Chapter 36
Skye
Aiden’s jaw was practically on the floor.
“Three times!?” he repeated. “You slapped him three times!”
I nodded, trying not to laugh since I’d just taken a sip of coffee.
Aiden and I had been too busy doing other things last night and we hadn’t had a chance to talk about what went down with Wyatt. This morning, we were both back early from the gym, not even questioning the suspicious breakfast that’d been laid out for us.
Rafe had clearly been here.
I was beginning to think he was secretly living here, moving around while we were gone.
I kept finding his t-shirts around the penthouse even though I hadn’t seen him at all.
I’d initially thought he was only showing up to watch me sleep for a bit, but now I wasn’t so sure.
I kept making mental notes to explore the other bedrooms in the dorm, but I hadn’t had time.
Aiden’s dick distracted me every evening when I got back.
“Who knew Wyatt had a pain kink,” Aiden said, shaking his head as he dug into his eggs.
I let out a painful snort around a sip of coffee, then choked out a laugh. “Aiden!”
“What?” he asked, his voice muffled from his food. “He so wants to be slapped around.”
I laughed again, shaking my head.
If on the day I met Wyatt someone would’ve told me I’d be slapping him someday and he’d like it, I’d never have believed them.
But he definitely liked it.
He was pissed, absolutely, but I hadn’t misread the energy in that room. He was into it.
My cheeks heated while Aiden laughed at me. I cleared my throat, deciding to change the topic.
“So, Zephyr’s birthday is coming up.”
“Oh?” Aiden continued shoveling food into his mouth.
It was a good thing we didn’t have to pay for our food in this new dorm. We’d be broke. The man ate enough for three people.
“We’re invited, as you know. And he wants Willow and Mia there.”
Aiden nodded along, his warm eyes narrowing at me like he was trying to figure out what I was holding back on.
I sighed deeply.
“I think I want to invite Wyatt,” I blurted out.
It was Aiden’s turn to choke. “Are you serious? Zephyr hates him!”
“He doesn’t hate him…” Aiden gave me a dry look. “Okay, so he hates him. But we just had this really good conversation, and he’s one of my Links, and–”
“And you want Zephyr to hurt him? Because that will happen the second he says something wrong, Skye. Alcohol or not.” Aiden said with a shake of the head.
I groaned. “I have to extend an olive branch somewhere. I think this could be a good idea.”
Aiden chewed slowly, then sighed. “You’re right. This might be good, but I don’t know. It’s on Zephyr’s turf, and if Willow and Mia go, it could create more problems.”
I groaned.
“But,” Aiden held up a hand. “Maybe between me and Rafe, we can keep him from making shit worse with Zeph.”
I smiled before making my way around the kitchen island. Aiden turned in his seat, spreading his legs so I could slip between them. I threw my arms around his neck and squeezed him in a hug, and he sighed as he hugged me back, teasing his fingers around my waist.
“I love you, Aiden. Thank you.”
“I love you too, baby. If you want to make this work, then we’ll do it. It’s that simple.”
This day was shaping up to be a weird one.
Aiden kissed me goodbye, giving me puppy-dog eyes like that would make me let him skip class again. Neither of us could afford many more absences, and we were only a few weeks into class. We needed to get back to normal before someone came knocking.
Someone being Rafe’s fucking dad, the creep.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t skipping class to avoid him. He’d appeared more than once in a place I didn’t expect him, almost as if he’d been expecting me.
I didn’t know what his affinity was, but given how lame he seemed, it couldn’t be anything too exciting. Rafe was a crazy level of powerful, possessing an affinity not seen in over a century. If his father were just as magnificent, he wouldn’t have had to pursue a position as the head of the WAA.
A deep voice echoed from around the corner, and my jaw nearly dropped.
Speak of the fucking devil.
I slipped into an alcove, wishing for the first time ever that Rafe was following me so he could shadow us. A moment later, Alex walked by, his hands in his pockets while he spoke to…
River Mac.
Oh, my God.
I could not get away from this guy.
Not that it was a hardship seeing him all the time.
He was gorgeous, and not just because his eyes were beautiful.
