Текст книги "Inked Armour"

Автор книги: Helena Hunting

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8
HAYDEN

My face was warm, damp. A rhythmic thump-whooshing lulled me into tranquillity. My cheek was resting on a chest, which explained the sweaty face. The thump-whoosh was the heart beating in the body I was wrapped around.

I opened my eyes. Tenley was in my bed. For the briefest moment I wondered if the last three weeks had been an incredibly shitty dream. But the scratches on her cheek told me the hell I’d lived was real.

She’d come back. Finally. Unfortunately, we didn’t have one of those reunions filled with sunshine and rainbows. Instead it was former strippers and catfights.

I still didn’t understand how she’d ended up in my bed, acting as my pillow. Going by the feel of things, she was completely naked. Not a good thing for her to be when I was sporting a hard-core case of morning wood and we needed to have a serious talk. The impulse to whack off had deserted me the night Tenley left Chicago, but seeing her in my shirt and boxers last night had resuscitated my comatose dick. I hadn’t been in any frame of mind to manage myself, so I’d bolted. Plus her hip was obviously sore. Sex would have made it worse.

Tenley made a little chuffing sound, which meant she was waking. Then she stretched, her limbs vibrating. I’d missed this, more than I wanted to admit. My emotions made me weak, and my anger flared. Being pissed didn’t deflate my hard-on, though. It had the opposite effect. I rolled onto my back to get a little space, and maybe some perspective, because I had no idea how to proceed. My brain and my body wanted two very different things.

Tenley didn’t make it any easier when she threw her leg over mine, her naked body coming up against me. She hadn’t been joking about losing the shorts. I could feel every part of her, including that sweet, hot place pressed firmly against my thigh. She snuggled in closer, unaware, and her hand moved down my chest. I caught it before it reached my navel.

She lifted her head, blinking sleepily. “Hi.” Her voice was all sultry rasp.

My dick reacted by jumping, stupid appendage that it was, excited for something it had no business wanting. She shifted, her bare breasts brushing my arm, and I tensed at the overload of sensation. I fought the desire to roll over, wedge myself between her thighs, and take what I wanted; to just get inside her so I could feel that connection again.

“How’d you end up in here?” I asked.

She took in her surroundings, confused. Our compromising position must have registered, because she was suddenly alert. I let go of her hand and she sat up. The covers dropped. The first thing I noticed was the too-prominent jut of her collarbones. The slight bounce of her perfectly luscious breasts distracted me, though. The temperature change became evident as her skin pebbled, her nipples tightening. Those little, jeweled barbells winked, spotlit and waiting for my mouth or hands. I looked away.

Tenley quickly gathered the covers and pulled them up to her neck. “You had a nightmare. You don’t remember?”

I shook my head.

“I’m not sure you were very lucid. You, ah, took off my shirt. You were checking for something. A wound, I think?” The sheets rustled, with a whisper of fabric moving against skin.

I glanced at her. She had covered her nakedness with the black shirt from last night. “Did we—”

“No. It wasn’t anything like that. You were upset from the nightmare. I stayed until you calmed down and then we both fell asleep. Nothing else happened.”

I couldn’t imagine not remembering sex with Tenley. “Good, that’s good—”

Like the snap of an elastic band, the nightmare returned in a slide show of horrific images. It was the one that troubled me most these days, where she bled out from a bullet wound to the chest. Except last night the satin sheath had been black instead of white, so I couldn’t see the blood leaking out of her.

The memory of the dream must have registered in my expression because her head dropped. Her hair swept forward, shielding her face. She twisted her fingers in her lap, and tears fell onto the gray comforter. They sat on the surface for a few prolonged seconds before they soaked in, turning the fabric almost black. “I’m so sorry I hurt you,” she whispered.

“I believe you.”

Unable to stop myself, I lifted her chin so I could see her face. Her fears matched mine. I wanted to go back to the way things were before she left, but so much had happened. We had to establish a new balance, and that would take time.

I rolled onto my side to face her. “Want to tell me what happened last night with Sienna?”

“I left Arden Hills in a rush. I called Sarah when I was on the road to let her know I was on my way. I just wanted to be home. Anyway, she didn’t pick up, so I left a voice mail. I stopped at the apartment, but her car wasn’t there—”

“You were right across the street and you didn’t shoot me a message?”

“I wanted to, but you hadn’t answered my calls and I wasn’t ready—”

“You’ve been gone for three fucking weeks. How much more ready do you need to be?”

