7
Bevin
They were so focused on the gems that they never even asked about the apples, and Wyatt seemed to forget about them as well, simply asking if I wanted him to go with me to talk to Nina quickly because he had plans soon. I wasn’t worried about Nina of all people.
But apparently, I should have been.
I texted her that I needed to discuss something private with her—even from Sergey—and where I was, so if she could please circle to me and bring me back to her house… If she wasn’t busy of course. Or when could she meet?
Yes, my social skills were that lacking. At least most people found it amusing or at least somewhat endearing.
She arrived at the perfect time to get me out of talking more with everyone else about their familiars and what had happened. I didn’t have answers for them, and while I appreciated their worry, it stressed me out and sort of undid the calm of handling that.
Well, that, and everything dealing with the spirit realm and guide.
Nina was polite with everyone but, like always, was perceptive that I wanted to go, making it clear that we needed to handle some things, mumbling about the brushes. She had a lot of questions in her eyes when we arrived at her house, so I quickly explained about everyone and their familiars.
She was normal Nina who chuckled it off as something impressive for me to do and to be proud of myself for being so inventive. Reminding me that people would get over their shock and not to let idiots upset me because their reactions weren’t my problem.
Normal, supportive, wonderful Nina.
Everything changed the moment she saw what was in the sack.
“Where did you get this?” she whispered as she pulled out the small lockbox.
“I can’t tell—” I started to remind her, having said the exact same thing to her as I had to Taylor.
“Where did you get this, girl?” she bellowed in my face before roughly grabbing me. She’d set it down because she had both hands on me.
I’d missed it, too shocked to see this side of Nina and this anger focused at me. I think I said to stop, but she didn’t. She shoved me into the wall and demanded that I tell her and who I was in contact with to get what was taken from her?
It didn’t make any sense, but one thought broke past my fear, and that was what made the tears fall. They weren’t for me… But her.
Because I was pretty sure Nina was failing whatever test this was about.
“Nina, let her go!” Rita demanded from the other side of the kitchen, and I was never so glad they were living together. “It’s Bevin. Sweet Bevin!”
Nina bared her teeth at me and then shoved me away so I hit the wall before turning and rattling off in Russian.
Rita didn’t hesitate and went right to me, pulling me away even as I stumbled over my own feet, and then we were circling out of there.
She cupped my face and searched my eyes.
“Can you tell me what happened?” She swallowed loudly when I shook my head.
“Because you’re in shock or because it’s something you can’t tell me? ”
I didn’t know how to answer that. “Both?”
Rita gave me a sad look. “I was afraid of that. Okay, is there anyone you can tell?” She hugged me when I didn’t answer. “Sorry, sorry, take a minute. I just need to know if you’re hurt.”
“No?” I didn’t think so, but it really did come out more as a question which wasn’t helpful at all and I knew that. I felt her magic and nodded when she said I would bruise, but I was fine. “I’m sorry.”
“You are never to apologize for the reactions of others,” she whispered, flinching when I started crying. “Oh, Bevin.”
When I calmed down, I explained that Nina had said the same thing before she’d blown up at me. I wasn’t sure what to do next or how to handle this, but Tracey circled in with Taylor and a few other people, and they froze when they saw me there with Rita.
Tracey instantly put it together. “I’ll fucking kill her.”
“No, wait,” I started to argue, but Tracey had already thrown down the circle and was gone before I could say more.
Taylor blew out a harsh breath and moved his hands to his hips.
“She’s going to be the death of me.” He shook his head when his parents couldn’t hide their reactions.
“I don’t have the magic to follow her like that, and she goes back and forth between thanking me for stepping in and reminding me she can handle it. So I never know the right response.”
I realized I had the answer, and just like others gave them to me, it was my turn.
“You have parents that would sell their souls to protect you and only messed up because they tried to help too many others too. Hers would have sold her if the chance ever came up before dying, and no other family cared what happened to her.”
“Nina’s house?” Mrs. Reid checked, as she laid down a circle. She’d been there and was giving Taylor the answer.
“Yes,” I confirmed.
If that wasn’t clear enough, his father gave him a slight shove into the circle, amusing several people. I would find it funny later, but right then I was too upset.