His jaw could cut glass, his dark hair a little long on top, intentionally messy.
Today, he wore another deep blue hoodie that fit his muscular form a little better than the one from the other day, and–
“No offense, but you’re not my dad. So fuck off.” River said.
My eyebrows hit my hairline.
“River, please,” Alex sounded bored. “I’m only trying to help you. Your father–”
“Is dead,” River said, cutting him off. “Tell him to back off.”
Alex sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“You’re not making any friends. He’s worried about you.”
“I’m not a teenager. He doesn’t need to worry about whether or not I have friends. You should get some friends, though, instead of stalking people all over campus.”
I almost laughed, biting my lip so hard I drew blood to keep quiet.
Alex sighed, sounding exasperated. The two came to a stop in front of a bush right next to the alcove I was hiding in, and I cringed. I kept accusing River of stalking me, but what the hell would this look like?
And, because this day was weird, River looked past Alex at that moment, and locked eyes with me.
I froze, not knowing what to do. I could teleport, but he’d already seen me, so that was out.
Fuck. Too bad Zephyr wasn’t here.
“Just tell me why you’re really here.” River said.
Alex blew out a breath as he adjusted his tie. “The shields aren’t holding like they used to. I can feel him getting through, and I think he’s becoming aware of it.”
River winced, dropping his gaze from mine, and I took the opportunity to try sneaking away again. I had no idea what they were talking about, anyway; and outside of his blue eyes and strong jawline and defined abs, River wasn’t that interesting to me.
I was a master at lying to myself, clearly.
River looked back up at me, narrowing his eyes slightly as he replied to Alex.
“I can’t help with that. The telepathy is gone.”
Alex pinched the bridge of his nose. “River, what do you want from me? I’ll get you anything you want, I just–”
“Are you suddenly deaf?” River snapped. “I said it’s gone.”
River ignored me as I began to slip away, out of the alcove and against the stone wall, toward a line of shrubs.
“Listen, I know your mother–”
“Stop calling her my mother,” River growled. His blue gaze released me and I finally took in a breath.
With Alex’s back to me, I began to shimmy against the wall, almost to the bushes. I needed to get out of here before he saw me.
“You know she struggles,” Alex said. “She needs you, River.”
“It’s not my responsibility to manage her emotions,” River said.
“What?” Alex scoffed. “Where the hell did you get that from?”
“My counselor,” River said defensively.
Alex muttered something that sounded a lot like ‘fucking Craig’, and then River strode away from him, in the opposite direction from where I was standing.
“River, come on,” Alex’s fancy shoes clicked along the stone as he gave chase, and I’d never run away from a situation faster.
My heart was pounding so hard I thought it would beat right out of my chest. I slowed it using my affinity, then took a minute to calm myself.
What the hell had I just listened in on? River was adopted? Alex knew his parents?
I shook my head. I shouldn’t have heard any of that. It was none of my business. But…
It definitely explained why River might be such a dick.
I rounded the corner, feeling a little less anxious, and then I was shoved back into the alcove.
I growled around the hand covering my mouth, waiting for my affinity to lash out like it had last term with Wyatt when we were in an eerily similar situation, but nothing happened.
I blinked up at the man who held me, and then groaned.
River. Again.
“You just can’t stay away from me,” I snarked when he lowered his hand.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “I knew I should’ve let him have you.”
“He seemed happy enough with you,” I huffed, then rubbed at my chest. Weird. Alex’s comment about Wyatt must’ve upset me.
“You okay?” River asked.
I raised my eyebrows. “I’m fine. This happens all the time.”
River rolled his eyes. “Not that, I meant…after the…yeah.”
“After you punched the wall next to my head and gave me a PTSD attack? Yeah. Peachy.”
River blew out a heavy breath. “I’m…sorry about that. I didn’t realize you’d freak out like a baby at a little loud noise.”
My jaw dropped. “Fuck you!” I said. “You’re the baby, running away just because I was gonna throw up. Real mature.”
“I didn’t run away because–” River stopped, then clenched his jaw. “Whatever. Just making sure you’re okay.”
“Save it,” I sneered. “I don’t need you checking in on me.”
