Chapter 15
The alarm jarred me awake the next morning, and as I opened my eyes and stretched, I found myself sprawled across six and
a half feet of warlock. His heat and energy surrounded me completely, and as small pains made themselves known through my
body, I recalled how little sleep we’d gotten through the night.
Logan’s arms tightened, keeping me flush against his chest. “Let’s skip classes today,” he murmured against my skin. “I’ve
got more important lessons to teach.”
I snorted—in a very sexy and elegant way. “You’re taking your spellcaster classes a little further than Headmaster Gregor asked of you.”
His response was to shift me higher, my legs falling open on either side of his hips. My mind checked out for a second as
the head of his cock pressed against my entrance. “I declined to teach any further lessons,” he said, and I tried to remember
what we’d been talking about. “My priorities have changed, and I don’t have time for whatever deals my father struck.”
He pressed a kiss to the curve of my shoulder and ran his nose up my cheek as he breathed me in. “Priorities?” I managed to
say.
“Yep,” he whispered, and I shivered as goose bumps traced across my skin. “As in, I only have one right now.”
It grew harder to speak. And breathe.
We did not have time for fun this morning, but I wasn’t strong enough to halt the direction this was heading in. “What one?”
His chuckle was dark, and I cried out at the hot pulse of his cock against my core. “You, baby. Just you.”
He thrust up, and I gasped, opening my legs wider to slide down his shaft. It took a few seconds for my body to adjust—every
part of this warlock was huge.
“We really don’t have time for this,” I whispered, all the while knowing nothing short of a monster attack was getting me
off Logan. Maybe not even that.
With limited time, he took control, capturing my hips in a firm grip as he thrust faster.
He leaned up to taste my mouth. “Come for me,” he commanded, and I was screaming into an orgasm before his next powerful thrust.
Logan muffled most of my noise as he changed angles, sending me into a second spiral of pleasure.
“Precious,” he groaned, and I felt the hot swell of his release.
I collapsed against him, a sigh escaping as he traced his hands up my spine. “You’re in my bed from now on,” he murmured against
my throat. “Let’s make a deal. No more sleeping alone. It’s been torture staying away over the past few weeks. I never want
to wake up without you again.”
“I wasn’t the one who disappeared to Europe,” I whispered, my head spinning. The thought of waking up every morning with Logan
was like a thousand Christmas-birthdays coming at once.
“I know, Precious. I’m sorry. There were a few unfortunate loose ends that had to be wrapped up. But I’m back now, and I’m not going anywhere.”
I wanted to believe him, but I knew how deep Rafael had his claws in his son, and I worried that this was nothing more than
a Weatherstone bubble that could be burst with the slightest of pricks. Not that I’d ever refer to Rafael as only a slight prick.
Knowing I had to move now or I’d miss all my morning classes, I reluctantly shifted off Logan, mourning the loss of his hard
length inside me. Yep, he was still hard. Turned out my warlock was insatiable, with an almost nonexistent refractory period.
No witch would ever complain about that.
“Goddess, I wish we had private showers,” I grumbled as I stumbled around searching for clothes to throw on before making
my way to the bathrooms. I didn’t want to wash Logan from my body, but with our combined release dripping down my thighs,
it seemed prudent to at least attempt a quick rinse.
Logan reached down for his hoodie and I shivered as his arm banded around my center. He gently pulled the material over my
head, and I tried not to show him how much it affected me, but we were too close for him to miss my reaction.
“Your pupils dilate when you’re turned on and happy,” he murmured, and I found myself locked in his icy gaze, the mossy center
expanding as he stared at me covered in his hoodie. “You like wearing my clothes, don’t you?”
There was no point in lying. He’d caught me too many times in his hoodies to deny the truth. “When they still smell like you,”
I admitted, with a shrug. The small pieces of myself I kept giving Logan were really adding up, but I was trusting that his
feelings and actions were real.
“In that case, whatever I’m wearing is yours,” he said, brushing his lips down my throat. “Fuck knows I like seeing you in my clothes. Tells everyone else that you belong to me.”
Just take my feminism card, because that line was my undoing. “Always with the smooth words, bestie,” I murmured.
Logan saw straight through my bullshit. “Not smooth words. The truth, Paisley.” His expression had never been more serious.
“I know you need actions to back up my words, and I will prove it to you.”
He released me to pull on his sweats, standing there delicious and shirtless. He showed no physical signs that he’d had less
than a few hours of broken sleep, and I’d bet good magic I wasn’t faring as well. A quick brush over the tangles in my hair
told me I was a hot mess and would need every second in the bathroom.
“Will you tell me the truth,” I asked as I gathered up my toiletry bag, “about why you came to Weatherstone last year? What
your dad has planned for my family? Will you clear up all the unease about our families and lives so we can start with a clean
slate?”
He reached out and brushed a finger down my cheek, expression giving nothing away. “I’ll tell you as much as I can, but I
don’t have Rafael’s full trust when it comes to you. He was there when we were first separated, and he knows how badly I reacted
to your loss. He didn’t know about the bond, but he was aware that I might not fall in line. He’s keeping a lot from me as
well.”