“I know how it sounds—but I’d been up since you called yesterday morning, and it was late when I got here. I wanted to see you, but I was tired and emotional. I thought it would be better for both of us if I didn’t show up in the middle of the night.”

I could see her point, but it still hurt. “So that’s how you ended up at The Dollhouse.”

“My plan was to get the key and leave. When I mentioned I knew Sarah, the bouncer took that to mean I wanted a job and let me inside. If I’d known Sienna was the manager, though, I wouldn’t have gone in. They took me to see her, and obviously she recognized me. She said some things I didn’t like, and I did the same. When she got aggressive, I defended myself.”

I was proud of Tenley for taking on someone like Sienna. It was reckless, but ballsy. “What exactly did she say?”

Her eyes shifted away. “That I couldn’t handle you. That you’d get bored and go back to her.”

Typical Sienna. “That’s bullshit. I’d rather fuck a cactus. So I’m guessing whatever your reply was, she didn’t like it.”

“Not so much.”

“What did you say to piss her off?”

Tenley’s cheeks flushed. “It’s not important.”

I arched a brow and stared her down. “Oh, no? I’m going to disagree with you on that, considering the state of your face.”

She relented with a heavy sigh. “I called her a whore. That’s when she got aggressive.”

Tenley was leaving something out. I could tell by her lack of eye contact and how fidgety she was. “What else did she say to you?”

“Nothing much. She just wanted a reaction. You said yourself that she likes to lie.”

I shifted closer so Tenley couldn’t hide her face and slid my hand along the side of her neck. Her pulse was hammering against my palm. I skimmed her jaw with my thumb, back and forth. She leaned into the contact. “What else, Tenley?”

“She told me why she slept with Chris.”

My stomach sank. I covered my panic with sarcasm. “Oh? And what was her convoluted logic?”

“She said she did it to get your attention.”

“Well, wasn’t that clever of her,” I replied derisively. Sienna’s version of the events was undoubtedly highly modified, with all the important parts left out. The situation that had led to Sienna’s getting into Chris’s pants had been an epic clusterfuck. I should have known I’d have to deal with this shit sooner or later; there were too many lingering connections with the people from my past. But to have a discussion like this on the first day Tenley came home? My black cloud of doom just kept expanding, submerging me in toxic emotional waste.

“She said you—” Tenley chewed on her lip. Shook her head. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”

“It sure as fuck does matter. What did she say about me?” Sienna had clearly told Tenley more than I would have.

“Can’t we just let this go for now? I know you’re upset I went to The Dollhouse, but it’s done. What Sienna said is irrelevant.”

I scrubbed my hand over my face, annoyed. Frustrated. “Don’t do that. I want to know what she said so I can either defend myself or explain.” I sighed. “I won’t downplay events, Tenley. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know. I think we’re past pretending our omissions don’t have an impact on either of us.” When she remained silent, I needled her, “Did she tell you about the four-way?”

“I-I . . . It—it d-doesn’t—”

“I’ll take that as a yes. Are you going to lie and tell me you’re cool with that? It doesn’t look like you are. In fact, you look a little nauseous. Are you sure it doesn’t matter?”

She fiddled with the edge of the comforter. “Of course I’m not cool with it. But there’s nothing I can do to change it, and neither can you. Why are you pushing me like this?”

“Because I’m still pissed, Tenley!” My anger at Sienna, at Tenley, and myself suddenly combined into one big need for a fight. “You up and ran, with no explanation, for almost a fucking month! How could you do that to me?”

She was silent for a minute. Then she said, “You’re right. I ran. I admit it.” She took a deep breath. “I was terrified of what I had with you, Hayden—and not just because of how much I’d already lost.”

That got my attention. “Why, then?” I asked more quietly.

“Because it made my relationship with Connor feel like a fucking farce. The way I feel about you? I never felt anything like that for him. Maybe I could have been happy with him, but I’ll never know, because he’s dead.

“And that’s my fault. I’m the one who wanted the destination wedding. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to reconcile the reality that I never would have met you if my whole family wasn’t dead? I’m not justifying my running. I’m just telling you why I did.”

Well, that showered me with a monsoon of perspective. Trey’s appearance would have brought all her guilt to the forefront. And the memorial service and the estate gave her the perfect escape. It would have been extremely difficult to handle.

I sighed. “I can understand why you went. But I still wish we could have talked it out before. The last three weeks were shitty.”

