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She lowers her gaze, those dark lashes of hers fanning her high cheekbones. “I… I like it when you take care of me.”
I smile at her. “I’m glad, because I plan to do just that for as long as we’re bound.”
Once we’ve showered, I carry Calla to my bed, where she falls asleep a few minutes after her head rests against my chest. I wrap my arms around her, holding her to me as I exhale a heavy breath, finally letting myself relax as I close my eyes and wait for sleep to take me.
14
Calla
Iblink my eyes open, yawning and stretching my bare legs on top of Gabriel’s plush black duvet cover. My lips curl into a smile when his arm tightens around my waist, pulling me against him. When I feel his hard length pressing against my thigh, I turn my face into the pillow, muffling the laugh that escapes my lips. Rolling onto my side, I shimmy back, pushing my ass against his erection with a mischievous grin.
Gabriel groans under his breath. “Calla,” he murmurs into my hair.
I press my lips together. “Hmm?”
“You’re teasing me,” he says.
“She’s good at that.”
My head turns to find Kade leaning in the doorway, his wickedly muscular arms crossed over his broad chest. He’s clean-shaven today and dressed casually in navy joggers and a black V-neck. Before I have a chance to respond to that, he struts into the room and flops down onto the bed, effectively sandwiching me between him and Gabriel. He yanks the pillow from under my head, stuffing it under his as I grumble at him, trying to shove him off the bed with zero success. Gabriel chuckles on my other side, and I roll my eyes. “Don’t encourage this behavior,” I say.
Kade smirks at me. “Wakey, wakey. Time to get out of bed, sleepyheads. It’s almost noon.”
Narrowing my eyes at him, I snuggle back into Gabriel’s arms. “That’s seriously what you barged in here to tell us?”
He reaches for me and taps the tip of my nose. “Nope. Thought you should know that I talked to your professors, and—”
“You what?” I cut him off, my voice pitching higher with unease. The idea of Kade waltzing around campus,talkingto people I respect aboutme… I grind my molars, waiting for his response.
“They’ve all agreed to accommodate you finishing the term online.”
My stomach sinks, and I suddenly feel claustrophobic between two vampires. “I don’t want to take online classes.”
Gabriel’s thumb brushes back and forth over my hip. I think he’s trying to keep me calm, but all I want to do right now is shove Kade onto the floor and yell.
What an infuriating, overbearing—
“It’s safer,” he explains, ignoring my glare.
“This is ridiculous,” I mutter, shifting out of Gabriel’s arms. I scoot toward the end of the bed to put space between me and them, then turn to look at Kade. “What will Brighton think? How am I supposed to convince her everything is all sunshine and roses when in reality I’m living with four vampires and her family hunts them for a living?”
Gabriel frowns and reaches for me, but I slide off the end of his bed and stand, crossing my arms. I’m still wearing Kade’s shirt, which isn’t lost on him, considering the lust-filled look he sends my way.
“You’re overthinking this,” Kade says with a sigh. “We can make her think whatever we need to—whatever is going to keep you safe.”
I blink at him, torn between the fluttering sensation in my stomach and the flare of anger. It’s very confusing. “No,” I finally say. “I don’t want you messing with her head anymore.”
He doesn’t miss a beat. “Ask me if I care.”
Heat rises in my cheeks, and I drop my arms to my sides, closing my hands into fists without thinking about it. “Can you stop being a complete asshole for two seconds, Kade? She is my best friend, and while you don’t give a shit about her, I do.”
Kade sits up, leaning against the headboard, and pins me with a dark stare. “Forgive the fuck out of me, Calla, if I don’t feel the need to accommodate the legacy of our enemy. Especially at the expense of your safety.”
“She doesn’t even know about the hunters,” I shout, my pulse kicking up—along with my blood pressure. “You can’t hold what her family does against her. She has absolutely nothing to do with it!”
“This isn’t up for discussion, angel,” Gabriel says in a gentle voice. “Letting you go to school would be reckless with Selene still playing her games. We can revisit this once she’s been dealt with.”
My gaze whips in his direction, and I regard him incredulously. Of the four vampires, I really did believe that Gabriel would take my side. I shake my head. “And when will that be?” All of the warmth and pleasantness from waking up in Gabriel’s arms has left my body, leaving me standing before them cold and agitated.