That made sense, but I couldn’t shake the unease unfurling inside me.
“If you knew we were bonded in an old-magic way,” I said, “why did you wait so long to find me? Why weren’t we together when we were younger?
I mean, I get why you couldn’t come to me as a child, but you’ve been a powerful spellcaster for years.
Years longer than me . . . So where were you?
We should have been each other’s firsts in all ways, and yet . . . you let years go by.”
My words grew faster and harsher, as if the pain had been simmering until it finally boiled over. If what Logan said was true
and we were forever mates, where the Hel had he been for all of these years?
The familiar flash of ice in his eyes bothered me as he moved closer. “I didn’t lie, baby. I couldn’t come for you until I
was strong enough to keep you safe.” He leaned in closer, and I somehow knew that what he was about to say next would tear
me to pieces. “And while I might not have been your first, I’ve never touched another witch. You are it for me. Now and always.”
With that, he leaned in and pressed his lips to my cheek and strode out the door, leaving me a broken mess about to collapse
on the floor.
Had he . . . ? Did he just . . . ?
Logan had been a virgin?
How was it possible? He kissed like an expert and fucked as if he’d spent his formative years in tantric classes. There was no fumbling or unease
in the powerful spellcaster.
How was that possible?
I had no idea how long I stood in my room staring into nothing, my mind buzzing. There was no way to define what was happening
inside my head, outside of an overwhelming abundance of emotions. Strongest of all was the devastation that I hadn’t waited
for Logan. There’d only been a couple of warlocks before him, but that was too many.
The knowledge itched under my skin.
“Paisley!” I jumped at the shout through my door. “Witch, are you in there?”
Forcing my shaking limbs to move, I hurried over, dressed just in Logan’s hoodie.
I had no idea what expression I wore when I wrenched the door open, but Sara and Haley both jumped back a step, concern creasing their faces.
I waved them inside, and when they hesitantly shuffled through, I slammed the door and fell against it, my chest heaving.
“Pais,” Haley said, reaching out but halting just before she touched my arm. “What’s going on? Did something happen? Is your
family okay?”
“Talk to us, babe,” Sara said, pressing closer on my right side. “You’re starting to scare us.”
I was starting to scare myself.
“Logan,” I whimpered. “He . . . he—”
“What?” Sara growled, her concern morphing into fury. “What the fuck did he do? Do I need to kill myself a spellcaster?”
Tears burst from me, hot and furious, and I had a suspicion that I might be losing my mind. “He waited for me,” I sobbed.
“He’s never been with another witch. He knew we were bonded and he . . . waited.”
My friends stilled on either side of me, and I had no doubt they were exchanging glances, but I was too fucked-up to try to
interpret their looks. Haley’s voice was softer when she finally grasped my hand. “Honey, that’s a great thing, right? What’s
got you so upset?”
“I didn’t do the same,” I whispered brokenly, staring into space. “I didn’t wait.”
It must have clicked then what had me flipping out. “Oh, babe! You can’t beat yourself up over this,” Sara said, showing her
softer side. “You didn’t know about Logan. You were too young to remember him.” Her words made logical sense, but I felt that
in my heart I should have known. I should have remembered Logan.
“I never could find anyone to settle with,” I rasped around my aching throat.
“There were a few warlocks that I slept with, but as soon as any of them attempted to turn it into anything serious, I checked out. I told myself I was waiting for what Mom and Dad had, but all along I was waiting for Logan.”
“Which is exactly what your mom and dad have,” Sara said fiercely. “You did wait for him, Pais. In all the ways that count.
Your heart and soul waited for him.”
“Anyone can own your body,” Haley said, her voice breaking. “But only one claims the true essence of who you are.”
They cried with me now, and there was a very good chance all three of us would be late for class. “I don’t know what I did
right to get amazing besties like you,” I choked out through my sobs, “but I’m grateful all the same.”
“We love you,” Haley said, hugging me tighter as we sniffled away the rest of our tears.
Sara chuckled as she stepped back, and I jumped when she slapped my bare ass beneath the hoodie. “Love you or not, you smell
like sex, babe.” She glanced at her watch and shook her head. “And there’s no time to shower, so you’re just going to have
to go out there smelling like your delicious mate.”
A snort escaped me, my mood lightening now that I’d moved past my shock. I still had to speak to Logan about what he’d said,
but I was determined that this wouldn’t derail what we’d been building here. “I’ll just quickly pee and brush my teeth,” I
said, pulling out a pair of sweatpants from my drawer. “You two get to the breakfast cart and grab some food before it’s too
late.”
“Great plan,” Haley said, opening my door and ushering me out.
I sprinted down the hall, determined not to be any later than I already was. My legs shook as I brushed my teeth and then peed, cleaning myself the best I could. By the time I was back in my room, pulling on my uniform, less than five minutes had passed.
I grabbed my books and schedule and raced out the door.
Logan had dropped a bomb on me this morning, and it had detonated that final sliver of doubt I’d held that this was still
all a huge Rafael scheme.
That sexy spellcaster was my bonded mate, and I was determined to keep him.