Page 30 of Blades of Obsession

“I thought you were a junior.”

“I am, but Blade graduates this year, and duty calls.”

Okay, that makes sense. So this must be a temporary thing. I’ll be with Blade for maybe the rest of his senior year, then he’ll leave for whatever awaits him in the real world. And by then, my dad will have already gotten off my back. It’s a win-win.

“So you and Aiden don’t go to classes at all? He comes to the economics class we share everyday and—”

Rhett comes to an abrupt stop, his arm shooting out to block me. “Don’tever,under any circumstances call him that to his face. Not even behind his back either.”

I tilt my head, hugging my tablet closer to my chest. He’s looking at me as if I just ran over his grandma or something. “I called him that at least three times last night. And when he dropped me at my dorm, he asked me to keep calling him that from now on.”

Rhett shakes his head in disbelief. “Are… are you sure?”

“Yes, what’s the big deal? And make it quick because I’m going to be late, and this professor will chew me out.”

“He doesn’t let anyone call him that because his mother left when he was three. The one thing he really remembers is her calling out his name to tell him she was leaving. Ever since, he’s wanted nothing to do with that name or anything that brings back that memory.” He gives me a weird look that I can’t quite read. “He’s more serious about you than I thought.”

I’m about to respond when my phone dings loudly with another text.

Blade: Who did what to you? You better respond before I start assuming and taking everyone out

I roll my eyes and text him back. He’s so over the top—sometimes it feels like his sole mission in life is to shield me from anything even remotely threatening. This morning, when he dropped me off to class, he nearly beat up a kid for accidentally bumping his shoulder with me in the hallway.

Me: My dad called me… well, not so nice names because he saw the kiss outside the restaurant. I’m just at my wit’s end about it all but I’m fine

As I’m texting on my phone, my tablet slips out from under my armpit. “Ugh! This stupid old tablet.”

“Why don’t you get another one?” Rhett’s voice startles me, and I nearly jump. I’d almost forgotten he was still standing here.

“Are you crazy? I don’t have an extra four hundred dollars lying around.”

“Yeah, but you could go to the electronics store on campus.”

“And what, pay with my face?”

He laughs. “No, pay with your necklace. He didn’t tell you anything, did he? You don’t have to pay for anything at any store on campus. It all goes to his tab. Electronics, food, books, coffee, clothes, the dorm store… I’ll stop when you get the point.”

Sothat’swhy the coffee was free the other day. And every time I’ve gone out to eat, too. Hm. I guess this means I can treat Skye whenever we go out now. And I might as well get a new tablet. Hey, if he’s trying to force me into this, I might as well reap the benefits.

Crap, I’m going to be late now.

“Thanks for letting me know! I’ll look at some later.”

As I hurry towards the classroom, I collide with someone and it’s like I just crashed into a brick wall. I’m about to offer an apology, but when I lift my head, I lock eyes with Catalina. She looks like she’s seen a ghost.

“Um, are you okay?” I ask. I usually wouldn’t bother talking to her first, but she’s completely blocking my path into the classroom.

Suddenly, a loud screech pierces the air, and I have to cover my damn ears. I didn’t even know it was possible for one person to be this loud.

“How did you get that?!” she yells, pointing to my neck, and it doesn’t take me more than a few seconds to realize she’s upset about the necklace. “Take it off, now! I tried for two years to get one of those!”

“Um… no?” I reply sarcastically.

“There is no way in hell he gave you that. You can’t even handle him!”

“Somehow, I’ve been handling him just fine so far. Now, can you move?”

“That’s because it’s only the beginning. You just wait.”

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