Poison Throne: A Dark College Romance(20)

With towels around us, Jordan and I made our way into the house, only to find Rafe waiting in the main hall, leaning against the wall in what would have been a casual stance, if not for the tense expression on his face.

I knew him well enough now to know he was unhappy. "Call Mattie," he said, thrusting a palm reader at me.

Instinctively I reached out and grabbed the device, noting it was brand new and top-of-the-line, even fancier than the one I'd originally been gifted.

"Why? Is she okay?" I burst out. After Rafe’s earlier statement that she and Nolan were okay, I'd checked up on my best friend as soon as I could and had been happy to learn that she'd been saved during the academy blast by Zach. He'd moved up a couple rungs on the ladder with that action, so he was exactly two rungs off the ground.

"No, she just wanted to talk to you," Rafe replied. His gaze left me to run over Jordan. "You're looking better, brother. I'm happy to see that."

Then he spun on his heel and disappeared.

The heaviness was back in my chest, but I pushed it aside. "Want to join me for dinner?" I asked Jordan.

His smile was sad. "I should probably get some rest. Healing up is taking a lot longer than I'd like."

I chuckled sadly. "You were tortured for nearly a month and have been healing for two days. I don't think you're being very fair."

His rueful smile was my reply before he brushed a hand across my face and then headed toward his room. Angry at myself, heartsick, and hurting, I made my way to Rafe's room to get changed into something comfortable and ask the staff if I could just have dinner in my room, as I wasn’t feeling up to being social again.

I tried calling Mattie, but she didn’t answer. So I sent her about sixteen text messages instead, telling her how much I missed her beautiful ass.

The dinner tray arrived twenty minutes later with salad, bread, and some chicken tenders on it. Simple and delicious, it was one of my favorite meals, and I wondered if that was a coincidence or not.

By the time I fell into bed that night, I was exhausted and broken. I'd been here before and knew I'd claw my way out of the darkness, but for now I'd embrace the pain and let it carry me away.





Chapter 16





“You’ll be heading back to the academy today,” Felipe announced at breakfast. “We don’t want you to miss any more classes, and it’s best to get back to normal.”

Jordan and I both lifted our heads from where we’d been shoveling pancakes in. Rafe didn’t even react, so he probably already knew.

“I know I don’t have to tell you all to be careful,” Felipe continued. “Uriel and others from the extremists are still out there, and the school does not have security like our home.”

His eyes met mine. “Stick with my boys, Violet. You’re part of this family now, and we will protect you.”

I shot him a loving, cheeky smile. “I can protect myself, Felipe. And our boys.”

The king shook his head at me. “I’m too old to get another call saying you’ve been hurt or kidnapped. See that I don’t live through it again.”

“I will,” I said seriously. “I’m not letting anyone steal this life from me."

That seemed to satisfy him, and I went back to breakfast so I didn't have to think about everything else that was happening today. My palm reader buzzed.

Mattie: Are you back today, bitch? Thanks for blowing up my messages last night, by the way.

Trying not to laugh, I quickly messaged back.

Yep. Should be on a plane in a couple of hours.

Mattie: I have so much fucking gossip to share with you. Also, I need you to talk me down from Zach. I've been dreaming about his cock, and I don't know what to do about that.

This time I couldn't stop my laughter, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "Mattie," I said by way of explanation.

Who knew you only had to be rescued by your forced fiancé and you'd be all over that boy?

I could almost hear Mattie's scream of frustration.

Mattie: He's a total asshole too. And apparently I like that.

My eyes flicked up to Rafe, who was talking to his mom, the two of their heads close together, looking serious. They both turned at the same time, then, and met my gaze. I had a sneaking suspicion that whatever they'd been saying, my name had come up.

Girl, same. I typed quickly to Mattie. As much as I wish I didn't.

After promising to find her as soon as I got back to the academy, I went up to Rafe's room to pack the clothing Jax had insisted I take with me. Adding that to what was in my closet at the academy, I'd never been so well dressed in my life.

"You ready, Cinderella?" Rafe said, entering the room in slow, sure strides. "Plane is waiting for us."

