He yanks the covers up, cocooning our tired girl in warmth. Her hand finds Dredyn’s forearm across her waist and squeezes weakly. “Stay,” she whispers, clearer this time. “All of you. Here.”
I grin. “Guess that means we’re all cramming in. Hope nobody’s a kicker.”
“Dredyn’s behind me, he better not poke me withanything.”
“Relax,” Dredyn shoots back. “I’ll keep it above the waist. Maybe.”
The dim room falls quiet, the banter fading into warmth. Mara’s breaths even out, body slack and trusting between us. She’s asleep in moments.
Dredyn meets my eyes over her head, his scowl softened to something almost gentle. Jasper gives the faintest smile.
We did good.
THIRTY-TWO
JASPER
I’m crawling out of my fucking skin. It’s been five days since I’ve had Mara in my hands. She slipped out before sunrise after the night at the safehouse and every hour since has felt like punishment.
When she isn’t locked up behind Daddy’s guards, she’s being escorted around campus by Milo or his other two officers, Kade and Valen. I can’t be too pissed—they’re trying to keep her safe from whatever murder spree is going on around campus, but I would feel much safer if she were here. With me.
Her name pings on the screen on my phone.
Mara:
Milo’s dragging me to the library later. Will y’all be there?
Dredyn:
Try and stop me.
Talon:
I’ll “study” you instead
Me:
Already warming a seat for you.
Three dots pulse from her like she’s thinking too long, then?—
Mara:
Don’t make it obvious. He will be watching.
Talon fires off a gif of someone blowing a kiss across a crowded room.
Dredyn just sends a skull emoji.
I don’t even know how to respond so I just open up Instagram instead. My feed is flooded from last night’s Psi Theta alumni party. I swipe, knowing it’s going to piss me off, and there it is?—
Chase Harrington plastered against Mara.
She’s in a tight black dress, shoulders tense, her smile paper thin. His arm is cinched around her waist like he owns her, fingers splayed across her skin.
I freeze on the next slide—another angle, flash catching his crooked grin. Golden boy. Senator’s son.
Fuck him
