Page 64 of Group Studies
I pulled away from his hand and tilted my head up, studying the ceiling. Love. I wasn’t any more prepared to deal with that word coming out of Ashe’s mouth than Beryl’s. Much less my own relationship with it. Despite my anger, I still wanted Ashe in my life, but my fellow student Ashe, not the ‘decorated’ MA officer.
Ashe steepled his hands in front of him. “Let me heal your neck and be your shadow today. If you want me gone, I’ll respect it. Officer Keres will still want someone with you, but it doesn’t have to be me.”
I eyed him, still too angry to speak.
As if approaching a wounded animal, Ashe leaned forward, slowly pulling Tanwyn’s scarf off my neck. I let him. His incredibly gentle fingers prodded the bruising before his healing magic lit fire to my nerves. When his magic left me, he pulled me out of my seat and into his chest for a quick hug.
“Never again,” Ashe said, squeezing me harder. He shook slightly and his desperation cut through some of my anger. “I’m done with the assholes at this Institute.”
I let myself hug my Ashe back, living in his comfort. Too soon, the dark red and blue of his uniform drew me back to reality. I pulled out of his arms like they burned me.
“Do you go to your classes anymore?” I asked, sticking to the practicalities rather than prodding at my hurt.
“Nope,” Ashe answered confidently.
I wrinkled my nose. Everything Ashe told me over the weeks ran through my mind. “Is your brother really in the MA?”
“Nope.” Ashe peered. “I don’t even have one. Those were all me.”
I wrinkled my nose, before snorting in disbelief. “You’re fucking shameless.”
Ashe grinned, standing a little taller. “Aww, Kitten, my vocabulary is rubbing off on you.”
I raised my fist to punch him on the arm but held back. We couldn’t go back to the way things were. Anger burned in my gut, the light-hearted moment dying in its inferno. Everything I did to protect our friendship slapped me in the face.
The foghorn blared, letting me know I was running late to Runes. I cursed and gathered my things as fast as I could.
Although the sprint through the halls almost killed me, Ashe didn’t look bothered at all. I fell against the door before he could open it for me. Breathing hard, I pushed it open with my body weight, before stumbling into the alchemy lab.
Every head snapped to me. Yasmine’s phone already recording in her hand. Next to her, Saffron fumed, anger darkening his face as he looked between me and Ashe. Ghalen had a hand on Tanwyn’s arm as he glared.
“Aphrodite,” Abe snapped.
Ashe grabbed my shoulder to steady me. “I detained her.”
I took a step forward and pulled out of his grip, holding my hands out to show I was okay. Tanwyn shrugged off Ghalen and gave me a nod. Saffron’s eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest.
Abe cocked her lizard-like head to the side, one eyebrow raised. “Well, we can’t argue with an MA officer, can we?” She stuck a square of chocolate in her mouth. “Take your seat, now.” She sharply gestured to the table I shared with Ram.
Ram licked his lips with a sly grin, but it soon fell when his eyes dropped to my neck to find it bruise free. I stood straighter, preparing myself for another afternoon of dancing around the table.
Ashe lengthened his stride to reach my workstation first. He picked up a stool from an empty table and placed it so he sat between Ram and me.
“Lover, come to my other side,” Ram said. “We can’t get our work done with someone between us.”
Saffron snorted. Tanwyn and Ghalen both turned from their workstation in the front, their eyes wide. I flicked my gaze to Abe, who leaned against her thick wooden desk. She reached into a drawer and pulled out a bag of popcorn.
I leaned forward, both eyebrows raised before Ashe’s angry voice pulled my attention back to the drama about to unfold.
“Let’s nip this in the ass.” Ashe rubbed his balled fist. “I pulled her beaten body out of the suitcase you put her in. The MA found A’s bookbag in your fucking room and has two videos of you attempting to choke her, one in this very lab.”
Ram scowled past Ashe at me. Ashe stepped closer to Ram and continued. “She’s not your fucking lover nor is she going to be your punching bag anymore. It’s hands-off civility, or I can put a bullet between your filthy shit-filled eyes right now.”
Ashe removed his jacket, drawing attention to the tool belt around his hips. An assortment of potion bottles, leather pouches, and a hefty-looking black firearm sat buckled snuggly into place. I’m not sure how I missed them in my last class, but gunfire and smoke drifted up from my memory as my vision tunneled. I shivered and fought the urge to run.
Ashe folded his jacket and set it across the table in sharp controlled motions.
Ram’s face turned a frightening purple color. He shot out of his seat, the stool under him crashing to the floor. “The MA was in my room? There’s no proof I’ve done any of that.” He pointed at me. “She fucked up Alrick’s mind.”