44. Chapter 44
Arwen
An arm links through mine, jerking my attention to Tabby as I walk down the hall.
“Surprise! I’m escorting you to class today. Which one are we headed to again?”
She pouts at the door. “I’m assuming your least favorite is your sin power training class, which makes no sense at all considering you don’t even have to do anything.”
Mocking outrage, I shove her shoulder playfully. “What did you need, anyway?”
“Extremely important intel. I wanted to discuss dates for the Sinful Sinfall Gala!”
I look at her in disgust.
“Why would I need a date? I figured we’d avoid it like last year and binge on candy and margaritas in our room.” I respond.
Her face crumples into a theatrical pout. “Um, hello? Last year we were basically the lepers of the social scene. But this year is our year! The Sinfall Gala is, like, the pinnacle of the academy experience. It’s supposed to be epic. Please, Arwen? For me?”
I groan. I should do this for them. My friends deserve a bit of fun after all the stress I put through them last year… and probably this year.
“Fine,” I say, pointing at her. “But this is entirely your fault for what happens, and I want that on record. Go have your fun grinding up against the entire male population of this academy. I’ll be there. In the corner. Alone. Judging everyone.”
“Booooo. I’m putting you on the market, whether you like it or not.” She breaks off with a theatrical gasp, her eyes widening as they lock onto something behind me. A slow, wicked grin spreads across her face. “Scratch that. Looks like you already have a date.”
“What are you—”
I follow her gaze behind me to find a very sexy Maddox West standing with his arms crossed. The ink curling over the hard lines of his forearms disappears beneath the tight stretch of his white sleeves.
“Well, he looks… displeased.” Tabby gulps next to me as I force my eyes from his pecs to his face.
Shit.
He does look pissed.
He walks towards us, jaw set, each step deliberate and unhurried in the way that makes people get out of the way.
“Anyway, we’ll talk more later, Arwen. Have fun with your boyfriend. Bye!”
“What?” I look to where Tabby was standing, but she’s already halfway down the hall, escaping at a brisk pace.
“Coward!” I shout at her as she rounds the corner and disappears from sight.
Maddox stops in front of me, close enough that the familiar scent of smoke and leather finds me, and underneath it, his cologne.
Something in me unknots at the smell of him, and I have to resist the urge to step forward into his arms.His dark eyes move over my face slowly.
Checking. I watch him do it and still can’t quite convince myself he’s actually standing here.
Then his jaw tightens again, like he’s remembered he’s angry….
He runs his fingers through my hair as he leans in close to my ear.
“When exactly were you planning on sharing that your powers weren’t working?” he whispers, dangerously.
“No hello then,” I ask, hoping my sass will hide my anxiety. His eyes just continue to bore into mine, waiting for an answer.
I glance around as students pretend not to stare and whisper to their friends.
“Maddox—”
“No.” His voice stays calm, which somehow feels worse. “You call off my men from guarding you, you hide things from me, you leave yourself vulnerable…”
I wince. Okay. He’s definitely angry. Sass and deflection will not work here. “I was going to tell you.”
“When?”
“I don’t know!” I hiss. “When you weren’t busy trying to stop your siblings from turning Gluttony into a war zone, maybe?”
His expression hardens. “That’s exactly why you need to tell me these things.”
Guilt twists in my stomach. I know he is worried about me, but how can I get through to him that I’m not some damsel in distress?
“You know I can handle myself. I didn’t want to make things harder for you,” I admit. “You already have enough on your plate.”
For a second, he just stares at me. Then he steps closer, lowering his voice.
“When are you going to realize I would gladly overload my plate until it broke for you?”
The words hit me like a punch.
“Maddox—”
“No, please listen to me.” His eyes lock onto mine with brutal intensity. “You keep putting yourself last on my list of priorities. But that’s not up to you. The bullshit going on in Gluttony, the territories, the hierarchy… none of it comes before you.”
My face goes warm.
He folds his arms across his chest. “You’re mine now, Arwen.
That means you and your safety come before everything else.
But I can’t help you if you don’t let me in and trust me to make the right call.
I know you’re used to handling things on your own, but things are different now. You have to let me help.”
A hot, frantic fluttering kicks against my ribs, a trapped bird of appreciation and independence fighting for space.
“I don’t need you protecting me every second,” I mutter.
“That’s unfortunate,” he says, “because I’m going to anyway.”
I hate how much I like hearing that.
“You needed help,” he continues. “You felt scared, your powers stopped working, and you chose to handle it alone instead of coming to me.”
My stomach knots. Because there’s an even uglier truth sitting behind my ribs. The other bonds feel suddenly enormous between us. Heavy and rotting.
I open my mouth, guilt already climbing up my throat—
But Maddox cuts in before I can force the confession out.
“I’m here now,” he says. “I’m staying at the academy for good.”
That surprises me enough to derail my panic spiral. “What about Gluttony?”
“My people have things handled for now.” His mouth flattens. “And if they don’t, I can move pieces from here. Strategy doesn’t require me breathing down everyone’s neck twenty-four hours a day. My place is with you.”
Is he really staying for me? He’s choosing me?
“Maddox, you didn’t have to—”
“Yes,” he interrupts. “I did. And I wanted to. Truth be told, I’ve been racking my brain for an excuse to come back to you.”
My heart does something deeply embarrassing. I can handle myself, but I came back to the academy with the goal of learning to control my powers. And… well… I can’t do that without him here.
“If I need to leave temporarily, I will,” he says. “I promise. But then I’ll come right back. You’re stuck with me.”
Something pricks at the back of my eyes without warning, and I have to drop my gaze to the floor for a second, jaw tight. My chest feels strange, like a breath I’ve been holding for weeks finally lets go. I didn’t notice how much I’ve been bracing.
“Are you okay?” he asks, voice quieter.
“Fine,” I mumble. “Just feeling guilty for dragging you away from your territory disputes and mafia empire and whatever terrifying West family nonsense you deal with daily.”
One corner of his mouth twitches. Movement around us catches my attention as students lining the hall are openly staring at us now.
Whispering. The infamous Maddox West returning to the academy is premium gossip material, apparently.
A group of first years near the staircase are practically vibrating with curiosity.
Maddox notices too, and his expression goes cold. He turns his head toward them. No threats. Just one look is all it takes, and the entire hallway scatters as people turn around and walk in the other direction.
One guy nearly drops his books trying to flee.
I stare after them. “…Maybe you should’ve come back sooner,” I admit.
Maddox huffs a laugh under his breath, the tension between us loosening.
He glances toward the dorm hall. “I’m going to get settled back in.”
“Okay.”
“But we’re starting private training immediately.”
“With my powers? I’ll finally get to train with them?” The power soars under my skin, like it’s fueling up. I can’t believe I never noticed. But I guess in Gluttony, I rarely ever tried to reach for my power.
“Yes,” he confirms. “We’ll practice until you feel confident and have complete control. I already cleared a room and time slot with Dean Bellows.”
Of course he did. He turns away before I stop him. “Maddox?”
He looks back at me.
“Who told you? About the power situation, I mean?”
Annoyance flashes across his face. He lets out a quiet huff. “Your other bond,” he says dryly. “At least he’s good for something.”