“And I’m sorry for that. It was the same for me. I’d change it if I could.”

“How do I know you won’t do it again? How am I supposed to trust you after this?”

Her gaze dropped; when she looked up, her eyes were shiny with unshed tears. “The only way is time, I guess. Will you give me that? I’m sure you have more questions, and I’ll answer them all if it will help. I’ll do whatever you need me to—even if it means giving you space.”

This was way more difficult than I expected it to be. “No thanks on the space. I’ve had enough of that—but I don’t think we can just pick things up where we left off.”

“I’m inclined to agree. So where does that leave us?”

“I have no idea. This isn’t something I’ve done before.”

“Me either. Not really, anyway.” She ducked her head.

“Is there a story behind that?”

“Yes. But the ending isn’t very nice.”

So it had to do with Connor. “You planning to tell it anyway?”

“Do you want me to?”

I wasn’t so sure now was the best time. “Maybe later.”

Her shoulders sagged with relief. “Okay. What now, then?”

I glanced at the clock. It was almost noon. “I’ve got to go to work in an hour, but we could go somewhere and get breakfast first.”

“You’d want that?” She gave me that shy, little smile I liked so much.

“Yeah. I’m gonna shower first, though.”

“I should probably do the same.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask her to join me, but then I figured it might not be the best idea. Showering included nudity, which would inevitably lead to sex. While I wanted that with a desperation that bordered on pathetic, it wasn’t smart. It would feel good, fantastic even, but my head was already too mixed up.

Getting to the shower without Tenley’s noticing my massive hard-on was going to be an epic feat, though.

“Wait.” Tenley grabbed my arm as I threw one leg over the side of the bed.

“Yeah?”

“Maybe I could—”

“I don’t think—”

Her intentions were obvious. “I just want—”

“—it’s a good idea—”

“—to kiss you.”

She didn’t give me a chance to argue. Her hands smoothed over my shoulders and up the sides of my neck. Her touch was exactly the balm I craved, and I loathed my weakness for her. When she leaned in, I gave her my cheek.

She dropped her hands and sat back on her heels, looking at me with sad longing. “You don’t want to kiss me?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“It’s just a kiss. I’m not expecting more.”

She made it sound so innocent, but I knew better. Last night when she’d kissed me, I ended up dry-humping her. And we both had more clothing on then. “We’re in my bed and you’re only wearing a shirt. You may not have expectations, but I don’t have much in the way of restraint right now.”

“You don’t need to restrain yourself for my benefit.”

“I’m still mad at you.” There was no point in denying it.

“I know.” Her fingers drifted along my jaw. “And I understand if you can’t forgive me yet.”

“It’s probably going to take a while.”

“I expect so.” She leaned in again, slowly, until she was only an inch away from my mouth.

I regarded her with wary anticipation. “Making out isn’t going to fix things.”

“No, but it might help alleviate some of the tension.”

Her lips touched mine. She met no resistance so she did it again, going to the left side, to the viper bites.

“I missed your mouth,” she said, nipping her way along.

I groaned in response and she tilted her head to the side, her tongue flicking across the seam of my mouth, a tentative request for access. One hand left my neck and glided down my arm. She stroked along my fingers until they unfurled from the fist I was making.

“It’s okay to touch me,” she said.

“It’s really not a good idea,” I muttered.

She ignored me, though, and moved my not-so-reluctant palm to her hip. I gripped the shirt and it bunched tight, conforming to the dip in her waist and the swell of her breasts. It didn’t at all help my conviction to postpone sexual gratification. Until maybe tonight. After I had the day to process all the shit we’d talked about in the past twelve hours.

“I missed the way you taste.” Her tongue pressed forward, all soft exploration and warm, languid sweeps.

Conflicted though I might be, my body was all for getting close to her. And the closer the better, as far as my dick was concerned. My brain appeared to have migrated south and didn’t see any problem with where we were headed.

Tenley’s hands were on the move again. The one against my neck slid higher into my hair. Her fingers curled and tugged, angling my head to the side. The other one went on a tour over my forearm, up my biceps to my shoulder, then down my chest. She paused at the barbell, her index finger drawing circles before she continued her downward trajectory. The descent stopped at the waistband, where she started tracing the perimeter, back and forth, over and over.

I tensed when her fingers dipped past the elastic barrier, so fucking close to the head of my cock. Contact from the waist up was manageable; anything below and I was liable to drop the pretense of civility. “I thought you didn’t expect more.”