I ignored him.

He'd heard me last time when I’d said that I was done until he started treating me the way I deserved to be treated. I hadn't done anything to him. This was not my fault. I was going to keep repeating that every single time I felt self-doubt creep in.

Zipping up the small, black overnight bag, I slung it over my shoulder and turned to march from the room. Rafe, with that unreadable expression he did so well, had almost let me pass before his hand shot out and he wrapped those long fingers around my forearm.

"I know what you're doing," he murmured.

I shook my head, the sadness I felt streaming to the surface. "You have no idea," I told him. "I don't play games when it comes to my heart, and Uriel appearing like that again was the biggest reminder of all that I will never let someone debase me again, even if I love them."

Shock spread across his face, blue eyes wide as they stared at me. I was almost certain I'd never seen Rafe speechless before. Not like this.

"See you on the plane," I said, pulling my arm free and marching from the room.

He caught up to me in seconds and, before I could do anything, grabbed the straps of my bag and lifted it up off my arm. "I don't need your help," I snapped. "Stop touching me without my permission."

"Vi," he said, and his tone ground me to a halt. "I need to do something right now or..."

He trailed off, but I knew what those unspoken words would be. He had to do something, or he was going to lose his shit. See, that was the part that hurt the worst. Rafe and I got each other on a level I wasn't sure anyone else ever would. In some ways, I understood exactly why he'd been pushing me away since we got back, or even before that. He'd gone into soldier mode at the compound for the extremists, and he hadn't been able to pull himself out of it since. Soldier mode didn't allow for softer feelings. It didn't allow for love or happiness or joy. You had one fucking job and you did it.

"Never speak to me like shit again," I warned him, releasing my hold on the bag. "I'm not your punching bag when you're angry."

I didn't wait around for his answer, spinning on my heel to hurry off toward the front of the house. The car would be waiting there.

Rafe remained with me, my silent shadow. I legitimately had no idea if anything was fixed or not between us, but it was the start of something. Probably next time we'd sort the rest out with fists and weapons, and part of me really looked forward to that.

Jacinta and Felipe were the only ones to wave us off, giving each of us a tight hug. Jordan winced a little, and Felipe chuckled. "Sorry about that, son. The nurse told us you were all clear to return, but these things take time, I know."

"Totally fine," Jordan said. "It's just a dull ache now. I'm good as new."

He wasn't. The bruises had faded to a nice shade of yellow and green, his cuts scabbed over, and the scrapes were barely visible. He looked like someone who had been in a pretty serious car accident, but there was no doubt he was healing up. And that was all that mattered.

A single car waited out the front, already running, and one of the security hurried over to open the doors for us. Rafe took the driver's side, and I was about to get into the back seat when he shot me a look. It wasn’t as growly as usual, but it was the same sort of look he'd given me when he’d wanted to take my bag.

For fuck's sake. We had to work on this boy's communication skills. And his caveman possessiveness.

When I slid into the front seat, I noticed that he actually half-smiled as he shifted his seat into place. Yeah, me doing what he wanted made him happy, and it looked like he was learning that honey worked better than vinegar when it came to me compromising.

Once our bags were in the car and Jordan in the back seat, we all waved to the king and queen of the Switzerlands, and then Rafe drove off of his estate. The path was familiar—we had taken it not long ago when we'd visited before the dance. The dance that had changed everything.

"Feels like a lifetime ago that we last made this journey." I sighed, looking out the window. "Can't believe it was only a month."

Jordan leaned forward, his hand landing on my shoulder. Rafe's chest did a rumbly thing while his mouth made an annoyed sound. Jordan and I exchanged a glance before we turned to the broody one of the group. "Rafe is having trouble remembering his manners," Jordan said, kissing me on the cheek. "He might need the same wake-up call you gave me."

I snorted. "If you think I'm going to cry in front of that bastard so he can mock me for my weakness, you're insane, America. Rafe gets no more ammunition to use against me."

The prickly prince growled again. "I'm right fucking here; no need to talk about me like I'm not."