Sauter (Ironside Academy, #3)(46)
He swallowed as his anger and frustration melted into something else, his hand tightening around the phone. For the briefest, most disturbing second, his sight wavered, and he imagined another body on the counter, dripping in liquid and following his orders. A growl built up in the back of his throat and he dropped his phone down, cutting off the recording.
He walked out, slamming the door, his eyes closing for a brief second as he willed his half-hard cock to deflate.
He stalked into the elevator and texted the group a quick message.
Mikel (admin): We’re set. There won’t be any repercussions from Tilda.
To Tilda, he sent the recording.
Mikel: Nobody has seen it, and nobody has to. Don’t ever try to trap me again, Tilda.
He briefly considered sending another, kinder message. Something like I enjoyed our mutually beneficial arrangement, or maybe to wish her the best for the future, but Tilda wasn’t a sentimental person and she likely wouldn’t appreciate the empty attempts at pleasantries.
It was better to just be honest, and he honestly wasn’t thinking about their arrangement or her future at all by the time his feet hit the pathway leading back to Dorm A.
His focus had always been on the Alphas, and tonight was no different.
8
How About Go Fuck Yourself?
It was difficult for Isobel to drag herself back from the warm, fuzzy depths of sleep, and the closer she got to the surface of consciousness, the more she ached. It was a slow pain, a cinder sparking against a rough, cavernous wall, showing just how cold and empty she was inside.
It was confusing, because at the same time, she felt amazing.
She felt light as air, warm to her core, and blissed out on the most delicious aroma. Like a full-bloom meadow in spring, the bergamot-oleander blend was heady and drowsy, sweet and sunny. Light and fragrant, but utterly addictive. She cracked her eyes open, blurrily focussing on the ceiling of Theodore’s room, her arms and legs flinging out as she unfurled in a heavy, lazy stretch.
The bed was empty, but still warm on either side of her.
She paused, her brow furrowing as she tried to remember what had happened the night before. Kilian. Theodore. The shower. And then … nothing?
Panic sluiced through her, heavy and sharp, but there were no new scars on her arms. In fact, the scars she did have seemed to have faded slightly. They were smaller. Thinner. Less jagged.
The bed smelled only faintly of Theodore, and strongly of Kilian and Sato. They must have stayed with her.
She sucked in a lungful of air, trying to clear away the remnants of her panic as the door cracked open, Cian appearing with a cup of coffee and a plate of avocado toast.
“Morning, sunshine.” He kicked the door closed behind him, eyeing her carefully. “Ready to go viral because the sexiest Alpha in Dorm A just brought you breakfast in be—” He froze, his eyes zeroing in on her chest.
She glanced down, freezing at the slight glow through her borrowed T-shirt. She yanked at the neckline, pulling it far enough to reveal the shining gemstone. The new gemstone. It was a few inches below the stone that had momentarily given her Kalen’s powers. It was a cold, icy grey, like a cloudy diamond.
The panic tried to claw back into her, but Cian’s panic was stronger, drowning hers out. He dropped the plate, shoving the mug onto the bedside table as he fell onto the bed, grabbing her head in his hands.
“Focus on me,” he said quietly. “Take five deep breaths. Count them for me.”
Panic, panic, panic.
It hammered into her, denting her barricade, knocking her off kilter.
“Y-You’re the one freaking out,” she gritted. “N-Not me.”
He blew out a breath that was half laugh, half scoff, his emotion settling somewhat. “Right. Sorry. Tell me what you’re feeling?”
He was still holding her face, his hands making her feel tiny, the roughness of his palms tempting her to turn her face to the side and brush her cheek against the texture, but she held herself back.
“I feel … warm. Like nothing really. Are you trying to hold me in place by my head so I don’t turn back time?”
He made that huffing sound again, his hands drifting, one of them slipping around the back of her neck, the other dropping to her shirt, weighing down the neckline as he stared at the gemstone … and almost exposed her chest a little too much. “We don’t know what this one does. It could be …” He trailed off, giving her a guarded look.
“I know.” She caught his forearm, brushing her touch along his skin, trying to soothe him the way he seemed to be able to do just by touching her.
His attention drifted, his teeth catching his lip as he pressed his knuckles forward against the chain embedded into her skin. His eyes flicked up to hers, watching her reaction, before he unfurled his fingers, pressing his entire palm to her chest. Her own hands fell back down to her lap, her heart stuttering beneath his grip.
He pressed, weighing her back, inch by inch until her head was sinking into the pillow, her hair fanning messily around her. He pulled in a steadying breath, licking his lips.
“How do you feel?” he repeated.
Well now she didn’t want to tell him.
She folded her arms, inadvertently trapping his hand between her breasts. Something lit up in his bright gaze, the aquamarine colour glittering as his power swelled around her, dousing her in sun and saltwater. It pooled in the back of her throat, threatening to choke her. She was almost convinced that a cresting wave had sprayed her with sea mist as little beads of sweat tried to gather across her skin.