Page 22 of Exile
“Kai, we both know Serena is too fucking sweet to hurt your feelings by telling you to move on. But that’s what you need to do. You drug your feet and missed your chance with her. Now let her live her life and be happy with a man who is willing to take care of her the way she deserves. Do what I say, or next time I won’t let you off with a warning.” Officer Assgoblin raps his knuckles against the door and backs away. “Oh, and be more careful in the future. I’d hate for someone to get hurt because of your actions.”
A shudder runs through me at his parting words. They don’t feel like a warning at all. They feel like a threat.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
KAI
I’m sitting in my usual seat in class when Serena rushes in, her cheeks flushed with exertion, her curls floating around her face like a halo. She’s not late today. In fact, we have another ten minutes before class starts, so I’m not sure what her rush is. She makes her way to the back row where I’m sitting, an excited sparkle in her jade-colored eyes. I shift uncomfortably in my seat, realizing that she’s planning on sitting next to me today. Between the sexy as fuck dream I had about her and my run-in with Dominick, I’m not ready to be this close to her again.
Serena collapses into her seat, her body pressing against mine in the small auditorium seating. I catch a whiff of her jasmine and hibiscus shampoo, and it goes straight to my dick. Shit, since when do I notice what she smells like? Has she always smelled this good? I shift in my seat, trying to put some space between us, but she just turns, flashing me the most jubilant smile, and I am momentarily struck dumb by how gorgeous she is. Her smile could rival the brightest star, and the excitement radiating from her is infectious.
“Damn, ReRe, did you win the lottery or something? Did Jensen Ackles finally accept your marriage proposal?”
Serena bites her lower lip and shoots me a coy smile, sending a jolt of lust shooting through me. What. The. Fuck. She’s been next to me for all of sixty seconds and I’m already painfully turned on. I shift again, lowering the book I was reading onto my lap, hiding the evidence of my arousal.
“Something like that… Dominick is taking me away for the weekend to a cabin in the mountains. He arranged it with Mrs. G, and she’s going to come stay with Mom while I’m gone. Isn’t that so sweet? I haven’t had a weekend off in so long!” Serena leans her head against my shoulder and wraps her arm around my own, giving it a tight squeeze.
“He said he’s tired of watching me work myself to death and that I deserve a break, so he contacted Mav at the bar and got me off the schedule for the weekend.” She lets out a dreamy sigh, and I bite back the urge to point out to her that I’ve told her the same exact thing.
“That’s…nice. Are you sure your mom is going to be okay with you being gone the whole weekend?” Fuck knows I’m not okay with it. Not even a little bit.
“Yeah, Dom talked to her and Mrs. G together while I was at work, and Mom got so excited, she immediately wrote it down in her journal and told Mrs. G to make sure I went. She said, and I quote, ‘If that girl doesn’t go on this trip, then I’ll go in her place and steal her boyfriend’.” Serena cracks up at her own impression of her mom, and I force a brittle smile while a sour jealous feeling claws at my chest.
The idea of her spending the weekend away with the douchewaffle that threatened me sends a sense of dread slithering through my body.
“So anyway, we are leaving after I’m done with class tomorrow and won’t be back until late Sunday.” Serena continues on, completely oblivious to my discomfort. “Do you mind checking in on Mom and Mrs. G while I’m gone to make sure they’re okay? I know they won’t call me short of a meteor hitting the house, and I need to know someone will let me know if something happens with Mom.” When I don’t answer right away, still lost in my own thoughts, Serena pulls away and looks up at me, a concerned expression furrowing her brows.
“Kai? Is something wrong?” I shake off her touch and put some space between us as Dominick’s threat from this morning plays through my mind.
“Yeah…no. Everything is fine. I’ll try to check on your mom while you’re gone.” She seems put out by my noncommittal answer but before she can press me about it, Professor Jacobs clears his throat, directing our attention to the front of the room. Serena shoots me one last narrow-eyed curious look before turning her attention to the lecture.
When class ends, I pack up my computer and move to leave when Serena stands in front of me, looking up at me expectantly with her gem-colored eyes. “Wanna grab lunch?”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to accept her invitation, but Dominick’s warning plays in the back of my mind. I should tell her about his behavior, but will she believe me? Or will she think I’m jealous, and I’m just trying to break them up? As I’m about to accept her invitation, her phone buzzes in her back pocket, diverting her attention away from me.
“Oh, hang on; it’s Dom. Let me get this.” Serena holds a finger up for me to wait. “Hey, Pumpkin, what’s up?” Her face lights up when she answers her phone with a giddiness I haven’t seen from her since before her parents’ accident. The sick realization that Dominick might be right about him being the man for her crawls through my brain like a spider, and I decide to take the opportunity to escape to sift through my own feelings.
“Actually, ReRe, I have lunch plans. I gotta go. I’ll call you later.” She looks at me, a disappointed frown tugging at her full, voluptuous lips at my dismissal. I flash her what I hope is a reassuring smile before squeezing around her to make my escape, leaving her staring after me with hurt and rejection dancing across her face.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
SERENA
“Are you absolutely sure you’re okay with staying?"
I’m standing in the kitchen watching Mrs. G make some tea for her and Mom instead of finishing packing my things for my weekend away with Dom. He’ll be here any minute, but I’m starting to feel guilty about saddling Mrs. G with Mom-sitting duty for an entire weekend. Especially since she’s spent so much time taking care of her sister lately.
“Child, if you don’t finish packing your bag, I will send you out that door with only the clothes on your back. Laura and I will be just fine. I rented that Magic Mike movie from the Redbox to keep us entertained. Go on now; get out of here.” Mrs. G shoos me out of the kitchen, and I retreat upstairs to my bedroom desperately wishing I could erase the mental image of her and my mom watching the movie about male strippers from my mind.
I’m busy frantically tossing clothes into my weekend bag when Dom strolls through my bedroom door, looking delicious in a black t-shirt under a red and black flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, exposing his muscular forearms. His dark hair is glistening from the rain, and I find myself distracted by the one lone drop of water rolling down the side of his face. I was so distracted by panicking over what to pack I didn’t hear him arrive. Or realize it was raining out.
“Kitten, you’re not packed. I told you to be ready to go at 3:00 p.m. sharp. Am I going to have to smack that plump ass of yours to get you to listen?” Dom’s stern tone sends shivers through me as he tugs me into his body, crushing his mouth against mine in one of his demanding, panty-destroying kisses. As he pulls back, he nips at my lower lip playfully.
“I’m sorry, sir. I promise I’ll be a good girl and listen better next time.” I flash him a coy smile as I return to packing my bag. Dominick surprises me by reaching into my bag and pulling out my clothes, discarding them on the floor one by one.
“You won’t need this…or this…or these…” He drops my pajamas, favorite leggings, extra sweatshirt, and most of my panties on the floor. (Okay, maybe I didn’t need five pairs of panties for one weekend trip, but you never know when you will have a panty emergency.)
“Excuse me? What do you expect me to wear, then?” I narrow my eyes at him in mock annoyance.