Page 84 of Midnight of Ashes
He shuffled his feet, looking down. The move was so un-Maddox-like. Maddox was usually calm confidence. He was never unsure.
Finally, he looked up, meeting my gaze. “I’m so sorry.”
I frowned at him. “You didn’t do anything?—”
Maddox cut me off with a sharp shake of his head. “I knew that Brent’s female advisees didn’t usually stick around. I thought it was because he was a misogynist, but I should’ve looked closer. Should’ve known there was more going on.”
“So, you’re blaming yourself because you’re not psychic?” I challenged.
Maddox’s brows rose. “No, I?—”
“Good. Because that would be really freaking dumb, and I thought you were the genius around here.”
His lips twitched. “Can’t let that reputation falter.”
“No, you can’t.”
Maddox reached out, his hand curling around mine. The simple touch sent a wave of heat through me. Prickles of sensation danced through my palm. “I’m glad you’re okay. Glad you fought.”
My throat worked as I swallowed. “Me, too.”
Footsteps sounded in the hallway, and Maddox dropped my hand. It was as if a gaping hole appeared in my chest the moment I lost the contact. Those tiny pieces of Maddox meant more to me than was logical. But I’d hold on to them with everything I had.
“What’s going on?” Knox asked. “Why are you all standing around when there’s food on the table?”
Cillian chuckled. “One-track mind.”
I glanced past Knox at Easton. I braced for animosity after the way he’d stormed out of my bedroom earlier. But there wasn’t any to be found. He moved forward and dropped a kiss to the top of my head. “Want me to fix you a plate?”
Everyone around us stilled.
“Uh, no. That’s okay. I can do it.” My words tripped over each other.
Easton nodded. “Just make sure you get enough to eat. You missed dinner last night.”
I’d slept right through it, and my stomach was ravenous. I made my way to the table, taking my usual seat. Easton followed behind me, stealing Knox’s spot before he could grab it.
Knox ducked his head to hide his grin, opting for the opposite side of the table. Cheeky bastard.
I scooped eggs onto my plate, along with a croissant that looked amazing, and a fruit salad that seemed to have all the colors of the rainbow. As I started to eat, I glanced at Cillian. “Is, uh, everything taken care of with you-know-who?”
Cillian’s fingers tightened around his fork. “Yes. He won’t be an issue anymore. If anyone asks if you’ve seen him, just say you had a meeting after class and that Knox picked you up from it. You guys didn’t see Brent after that.”
It wasn’t even a lie. Knox had literally picked me up from the meeting. A shiver washed through me as the memories tried to surface.
Knox cleared his throat. “We have the morning off. What do you want to do? We could go shopping or go for a hike.”
“She should rest,” Easton argued.
I sent a sidelong glance in his direction. “I feel completely fine. And I think I slept for like fifteen hours.”
Easton frowned but nodded.
I broke off a piece of my croissant. “There is one thing I’d like to do.”
Cillian turned to me. “Name it.”
And I knew he meant that. He would move heaven and earth to give me my heart’s desires.