River’s gaze darkened, and a vein pulsed in his forehead. “Duly noted.”
“Anything else? I have sexy little crop tops to wash.”
I almost slapped my palm against my forehead. What the fuck kind of comment was that?!
River moved closer to me, and I backed up against the wall, not quite scared, but…come on, the last time he did this, he literally punched the wall next to my head.
“I’ll let you get to it,” he said, his voice deep and low. “I do like those sexy little crop tops.”
I was so flustered.
My cheeks were hot, the back of my neck sweaty under my hair. I cursed myself for not wearing a ponytail today, but in the next thought, I was glad. The flush on my cheeks definitely extended down my neck and onto my chest.
I turned a corner near the Health clinic while wondering if I should go inside and ask Dani for some fucking anxiety medication.
I shook my head. That shit wouldn’t work on me. But maybe she’d be able to do something to make it work? Come to think of it, why had I never asked Zephyr to do that for me?
I shook my head, focusing back on the issue at hand. What the hell had that been about?! Men really were something else. River clearly hated me for some reason, yet he was attracted to me? That made zero sense.
Although…I might have been attracted to him, too. It was getting to the point where I needed to talk to Aiden about it. He hated River, so that conversation would go just swimmingly.
My thoughts cut off abruptly as I slammed into someone.
If this happened one more time, I was going to start teleporting everywhere.
At least this time, it wasn’t a man scowling at me.
“Willow? Are you okay?”
Willow jumped to her feet quickly, stuffing her compact mirror and lipgloss into her bag.
“Oh, Skye! I’m so sorry! Yeah, I’m totally fine.” She ran her fingers through her hair, which was carefully styled into big waves.
“Sorry. I’m not glad I bumped into you but I’m glad you’re not another hulking man.” I huffed, and Willow snorted before her eyes darted around nervously. “What are you doing over here?”
“Hmm?” Willow’s attention was behind me. “Oh, nothing. Just taking the long way back to the dorm.”
I blinked. “This is the really long way back to the dorm.”
“Yeah, like I said.” Willow rolled her eyes. “Anyway, are you heading back? Let’s go.”
“Willow,” I laughed, connecting the dots in my mind. “Why are you by the Health clinic?”
“No reason!” She tried to sound affronted, but it came off as a squeak. “I walk this way a lot!”
“You sure? You’re not trying to…I don’t know. See someone in particular?” I asked, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively.
Willow’s cheeks flamed so hard, it was visible from under her makeup. “What? No! Who would I be seeing?!” Then she narrowed her eyes. “What are you doing over here?”
“I was thinking of asking Dani for some anxiety meds,” I said honestly.
Willow stared at me for a moment before she burst into laughter. “Skye, shut the hell up.”
“I’m not kidding!” I cried defensively. “I actually just had that thought before you hit me.”
Willow gasped. “I did not hit you! But you know what, if you’re going to see Dani, I guess I’ll just go with you.”
“Right,” I drawled.
“Because I’m a good friend,” Willow went on, taking my hand and pulling me after her. “And if you need anxiety meds, you might be close to a panic attack. And I would never leave you alone if you were about to panic.”
“Because you’re a good friend,” I said as Willow pulled me to the Health clinic doors.
“Exactly!” She beamed at me before pulling the door open. “And to think you have three men obsessed with you and none of them are here to help you? It’s a good thing you have me.”
“Such a good thing,” I agreed with a smile.
“How can I help you?” The receptionist asked with a smile.
“Hi,” Willow grinned. “My friend here is on the brink of a panic attack. She’s only comfortable with Health aide Dani. Is she in today?”
I nearly choked on air. Willow was hilarious, even when she wasn’t trying to be, but this was off the charts. I could barely hold in my laugh, so I dropped my head instead.
“Oh, my.” The receptionist looked quite concerned, and she began typing quickly. “Can I get your name?”
“Skye Aria,” Willow said quickly.
The receptionist typed on her computer, then handed me an information sheet to fill out. Willow and I sat down in the lobby, and Willow ripped the paper away from me.
“I’ll fill this out,” she said a little loudly. “Since I’m such a good friend.”
I only laughed.