Her fingers stilled. “Do you want me to stop touching you?”

“I don’t know.” Which was a stupid thing to say because I sure as hell didn’t want her to stop. Not one little fucking bit.

She retracted her fingers and settled her palm on my chest, pushing me down on the bed. Her hair fanned out over my chest, tickling the skin as she kept up with the kissing, teasing soft nips interspersed with mind-bending strokes of tongue. Eventually I snaked my hand around the back of her neck and drew her closer.

She shifted around, bracing her weight on one arm, then she started up with the touching again. And stupid fucking me soaked it up. I’d been deprived for too long. The slow progression from my arm to my shoulder, over my chest down to the waistband, and then back up was infuriating. My hips shifted of their own accord, seeking what I was denying us both. She brushed my erection through the fabric.

And I snapped.

In a smooth surge, I wound an arm around her waist and rolled on top of her, settling between her thighs. Even through the thin cotton I could feel the heat and wetness, welcoming me home. I fumbled with the hem of her shirt and yanked it up. She started to pull it over her head, but I swatted her hands out of the way. She might have started this, but I was going to finish it.

Fuck waiting. Fuck necessary conversations. Fuck getting the answers. I ran my palms heavily along her ribs, to the soft swell of her breasts. The barbells were fully healed now, so there was no need to be gentle. I dropped my head and sucked the taut skin into my mouth. Her hands went to my hair, pulling me closer as she arched under me. I bit down, probably harder than I should have, and she gasped.

“I told you it wasn’t a good idea, but you didn’t listen, did you?” I was rerouting the anger into sexual aggression. I shifted in the cradle of her hips; my erection nestled right where I wanted it.

“I’m sorry. I missed you.” Her hands moved down my back and under the waistband, nails digging into my ass.

“Then you should have come back sooner.”

“I wanted to.”

“I don’t want lip service. You shouldn’t have left me here without any fucking clue as to why you were gone. You should have done something about it.”

“Then let me show you.” Tenley tried to slip a hand between us and get to my cock.

“Oh, no, you don’t.” I threaded my fingers through hers and brought her arm up over her head, pinning it to the bed, and did the same with the other one, clasping them together with one hand so I had the other one free. “I’ll give it to you when I’m damn good and ready.”

With a quick shove I pushed my pants down to free my aching erection. Then I shifted my hips back, my cock sliding along her slick skin. I kept it up for a long time, until she was panting and moaning. Every time she got close to an orgasm, I stopped. Then I resumed the slow glide until I was on the verge of coming myself. I slid lower, the head nudging past her entrance. I stopped.

“Please, Hayden.” Her eyes were glassy, her cheeks flushed. She struggled against the hold I had on her hands.

“Please what?” I asked tightly.

“I need you. Please.” Some of the heat in her gaze evaporated. “I never stopped wanting you while I was gone. I just didn’t think I deserved you.”

Relief replaced the near-violent fear that had settled under my skin. Her admission made me powerless against the covetousness to reclaim what was mine. I pushed forward and Tenley lifted her hips as my piercing eased past the threshold. I closed my eyes as the sensation of being connected to her like this again consumed every rational thought. I wanted it to erase all the hurt and the pain, but instead it reminded me of how alone I’d been without her, and how I never wanted to go through that again.

I released her hands and they immediately smoothed down my back and up again, clinging to my shoulders. Then I started a heavy fill and retreat. As I picked up momentum, Tenley’s legs tightened around my waist. I was far from gentle, slamming into her relentlessly. With grim satisfaction I watched her come apart underneath me, over and over again, her eyes never leaving mine. When the lick of fire shot down my spine, I buried my face in her neck even as she pleaded with me to look at her. I couldn’t handle being that transparent, so I denied her. I came so hard, I nearly blacked out.

9
TENLEY

We never made it out for breakfast. And Hayden was late for work.

“You’re going to come in and say hi to everyone, right?” he asked as we passed through the lobby of his building.

“Maybe I should wait until later,” I replied hesitantly. The sex left me feeling awkward and did nothing to assuage the strain lingering between us as we walked side by side, not touching.

“They’ve all missed you, too. It wasn’t just me you left behind.”

The reminder of the pain I’d caused brought on a fresh wave of remorse. I’d exchanged one guilt for another, but at least I had some control over this situation. This I could fix. Hopefully.