“I’m sorry, I can’t talk about it, and I need some space,” I whispered when Taylor was gone. I thanked Rita and went inside with the apples I was still carrying.
Clare froze when she saw. “How bad? I thought—the thing with the familiars was super cool—what’s up with the apples? I meant to ask earlier.” She nodded when I did a great impression of a fish. “Just tell me you’re fine and we can talk later.”
I said that exactly and thanked her before going up to my room. I worked for a bit—actual CEO work stuff and approving some of the stuff for the expansions. Tracey had looked it all over, and really it was done, but we were making sure we were on the same page.
So really it was stuff she’d approved and I was making sure I was caught up? Okay, it was a chicken-egg situation but either way, I was handling Familiar Treasures things when I realized I’d forgotten to give Wyatt his flowers.
I’d showered after my run that morning, but I did again, and it wasn’t about seeing Wyatt. I realized it was about what happened with Nina. I just needed to wash it off and change my clothes to something comfy.
The guard gave me a worried look when I came downstairs and asked for him to bring me to Wyatt. I simply reached for the flowers and told him it was fine, just a quick drop-off because I forgot. Tracey wasn’t back yet and people were tense.
I needed less tense.
So instead I was an idiot.
Again.
Wyatt was one of the few people my guards could always circle to no matter what for obvious reasons. It wasn’t remotely his fault for not checking. Anyone with a brain would have thought I would have talked to Wyatt before just showing up.
I simply didn’t have a fucking brain some days.
Wyatt’s eyes flashed shock as I looked him over all dressed up.
“Okay, this is seriously getting ridiculous, Derek,” a guy drawled, and I wanted to melt into the floor when I recognized his friend from the gym who had paused in pulling on a suit jacket.
“Right, you said you had plans,” I whispered.
“Is everything okay?” Wyatt worried, glancing between me and the guard.
It was too late to hide the flowers, and there wasn’t any salvaging the situation, so I simply held them out in front of me. I opened my mouth to explain, but a gorgeous woman in high heels moved next to him and failed in covering a giggle.
“Oh, she’s so cute,” she cooed with a nasty gleam in her eyes.
“Seriously though, Derek, you can’t let your students act like this with you.
” She moved towards me with a condescending smile.
“I know you think you have feelings for him, but you’ll grow up and learn that your crush is embarrassing, kiddo.
Maybe ask your friends next time before you do something so—”
I grabbed her wrist when she reached out like she was going to pat me on the head and shoved it away, everyone freezing. I might not be able to handle everything I wanted, but this? A bitch like her?
I was raised and grew up around worse snakes and thrived handling these sorts of situations.
“Right, so clearly you want him or have already had a relationship with him to be so petty and ridiculous,” I drawled as I handed the bouquet to Wyatt.
“But you’re the only person here being embarrassing because Professor Wyatt wasn’t the only one to get flowers from me today.
” I nodded when she froze. “It’s a thanks to him, Mrs. Reid, and Ms. Anderson.
“I’d tell you why but honestly, you’re not important enough no matter how much you want to be and try to insert yourself.
The jealousy dripping off of you is as tacky as your perfume.
The grown-ups need to talk though, so can you go wait in the petty bitches corner for a moment and then you can go back to barking up the wrong tree? ”
“Dayumnnnn,” one of the other guys whispered.
“I apologize for interrupting,” I told Wyatt as he accepted the flowers.
“I should have checked, and I will try to remember going forward. There was an issue with that other matter.” I hurried on when worry filled his pretty green eyes.
“It’s being handled with Ms. Anderson, and I believe Taylor Reid, but I didn’t want you to be blindsided later. ”
“Thank you for letting me know,” he muttered, studying me. “Are you okay?”
I snorted and then gestured to my appearance. “I think I’m done with the week and it’s Sunday night.”
“Pretty understandable, but it’s your first midterm break, so you should rest.”
I gave him an amused look. “Yeah, sure, that’s on the agenda.” I glanced past him to his other friends who seriously all looked like they’d just stepped off a runway in Paris. A mix of men and women, all elegant, put together, and attractive.
