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After taking in what Abel disclosed, I sat on the bed, focusing on the weapons and then looking at him. It didn’t take a genius to realize he was telling me things he didn’t let many people in on. Abel wasn’t the most forthcoming person, so I figured I had a significant role in his plans. Which thrilled me because I never once embraced the idea of belonging, and here was Abel telling me our future, and what I wanted out of my life suddenly became clear. I wanted security and stability, a forever home. I peered into his eyes and there was no denying he wanted to give me what I wanted. I had to have the courage right now to take it.
“Now that I have you, Chan, I’m not letting you go. You’re gonna have to deal with it. You’ll need to be able to protect yourself, and you’ll do what I say. There’s no way around it because you’re mine. You already agreed to it.” Abel kissed my forehead and headed toward the door. “Leave your shit here and finish getting dressed; I’ll have breakfast ready for you downstairs.”
The door shut behind Abel before a word left my lips. I gaped at his exit as I thought over what he’d said. Stunned, I didn’t know how to interpret his parting words.
* * *
When we got to our statistics class, it had yet to start. Abel and I walked in before the professor arrived, and I took a moment to let my mind wander over how my life had turned into such a shit show. Everything Abel said had many warning flags, but a large part of me still saw the sweetness of the boy of our youth. I’d catch glimpses of those moments of sweetness from him now and I reveled in them. There were never enough of those moments, but then the SD card popped in and ruined all my good vibes and my emotions jumped all over the place.
The need to talk about what I’d done and the fact I didn’t remember any of it weighed heavily on me, but who was there to talk to? The only person besides Abel I trusted was Kailey, but she didn’t know the truth and it was cruel of me to put any of it on her shoulders. She didn’t need the headache.
Abel’s arm wrapped around the back of my seat, and I shifted to lean against him as the professor worked through his lecture. I wasn’t catching anything as my mind went into a frenzy. I kept picturing myself on the basement couch of the frat house, the gun in hand, and Micah slumped over Abel’s body. My leg began bouncing, and I fought the urge to pace. I hated to sit when I was unraveled in my head.
Blake sat at his desk at the front of the classroom, and I caught sight of his profile as he took notes from the professor and jotted things down in a calendar. As the professor’s teacher’s assistant, he kept everything organized.
The debate warred in my mind over whether I should tell Blake. He peeked over his shoulder and caught me watching him. Blake lifted a brow, and I gave him a weak smile while Blake frowned when he glanced at Abel.
Something pooled in my gut, demanding me to follow its lead and not say anything to Blake. There’d be consequences I’d never be able to come back from. The thoughts swirled around, and I hated having them, but there was no denying things had gotten uncomfortable and distant since I’d chosen Abel over Blake. In my mind, there was no competition. There was no denying I’d choose Abel every time.
The professor finally started winding down and left the rest of the class to Blake to review assignments and tests. When he excused us, people started standing.
“Chan, please stay a moment,” Blake said, and everybody stared for a second before leaving. Abel fumed next to me.
“What the fuck does he want?”
Shrugging my shoulders, I rubbed his arm to soothe him as much as possible. Abel hated me around most guys. There were only a few frat members that he was comfortable with me being alone with, but Blake was the last person he’d allow that liberty. He hated it when I talked to him, but it was ten times worse if I was alone with him. There was no blaming Abel for it because, to be fair, Blake was constantly trying to get me to end things with Abel.
“I’m staying too.”
There was no surprise from me at that statement. I’d figured he would. I grabbed my bag and walked to the front of the room with Abel close to my side, one of his hands on my shoulder. He lightly swiped his thumb over my neck, making little sparks shock down my spine and making my body aware of his presence, which didn’t take much. I was always aware when Abel was nearby.
“I said Chan. You’re dismissed, Abel.” Blake fumed when he glared at my boyfriend.
Not wanting another drastic outburst between the two men, I said, “It’s okay, Abel can stay.”
Blake’s eyes snapped back toward me, and his body stiffened. I couldn’t catch Abel’s face, but I’d bet there was a large smirk plastered across it.
Blake shook his head from side to side, frowning down at his tablet.
“You need to resubmit last week’s assignments and run a virus check on whatever computer you used. The files are infected, and I can’t open them to grade them.”
I stared at him. This was just possible, but I didn’t really believe it.
He met my gaze, a muscle in his jawline jerking. Clearly, he wanted to discuss something else with me, but since Abel was here, he wasn’t going to mention what he actually wanted to talk about. Undoubtedly, it was something about Abel and whether I was serious about him.
Over the past week, Blake and I didn’t talk much because he wasn’t happy with my decision, and when I wasn’t busy with school, homework, and friends, I spent every moment with Abel in bed. That new aspect of our relationship had been mind-blowing, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
“OK, I’ll reupload them this afternoon. Thanks for the extension, Blake.” I kept the sarcasm out of my answer just in case he wasn’t lying.
Blake gave me a curt nod and stormed out of the lecture hall without looking back. I sighed and leaned into Abel’s side as he guided me out the other exit. For once, Abel didn’t rub anything in. He kissed the top of my head and wrapped his arm around me as he asked what we might do for dinner. It was very domestic, and I loved it.
A few minutes later, my phone buzzed.
Blake: Let’s have dinner at your apartment tonight.
The text was more telling than asking. I rolled my eyes as anything with Blake lately had been annoying. The whole little episode in the lecture hall was his way of trying to get me alone to put a wedge between Abel and me. I was sure of it.
Silencing my phone, I put it in my bag because I didn’t want to deal with Blake and his strange mood swings. I understood he didn’t like me with Abel, but he had no say in who I dated. Every conversation with him was about how disappointed he was in me, and I was over it. He didn’t deserve a reply.