“Okay. I’ll come with you.”

His shoulders relaxed and he took my hand. I imagined the pendulum swing of his moods would continue as we sorted through the emotional turmoil I’d created.

We stepped out into the cold afternoon and headed right, passing the storefronts at street level. Hayden had the shortest commute in the world. I glanced at Serendipity, across the street. I’d need to go there next and face Cassie.

The door tinkled as we entered Inked Armor, and silence fell over the shop.

“Hi,” I said meekly as Lisa and Jamie stared. Surprisingly, neither looked all that shocked to see me.

Lisa shot up and came barreling toward me from behind the cash register. “I’m so glad you’re home! When did you get back?” She threw her arms around me, squeezing the breath out of my lungs.

“Late last night.” I returned the embrace.

“You should have sent me a message,” she whispered, too low for anyone else to hear. Lisa was the only one I’d kept in constant contact with. And only because she’d sent me persistent messages the whole time. She was a difficult one to ignore. I squeezed her arm, so she knew I heard her.

“He knows we were all in touch with you,” she murmured, then stepped back. “You’ve lost weight,” she said with disapproval. “And what happened to your face?”

“It’s not a big deal.” I glanced toward the back of the shop, where her office and the private rooms were. I needed to get her alone so I could ask how Hayden found out. It would explain his comment last night and why my silence was so upsetting, beyond the obvious reasons.

Lisa’s eyes moved surreptitiously to Hayden. He crossed his arms over his chest and dropped his head, eyes on the floor. I was sure as soon I left she would ask him all the questions she couldn’t ask me.

Jamie saved me from further interrogation by drawing me in for a hug of his own. “You’ve been sorely missed.”

Chris came out of the supply room when he heard all the commotion, laden down with an armful of supplies. “Tee! You’re back!” He dropped the supplies on the closest surface and lifted me right off my feet. “It’s good to see you, girl.” He set me down. “Sarah tried to call you last night, after she listened to your messages. It’s my fault she missed them in the first place.” He gave me a sheepish smile.

I laughed, even though tears slid down my cheeks. Lisa grabbed me a tissue and Hayden put a protective arm around my shoulder, pressing his nose into my damp hair. “Too much, too soon?” he asked.

“A little overwhelmed is all,” I replied, embarrassed.

“You’re not alone there,” he whispered.

While it was good to see them, conversation was a bit strained; they obviously had questions they didn’t feel comfortable asking yet.

When Chris’s first client arrived, I took the opportunity to make an exit. “I’ve got some things to take care of today.” But Hayden and I had been in such a rush to get out the door, we hadn’t discussed when we’d get together again.

Hayden shoved his hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels. “I’ve got a break between clients around five. Why don’t you come back then? Unless you’re busy with whatever.” He kicked the toe of my shoe with his.

“No, I’m not busy. Maybe we could get something to eat.”

Hayden nodded. “Yeah. Okay. Food would be good. And I’ll need to pick up my car at some point.”

“I’ll take you,” I offered.

“Sure.”

“I’m going to stop in and see Cassie. Can I bring you something back from the café?” The conversation was terribly uncomfortable, especially with Lisa and Chris and Jamie all pretending they weren’t listening. Chris was the only one who was actually occupied with something legitimate, but even he kept glancing in our direction.

“I’m good. My client will be here any minute.”

“Okay. I’ll see you a little later, then.”

“Yup.”

I waited for some parting gesture of affection—even just a peck on the cheek—but none came. I turned toward the door, disappointed by his dismissal.

“Tenley?”

I looked over my shoulder. “Yes?”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” The keys for my apartment dangled from his finger.

“Right. Of course.”

He placed them in my palm and closed my fist around them. There was a pause, and then he yanked me forward. His hand slipped around the back of my neck and his mouth came down, hard and insistent. His tongue shot between my lips, an echo of the aggression in his bed less than an hour ago. When he was done, he released me. I stumbled back; light-headed and off-balance.

“Don’t go far,” he said darkly.

“I won’t. I promise.”

But I could tell he didn’t believe me.

My next stop was Serendipity. I was nervous about seeing Cassie. Her concern about my abrupt departure was clear in our brief e-mails. She never mentioned how Hayden was doing, even though I asked both times. At first I assumed it was because of her loyalty to him, but after seeing him fall apart last night and this morning, I was no longer convinced that was the case. I’d broken him, and I was sure she wanted me to realize that on my own.

