this and we have plenty. Don’t think we’re going to sell out today.”
“Thank you so much.” I promptly scarfed the sandwich down.
More texts came from Ambrose throughout the day.
Until the point where I was sick of it and pushed my phone into my bag, determined not to look at it again. Eventually, I made a dent in my work and headed home, saying goodbye to Iris. The Roost closed early on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
Basil and Sage were ready for dinner promptly at five each evening. So I set my things down and fed them. Once they were finished, I let them out for some free roam time, ate a quick meal of boxed cheesy mac, then got back to work.
The rest of the weekend passed in a blur of grading and irritation.
Ambrose’s texts continued. I blocked every number that came in, but he remained one step ahead. I wasn’t sure how he was doing it. There was probably some kind of website or app.
Eventually, he’d get bored and give up.
Right?
There were dark shadows under my eyes by the time Monday morning rolled around. Somehow, I’d managed to get all my assignments graded and a lesson plan cobbled together, even if it meant staying up past three in the morning. Which meant most of my first lecture was a mess.
My phone rang and I jumped. This time, I was careful to check the number.
My class had already filed out and the lecture hall was blessedly empty.
The first thing I said when I picked up was, “If you gave Ambrose Blackthorn my new number, I’m going to drive across the country and literally strangle you.”
“Jeez. Calm down, sis.”
“Did you do it? God, Robbie. Tell me you didn’t. I gave you that number in confidence.”
“I didn’t. Relax.”
“Don’t tell me to relax! Now I really am going to strangle you.”
“I said I didn’t!” He groaned.
“If you didn’t, then—”
“I might have given it to Mom.”
“What?!” I screeched. “You… Robbie! How could you?! Damn it!”
“Sorry,” he said, sounding mildly apologetic. “She kept getting on my case about it. You know how I crack under pressure.”
I let out a sound of annoyance. “She must have given it to him during their little lunch thing or whatever.”
“Is he giving you problems?” Robbie’s voice changed, lowering into something more angry. The last thing I needed was my little brother getting involved in my battles. If I said anything about how Ambrose had treated me, I knew for certain he’d do something drastic.
“No. Yes. I mean, it’s nothing I can’t handle. Besides, I’m on the other side of the country. How much damage can he really do?” Robbie stayed silent. “Okay. Fine. I see your point. He is a Blackthorn, after all. Still. I’ll manage.”
“Fine. How’s the new job treating you?”
I relaxed at the change of topic. “I love it.”
Which was the truth. Despite the tedious grading and long hours, I was enjoying it a lot more than I realized.
“It’s completely different when I get to teach the class myself.
I get so much more freedom. Plus, since it’s a community college, the rules are more lax and everyone cares more about teaching than, you know, meeting research quotas and all that.
What about you? How’s all the nerdy computer stuff treating you? Oh, how’s Caden?”
Robbie huffed. “It’s software development. And, he’s fine.”
“He’s fine? Really? That’s all you’ve got? Oh, God. Please tell me you guys aren’t fighting.”
“No. Not fighting.” There was a long hesitation. “He asked me to move in again. I said no.”
“What?! You did not! Tell me you did not.”
I could almost picture my little brother sitting at his desk surrounded by no less than three computer screens, rubbing the back of his neck.
Empty energy drink cans everywhere. “I just don’t know that I’m ready.
Like, things are so good, you know? What if…
What if we don’t get along once we’re roommates? ”
“Okay, firstly, you wouldn’t be just roommates.
He’s your boyfriend, Robbie. Roommates implies something far less serious than the two of you.
Makes it sound like you won’t be sleeping in the same bed.
And secondly, you guys have been together for over a year now.
Rent is expensive. And he has such a nice place.
Besides, he’s like so gone for you. Robbieeeee. ”
“I don’t know. It’s a big step.”
“You’ve been out of school for two years now. You’re twenty-four. It’s not too early to take big steps like this. Especially if you think he’s the one.”
Please say he’s the one. I wanted that for him, mostly because I had an obsession with Caden. He was the sweetest, kindest person, and so perfect for my brother that watching the two of them together literally made me sick. With yearning.
“I think he’s the one. But… How can I know for certain?”
“If you don’t marry him I will,” I threatened, throwing the familiar words at him.
He chuckled. “Fine. I’ll give it some more serious thought.”
“Thank you.”
A commotion sounded on the other end of the line. “Ugh. Hey, I gotta run. Cosmo just barfed all over the rug.”
“Oh no!” I pouted at the empty lecture hall. “Give my cute baby all the cuddles for me, please. Tell him I hope he feels better.”
Cosmo was Robbie’s tabby cat, whom I adored.
“Will do. Love you.”
“Love you more!”
The line went dead.
I sighed. And then I scowled, because another text had come in while we were chatting. I read the message and went cold.
Unknown number
I’ve been more than patient, Rebecca. If you don’t come home, I’ll have no choice but to bring you home.
He couldn’t do that, could he? Magic aside, there were still laws.
He couldn’t just…take me against my will?
And yet, something soured in my stomach.
Because if he was anything like the rest of the Blackthorn family—and I already knew that he was—he would do everything in his power to get exactly what he wanted.
Which meant I needed to find the entrance to those caves ASAP.