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“Everything okay?” Loren asked, her eyes only for Darien, thank fuck. The nurse bustled away, looking grateful to be relieved of her responsibilities as she headed down to the reception desk.
“Everything’s peachy, baby,” Darien said. “We were just getting to understand each other a bit better. Isn’t that right, Klay?”
“Yeah,” Klay said tightly, dusting off his shirt. “We understand each other real well now.”
Loren looked between them. “Okay, then,” she sighed. “Umm, shall we go?” Her question was for Klay, who nodded and began to drift down the hallway, a stupid smile on his face.
And for the second time that afternoon, Darien felt like someone had punched him.
“Go?” Darien repeated. “Go where?”
“We have a project we need to finish at the academy,” Loren said weakly. “That’s why he brought me here, why I didn’t…” Why she hadn’t asked him to take her here instead.
“A project.” Darien’s voice was flat. He felt a Surge knocking, but he mentally stomped it down. It was a million degrees in here and steam was blowing out his ears and nose. He felt like he was going to explode like that hellseher in the warehouse.
“It’s just a school thing, Darien.” Her voice was gentle. Pleading.
Klay was down the hallway now. Looking over his shoulder at their exchange. Piece of fucking shit.
Darien looked back at Loren. “Baby, he was holding your hand.”
“I didn’t want him to do that.”
“Great, so can I beat the shit out of him, then?”
“It was a joke.”
“Well, it isn’t fucking funny.”
“He won’t do it again. I promise.”
“He’d better not, or I’ll kill him. Anyone who touches you against your permission, I don’t care if it’s your hand or your ass, they’re getting their heart ripped out and shoved down their throat.”
Loren paled. At the sound of her heart skipping in her chest, Darien found himself evaluating his own words.
But he’d meant every word. Every single one.
“I’ll tell you if he tries to do it again,” Loren whispered. “Okay? Is that what you want to hear?”
“I want to hear you say that you want to see me.”
Loren was speechless. Darien watched her as her cheeks flushed red, and her eyes got that glassy look to them that told him she was seconds from crying. And even though that was the last thing he wanted, he kept talking, because he had her here right now, right this second, and he didn’t want to waste the chance to be heard.
“It’s been seven days—yes, I’m counting, forgive me—and I’ve missed you for every single one. I just want to understand, Loren, that’s all I want. I feel like you locked me in a dark room and I’ve got my hand on the light switch but you’re stopping me from turning it on. Just help me to understand—please.” He pressed his palms together, as if in prayer—because he’d meant what he’d said at her school. He would beg for her. Crawl for her. He would get down on this floor and do anything she asked. “Give me something. Even if you said that you didn’t want to be with me anymore, it would be easier for me to swallow than this.”
Because he would finally have a direct answer.
“That’s not what I want.”
“But you don’t want to see me. You told me that you’re afraid of Gaven, and I get it, I can understand your fears, sweetheart. But then I come here and I see you with this guy you never even told me exists.” His eyes locked on Klay, who was still watching. Darien barked, “Mind your own goddamn business or I’ll kill you.”
Klay held his hands up and turned away.
Darien faced Loren again. “I’m new to this, okay?” He forced himself to breathe. Forced his hands to loosen. “Just like you. We’re both still learning, we’re growing, and that’s to be expected. But what we need is communication. We need to communicate, Loren, and you’re not talking to me—”
“I didn’t tell you about him because he’s just a student.” Loren’s voice was a defeated croak. “I didn’t think it was a big deal. We were assigned to be partners for a botany project, that’s it.”
“Okay. Okay, fine, I trust you, Loren. I do.” He jerked his chin at the hallway at her back. “Go get those good grades.”