The bell above the door chimed and her head lifted. Disbelief flickered across her face, as well as the same wary uncertainty I’d seen on Hayden’s. “You’re back.”

It was the new greeting.

“I got in last night.”

“Does Hayden know?”

“He’s the first person I saw.” Well, that was mostly true.

“How is he?”

“Confused. Hurt. Angry. Relieved, maybe? We had a long talk last night, and again this morning.”

“He hasn’t managed this well.” Accusation was in her tone.

“I know. Neither have I.” Her disapproval hurt. She had given me fair warning early on about Hayden. She would hold me accountable for what I’d put him through.

She slipped off the chair and came out from behind the counter. “Come here.”

Her embrace was exactly what I needed; it held her forgiveness. I wanted to apologize, but I didn’t know where to start.

“I didn’t mean to hurt him. Or anyone.”

“I’m certain that’s true.” Her hands rested on my shoulders. “And now that you’ve seen what it’s done to him, I’m also very sure you won’t ever do it again.”

A silent or else was tacked on at the end, but I took no offense. I expected nothing less from her.

After I left Serendipity I went to my apartment. Sarah’s car wasn’t in the driveway, but exams were this week, so she could well be in the middle of one. I hadn’t thought to ask Chris while I was at Inked Armor.

The key turned smoothly when I slipped it in the lock, which was unusual. Most of the time I had to fiddle with it to get it to open. I braced myself for the mess I’d left behind, but my apartment had been cleaned. The books I typically left strewn on the floor were stacked neatly on the coffee table. The blankets were folded and placed over the arm of the couch, the pillows in the corners. Hayden was the only person who would take that time and care with my things.

I took off my shoes and hung up my coat, moving through the space like a voyeur. Everything felt so foreign, as if it were someone else’s home instead of my own. My bedroom was as tidy as the rest of the apartment, not a thing out of place. Or rather, everything had been put in a better, more reasonable spot. The pillows on my bed were artfully arranged against the headboard. I lifted the edge of the comforter and checked the sheets. They had been changed and had hospital corners.

In the kitchen, the fridge had been cleaned out; a fresh-cut lemon sat on the top shelf. My water jug was full, slices of lemon floating on the surface. Hayden must have stopped by recently, and more than once. He’d been waiting for me to come home.

In need of a distraction, I opened my laptop and printed out the most recent version of my thesis. I’d made little progress in my time away, too consumed with everything else. While Trey’s forged legal paperwork had bought me some time and pity from the dean of the program, I was behind the timeline for the complete rough draft. I’d have to work doubly hard to make up not only the missed time, but also the class I TA’d.

At least my scholarship hadn’t been revoked. Yet. Professor Calder had expressed his concern over the possibility that my funding might not continue, and I was sure I’d hear more about that, and his other issues, when I met with him. I planned to drop off a current draft in case he had a chance to look at it before second semester began. If there was one thing I hadn’t missed while I was in Arden Hills, it was my adviser meetings.

The temperature had done a nosedive in the last week and my car windows were covered with frost. I got in the car and blasted the heat, shivering as I waited for the windshield to clear because I didn’t have a scraper. While my teeth chattered and the car warmed, I sent Hayden a message to let him know I was heading out to pick up groceries but would be at Inked Armor by five. I didn’t even get the phone back in my pocket before Hayden fired a message back. He requested I pick up beer and food for TK, specifying the brand for both.

Northwestern was my first stop. It was quiet on campus. Most students were shut away in the library or coffee shops, cramming for exams. Classes wouldn’t resume until after the New Year. The buildings would be open during the day until the end of next week, when marks were due. I had twenty-seven essays to mark and submit by next Friday, which wouldn’t be a problem since I didn’t have a job anymore. Cassie and I had yet to discuss if I would resume shifts at Serendipity.

I took the stairs to the third floor. My hip was stiff but not overly sore. After the fight with Sienna and the sex with Hayden, I expected it to feel much worse. Maybe the workout helped. With a smile, I pushed through the door beside the bank of elevators. As I rounded the corner, a familiar-looking girl with long, sandy-blond hair stepped out of my adviser’s office with a giggle. All the way down at the other end of the hall, she didn’t notice me.

A hand shot out and dragged her back through the doorway by her waist. I stepped out of view and flattened myself against the wall. The giggling stopped abruptly, followed by a whisper of voices. I held my breath and waited. Another titter filtered down the hall, cut off by the soft click of a door’s closing.