“It’s actually pretty hot in here,” Skye murmured. I glanced at her, feeling guilty for her flushed cheeks. “It’s you, Aiden. You’re turning this into a steam spa.”
“I can’t stop,” I whispered.
“You don’t have to,” Skye said, squeezing my shoulders. “Whatever you need. Tell me. I’ll get it for you. I’ll do it.”
“Just you,” I said, my teeth chattering like I was cold. “Just d-don’t leave me.”
Skye didn’t leave.Wouldnever leave, I realized. Something told me that even if I’d ordered her away, she wouldn’t really go.
I rested my head on her chest while she ran her fingers through my hair, gently removing the tangles while relaxing me even further.
After so many minutes of silence, and the water finally turning cold, I felt like I was falling asleep. Skye was awake, her breathing a familiar tempo in my ear, encouraging my own breaths to keep going.
“I’ll kill her for this,” Skye whispered against my hair. “I promise, Aiden.”
Chapter 3
Rafe
“Rafe!”Wyatt yelped, grabbing my fist before I could throw another punch.
The bald earth affinate in front of us sputtered from where he lay in the freezing mud. He struggled to get back on his feet, slipping as he tried to regain his balance. “What was I supposed to do?! It’s an investigation!”
“You left students out on the lawn. Over night. In therain?” I snarled.
“Rafe, stop,” Wyatt was in my ear as he fought to keep hold of me, but we were pretty evenly matched. His boots skidded in the mud as I struggled against him. “Stop,” he hissed. “Alejandro is here.”
“Like I give a damn,” I growled. I really didn’t give a damn at all. My father didn’t scare me. No one in my family Chain scared me anymore, not even my mother.
I broke free from Wyatt’s grasp, spinning quickly, then freezing when I saw the bald fucker had run.
“Fuck!” I practically shouted, then turned back to my friend slash new enemy.
I angrily shoved Wyatt’s shoulder, pissed he’d let the weasel get away. Wyatt’s eyes flashed in challenge, and he shoved me back. One ofmy hands clenched into a fist, barely holding back the shadows that wanted to emerge. Wyatt watched, his jaw setting as his own hands fisted.
Suddenly, a quiet rumble rolled across the campus. The ground shook just barely beneath my feet. I looked down at the mud, blinking hard, almost positive I was imagining it. Some pebbles quivering on the brick path nearby told me thatno, I was not imagining this.
I looked back at Wyatt, who only tilted his head to the side.
Well, that’s new,I said.
Wyatt’s brow furrowed, and the rumbling stopped. He looked back at me, his expression shifting to confusion. I couldn’t help but breathe a laugh.
Fucking Wyatt was so annoying. He had no idea what he was capable of. I eyed him and his concerned expression again, feeling like I should punch him while his guard was down.
“Your Royal Highness?” A voice chirped from nearby, saving Wyatt’s jaw from my fist.For now.I turned to face the man who’d approached. He was shaking, his eyes looking anywhere but at me. He probably thought I’d caused the small earthquake.
“Yeah?” I prompted, my tone too clipped.
The man cleared his throat, looking between me and Wyatt nervously. “My name is Jameson. I’m the lead engineer on site,” he explained. “I have a damage report for you, if you’d like it.”
I blinked at him.
“I’m not…” I glanced at Wyatt, feeling lost.
“Go ahead,” Wyatt said, crossing his arms and looking a hell of a lot more official than me. I was stuck wearing some of his workout gear he kept in his office since my princely clothes had been covered in blood from the battle.
When Jefferson looked to me again, I rolled my neck. “Go on.”
