Page 103 of Midnight of Ashes
I nodded. “I’ll chill in Mad’s office. But I want to be close.”
It would kill me not to be by her side. But I’d just have to trust my brothers to stick close.
Hayden’s shoulders relaxed a fraction. “It helps, knowing you’ll be there.”
Warmth spread through me, eating away at some of the fear. Was that sensation love? I hated that I hadn’t given Hayden the words. But I wouldn’t lie to her. Not to my mate. My childhood had left me unequipped to truly know what that emotion was. It had never been safe for me to experience it.
But for the first time, I wanted to give it to someone. To Hayden.
“We need to go,” Maddox said quietly.
I nodded, leading the way out to the SUV. I motioned for Maddox to take the wheel. I needed to be close to Hayden. Needed to feel her.
My dragon was riding me hard. He wanted to scoop her up and hide her in a cave on the mountain. And part of me didn’t disagree.
Instead, I climbed into the vehicle and hauled her onto my lap. Hayden looked up at me, puzzled.
I pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth as the rest of the guys piled into the SUV. “Need as much of you as I can have before we get there.”
Knox glanced at us from the seat behind. “His dragon’s going to be extra possessive, since the bond is so new.”
“Oh,” Hayden said, sympathy filling her tone as Maddox started the SUV. She burrowed into me, giving me the contact I so desperately needed.
“Thank you,” I rasped.
“It’s not exactly a hardship cuddling you, Cill.”
Cáel chuckled next to us. “What about me?”
Hayden grinned. “You either.”
He took her legs and spread them over his lap, kneading her calves through her jeans. “Good.”
The ride to campus was quiet after that. We were all lost in our own worlds of worry and what-ifs, but my dragon was soothed by his mate’s scent and the beat of her heart against ours.
As Maddox pulled into a parking spot by the science building, I brushed my lips against Hayden’s. “Stay close to the guys today, okay?”
She nodded.
Easton twisted in his seat. “We have bio and psych this morning, so I’ll be with her the whole time.”
That eased some of the panic flowing through me. “Good.”
Hayden kissed the underside of my jaw. “We’ve got this.”
I nodded but didn’t say a word.
Finally, Cáel opened his door. We all took it as a sign to get out.
Hayden followed behind me, but we pulled up short as two figures strode toward us.
Detective Alwyn glared at Hayden. “Ms. Parrish. We need to speak with you. Now.”
53
HAYDEN
My throat stuck as I tried to swallow. Knox instantly moved to my side, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me in. “Not without her lawyer.”
