Page 60 of Midnight of Ashes
“You ready, East?” Knox asked.
He nodded and then handed me a cup and a bag.
I took them slowly, staring down at them. “What is it?”
“Hot chocolate and a chocolate croissant,” he answered gruffly.
I looked up at him. “Is it poisoned?”
Easton rolled his eyes as he turned for the door. “Shut up.”
My mouth curved. “Thank you, Grumpy Cat.”
He flipped me his middle finger, and I laughed. But warmth filled me at the idea that Easton had brought me something, but more than that, he’d paid attention to what I liked.
“These lab write-ups,” I muttered as my fingers flew across the keyboard. I loved the actual science, but having to give voice to our findings took for-freaking-ever.
Wren looked up from her notes, lips twitching. “Well, we did get a little behind.”
I winced. “I’m so sorry you got a dud for a lab partner.”
She shook her head. “You’re not a dud. But you have had a hell of a start to the school year.”
Understatement of the century. Thankfully, Maddox had given us a generous extension on our lab work. But I wanted to get it done.
“I’m really hoping for boring for the rest of the semester.” But somehow, I doubted that would happen.
Wren glanced to the table a few over from us where Cáel, Easton, and Knox sat working on their own schoolwork. And I knew Pete and Terry were patrolling the library. “How are you doing?”
I shifted in my seat. It had only been a few hours since Knox and Cáel had kissed me goodbye, but I was starting to get twitchy. Like a foreign energy was humming beneath my skin. “I’m good. Still recovering a bit, but mostly good.”
That was the normal thing to say, right? People thought I’d been shot. When in reality, the injury from that blast of dragon fire I’d taken had completely healed, leaving only a faint scar behind.
Wren worried her bottom lip. “If you ever need anything, I’m always here.”
I studied her for a moment. Her dark brown hair acted as a sort of shield from the world. But her piercing blue eyes locked with mine, and I knew she meant it. “Thank you.”
“Here you go, ladies,” Knox said, depositing two sodas and some vending machine snacks on the table. “Thought you might need some study sustenance.”
He bent then, slipping a hand under my hair and pressing his lips to my temple. The moment his skin brushed mine, that phantom energy eased, and I could breathe again.
I grabbed his arm, pulling Knox down for a kiss. “Thank you,” I whispered.
His mouth curved against mine. “Anything you need. Always.”
And I knew Knox meant it.
He released me slowly, and I knew it was hard for him to walk away. But I didn’t mind watching his ass as he went.
Wren cleared her throat, and my gaze snapped to her.
“Knox…” she whispered. “He treats you okay? His, uh, friends, too?”
Wren’s voice was barely audible, but I frowned.
“He treats me amazingly. They all do. Honestly, I’ve never had people who cared for me so much.”
All the tension went out of Wren on an exhale. “Good. That’s good.”