Of course they were.
“I apologize for the interruption. Have a lovely evening, whatever you’re doing.
” Then I pointed to the guy from the gym.
“Except you. You still haven’t even introduced yourself to me, so I’m not the only ridiculous one here.
” I turned to my guard and nodded we could leave, ignoring that he looked like he was going to fall over laughing.
“Thank you, Ms. Millen,” Wyatt said as I joined the guard in the circle he was laying down.
I raised an eyebrow. “For providing an anecdote you’ll all be talking about for years to come?”
He smiled and he wasn’t the only one but raised the bouquet. “For my first flowers. They’re lovely, and it’s nice to be appreciated.”
“You’re welcome. Yesterday meant a lot to me. I was scared, and it was nice that someone at the fucking school will actually help me when I’m different when the rest seem to want to toss me to the sharks or abuse me. I don’t care if men are supposed to give the flowers. Everyone likes nice things.”
“I love flowers,” my guard muttered.
I gestured to him as if to say exactly.
Wyatt winked at me since his friends were all behind him and couldn’t see me as the circle flared up. Glad he wasn’t upset at least.
No, that was the people waiting for me when I got home.
But not at me.
“I don’t want her in my house,” I said more calmly than I felt when I saw Nina sitting there.
“That doesn’t help, foxy,” Sergey whispered from where he was leaning against the wall of the kitchen.
I kept it together even as my lower lip quivered.
“If Kevin Rose had put his hands on me, there is no world where you would just let him into my house hours later near me. She is bigger than me and I did nothing wrong. I didn’t touch her.
She bruised me. Rita saw it. Don’t be sexist, and stay out of it if you clearly will choose her side. ”
“Well said,” Clare purred. “You heard her. Please leave. You can have a conversation later at a neutral location after she’s had time to digest what happened, but right now you’re not welcome here. I would guess neither of you.”
The tension shot up at her adding Sergey in that. “I think it best for tonight but no, not like banned. Outside is fine for even both of them. I need…” I gestured around me.
“That is more than understandable,” Nina accepted, her voice raw. “I am sorry, Bevin. When you are ready, I would like to explain.”
I thought about that for a moment, but everything I debated saying I might regret saying later or was something others there couldn’t hear, so I simply nodded. I apologized to Clare about dinner and said I wanted to work up in my suite.
“You’re not skipping food when working,” she hedged, sounding like she was worried about overstepping. “Can I bring it up and just read there? I like your chair.”
People gave her a range of looks, but mine was one of hope.
Hope we could be real sisters and heal.
“Yeah, I’d like that,” I answered, my voice cracking.
“Good, I’m making that healthier beef stroganoff I was telling you about with the Goodles.”
“If it’s half as good as it smells, I’ll eat the whole slow cooker,” I promised and then got out of there before Sergey tried to catch me. I was worried when I had a text from him by the time I reached my room, but then was glad when I read it.
Sergey: You’re right. I’m sorry. No excuses.
I decided to give him an inch and responded.
Me: You just know more and why it would make her explode, so it’s harder to see this as I do.
Sergey: Yes. Exactly, but she should never have gotten violent with you. And you have every right to ask her to leave and be safe. I’m sorry I diminished that.
Me: Thank you.
Sergey: I don’t want to push either. Let me know when we can talk.
I nodded even if he couldn’t see it. There was only one thing I needed to add.
Me: I didn’t get that wherever she thinks I did. I saw the fear in her eyes too. Whatever it is, I’m assuming it has to do with your birth families. I realized that after Rita got me out. I didn’t contact them.
Sergey: I know. I never doubted that.
Me: What she did scared Rita so much she grabbed me and fled.
Sergey: I know, foxy. I’m not defending her at all. I wasn’t going to. I just knew she wouldn’t hurt you so—I was wrong. I’m sorry.
Me: Thank you. Maybe tomorrow.
Sergey: Okay, thank you. I won’t push, but not knowing where we’re at makes me panic.
Me: I know. I’ll try.
What else was there really to say? His mom had basically assaulted me.
No, not basically. She had.
I would absolutely forgive her and move past it, but I needed a minute for sure. I thought that was more than valid.