“With that guy back there.” I wasn’t going to let this go. “Alone. Hands on his chest. Ring a bell?”
She was going to say it even if I had to drag it out of her. I was huge on accountability, and no bond of mine would be allowed to brush off her mistakes.
“I did nothing wrong!” she shouted and pushed me. Actually pushed me. “He followed me up there and wouldn’t let go, even when I told him to stop. But I was asking for it, right?”
Wait, what? That assholeassaultedher? I stepped back and took a good look at her for the first time. Smeared makeup, a tear in the strap of her top, andfuck, there was a bruise on her forearm. She wasn’t feeding off him. She was defending herself.
“Wearing a skirt this short means I must want sex, and I’m a tease if I don’t let them touch me. Is that what you’re saying?”
Her eyes were rimmed with tears, and I couldn’t help but reach out to wipe them away. Another jolt went through me when we touched.
“No one deserves to have their boundaries ignored,” I told her, my voice a growl from my growing fury. “No, is a complete sentence. Stop, is a complete sentence.”
“Oh,” she breathed, the fight leaving her in the same breath. That fucker was dead if I ever saw him again. A quick text to Ez might even have it taken care of tonight.
“But,” I continued, “there are monsters out there who can’tread the words thrown at them. Letting your guard down while you’redrunk, and almost—”
“Are you serious right now? Where do you get off trying to lecture me about my choices?” That fire was back, but she hadn’t brushed my hand away yet.
As for her question, I was her bond. I was responsible for her safety and well-being. I was the only person in the world with the right to discipline her when her actions put her in danger.
“I’m—”
“Not my father.” She set that stubborn chin and glared right at me.
For the second time tonight, she derailed my thoughts. Was she still trying to deny us? I saw no deception in her gaze. This wasn’t a game; she was truly pissed. Almost as if she didn’t know who I was. I brought up both hands to cup her cheeks and watched her reaction. While it felt like a mild form of lightning ran beneath my skin, aside from an initial jolt, she was unaffected.Holy shit. Worse than that, there was no recognition whatsoever.
In fact, I was probably freaking her out. I released her and stepped back. My hand ran through my hair as I thought this through. This changed everything. My plans for our immediate future were on a permanent hold. I could tell her right now who I was, but I risked her running again, and I put in too much work to get us here.
Months of plans were scrapped in a matter of seconds. I needed time to figure this out.
“Umm…well…this has been fun.” She started inching away from me, not exactly scared, but definitely hesitant.
My silence wasn’t helping. I didn't know what our future held just yet, but I did know I couldn’t let her walk back to her dorm alone—not with the power flare she sent up back there.The djinn would be on her by morning if I didn’t lay down some wards to protect her tonight.
“Thank you for the save,” she added, still inching away. “But I can take it from here.”
“Oh no, princess.” I stepped in front of her before she got too far. “I don’t trust you to not find more trouble on your way back to your dorm.”
Wary morphed back into anger as she hit me with her little fist. “Screw you.”
I caught her next swing, enveloping her hand in my own. “Are you offering?” My smirk disappeared when she didn’t respond to my teasing. “Relax. I’m going to escort you back and drop you at your door like the perfect gentleman.”
The campus was a map of frozen silence, and I was on high alert. Every small sound was a threat to the spitfire beside me. My soulmate who didn’t recognize who I was. I saw our earlier encounters in a whole new light. She wasn’t being difficult or denying me, she was being herself and standing strong in the face of my, up until now, utterly rude behavior. Pride filled me at the knowledge that she could hold her own.
I glanced at her for the millionth time and cursed as she shivered. That outfit in this weather? I wasn’t complaining. In fact, the sight of her ass in that skirt would serve me well the next time I had my dick in hand, but what kind of bond would I be if I let her freeze just to enjoy the view?
“Here,” I slipped off my hoodie and held it out to her. “Since your outfit is missing several yards of material.”
She stopped walking and stared at the dark cotton like it would jump from my hand to her face if she wasn’t careful. It just might if I had to watch her shiver one more time.
“Do I need to assist you?” I offered, stepping closer. She didn’t answer. Her brows creased in confusion like she was trying to figure out why I was being kind to her.
I held in a growl at her hesitancy. It was my fault we were off to a rocky start, but watching her stand there in obvious discomfort was a test of patience. Finally, she tentatively reached out and took the hoodie with a tiny smile. Progress.
“Thank you,” she murmured, sliding the soft material over her head.
I watched it settle over her, reaching almost down to her knees. The sleeves were too long for her, and her hands disappeared inside them. She looked fucking adorable and somehow sexy as hell. Seeing her in my clothes did something to me, and it was another battle in restraint not to grab her and run.
