Page 73 of Of Bone and Ash

“Rude,” he grumbles under his breath. “After making you come as much as I did—scream my name and everything. You’d still choose him?”

“Don't make me choose, and you never have to find out,” I tell him, pushing open a set of doors and trying to move forward when I see Teos lunge at me, his hazel eyes twinkling with mischief. Strong arms snap around my waist the moment we step inside, hauling me up and off my feet before spinning me in circles and making me dizzy.

“Teos!” I try to chide, but it comes out as a strangled laugh, my head spinning like a top.

“Maybe I should remind you how you should be picking me every single time, Bella,” he rasps into my ear, his voice deep, promising all sorts of dirty things that I would really like to experience with him.

“Maybe you should,” I whisper back as he slows our spinning and gently places me back on my feet. I turn in his arms, looking up into his brilliant eyes, reaching up to loop my arms around his neck.

“Really?” he asks, lowering his head, eyes locked on my lips as I nod. Magic swirls around us, and I’m not sure if it's mine or his. Maybe a combination of the two? The air thickens and suddenly, I’m only hungry for one thing.

“Teos!” a screeching voice sounds through the room, breaking the tension forming between Teos and me and reminding me that we’re in public, again! Dammit. This boy is dangerous. We’re going to end up in so much trouble if I don’t find some sense of control around him. Teos pulls back from me enough to look over my head and grins at whoever he sees.

“Oh. Hey guys,” he says casually, his hands tightening on my waist as he gives several head nods at whoever is behind me. Frowning, I turn and find a group of people staring at Teos and me with open mouths and shocked expressions. Most of them are guys, all of them wearing Silverwood Rugby shirts and gym shorts, but there are a few girls sprinkled in the mix. However, it’s the small blonde staring at me like I just killed a puppy who gains my attention as she shakes her head.

There is a long, super awkward pause as I clear my throat and step out of Teos’ arms, trying to be nice. He releases me with a sigh but reaches out to snag my hand, not letting me step too far from him. I link my fingers with his as I study the group of people in front of us. There have to be a dozen or more there. These must be Teos’ friends, and I would rather not scare them.

“Are you wearing a dress?” one of them asks.

“Bruh—is that?” a guy with short brown hair whispers, elbowing a guy with black hair and glasses next to him as he nods at me. The guy with the glasses nods.

“Yep.”

“Holy shit, dude!” a guy with long blond hair says, tossing a ball up in the air and catching it as he grins like an idiot at Teos. “You’re with the Reaper! That’s fucking awesome!”

“And terrifying,” a tall pretty girl admits, but she shoots me a timid smile, so I don’t take her comment to heart. She’s not wrong after all.

“Not for him, dude. He’ll just pop back into existence, and they can keep fucking like bunnies.” This comment comes from someone toward the back of the group I can’t see very well, saving him from my glare.

“What the fuck, Gorden!” Teos grinds out, stepping forward, his face a mask of anger as he tries to move through his friend group, dragging me after him since he’s refusing to let me go.

“Teos, Baby. What are you doing!? Where have you been? I’ve been calling you all day, and you haven't answered. You said we were going to study tonight, and I planned on making us dinner,” the small blonde finally says, stepping in front of Teos and stopping him from beating Gorden, which is a shame. I would have loved to watch that.

I’m not so happy about the baby name this girl just called Teos, but I practically lose my mind when she raises a small hand up and presses it against the satin on Teos’ chest, looking up at him with tears in her pretty blue eyes.

“Tessa, don’t. Stop touching me,” he states, side-eyeing me like he knows I’m a loose cannon and he’s not wrong. I totally am. Teos steps back, but with the crush of bodies right next to us, there is nowhere for him to go. When she only steps closer, ignoring his request to stop touching him, I try to reason with my magic, telling it he’s saying no, but when I see this Tessa girl wiggle her finger under the parting of the robe to touch Teos’ chest, I know we are at Defcon One, and I need to handle the situation before my magic does it for us.

“Don’t touch him,” I snap, reaching forward and grabbing hold of her wrist, yanking it off Teos, all while giving her a glare I hope she reads as touch him again, and you die. Tessa obviously doesn't get the memo, or she doesn't have a lick of survival instincts because she gasps, then turns her beautiful—and I mean beautiful eyes on me. Damn, this girl is stunning. Long blonde hair and creamy skin that looks perfectly sunkissed. Her clothes fit her perfectly, showing off her curves, yet not too much to make it appear like she's trying too hard.

Fuck. She is everything I’m not.

I purse my lips and shrug. Eh, what’s the point in life if not having a good variety? I can't be mad at this girl for being stunning. Hell, I use every advantage I have to scare people and feed my magic. Her beauty isn't a flaw. Her touching what is mine, however is.

“How dare you touch me! Teos, are you really going to let her do that?” she screeches, making my ears hurt as the group of people all take a step back.

“Tess, don’t. I asked you to stop touching me and you didn't listen. Serafina simply took your hand off me. You’re fine,” Teos sighs, looking down at the girl with a frown.

Don’t be jealous, don’t be jealous. I have friends. Hell, I just told Teos I would pick Adam over him. I look at Tessa, who is now staring up at him with trembling lips, and immediately regret doing so. If he said that to me about Tessa, I would lose my shit.

Fuck I really am a bitch.

“Serafina!?” she hisses between her teeth, her baby blues bouncing from Teos to me, then back to him. “This is Serafina! Are you kidding me!?” She stomps like an angry toddler, and a few of the rugby players behind her chuckle in amusement while the girls close in, probably trying to comfort their friend. “You’re really going to dump me for the girl who broke your heart?”

Whoa, hold up now. Dump her?

“What? Tess, we broke up months ago. What do you mean? I told you I was in love with her.” Teos says, slightly soothing my frazzled nerves, all while giving me a heart attack with that damn word again. On one hand, thank god I wasn't a participant in helping Teos cheat. I would really have to kill him if that were the case. On the other hand, these two dated?! An angry, burning sense of jealousy simmers in my belly, and I have to yank my hand out of Teos’ and step back so my magic doesn't lash out at her.

It’s not his fault I pushed him away. But hell, I hate that I did it more than ever now.

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