Page 58 of Ink Deep Devotion

Ten months later.

Senior year of University.

Holding onto the seatbelt, I release a heavy sigh. Damian’s eyes shift my way. It’s the first art donation of my senior year, and I’m first on the list to bring the art to the gallery. The problem is Empire University is isolated. There is a small town with a local bar just outside of its guarded walls, which a lot of the students visit, but the nearest gallery is a few towns over. Most kids use their parents’helicopters or private jets to give the art to galleries in New York, but I’d rather make the drive and bring it to a gallery that needs it. I found one run by a cute old couple who donate 50 percent of their sales to local charities.

Damian makes the trek with me every three weeks to deliver the art. Most of the time, we drive in silence, both just happy to be free of that school.Other times, we talk, risking to peek inside each other’s soot-covered souls.

“You okay?” Damian asks.

“Peachy.”

Damian raises a brow.He’s like wet cement; at first, he allows you to move away from his prying eyes, then he starts to harden till you can only wiggle, and then you’re trapped, forced to reveal all the emotions you have.

It’s not a bad thing; these talks I have with Damian help as much as they annoy me. Sometimes, I feel like Damian is the only person who truly hears me now. Titan tries, but he’s also clearly the leader of the Kings, and speaking to the boss is always intimidating.

“I’m just nervous about the art.” I lie. “You should really keep your eyes on the road.” I look forward, failing to stress my point because the road is as empty as my heart feels.

“I will when you tell me the truth.”

Twisting in my seat, I glare at him,“Stop it! Look at the road.”And stop glaring at my broken soul.“I’m not in the mood today.” I hiss.

“Those are the days you need to talk the most.” He rebuttals.

“Smartass.”

“I know.” He smirks.“Tell me what’s wrong.”

“You know what’s wrong. My skin is not callus anymore. It’s paper thin. Every action Dash makes hurts. Badly.” I whisper.

Damian looks forward and stays silent. We’ve all been patient, but nothing has changed. Dash still hates me, yet can’t live without me. He still sneaks into my dorm room and sleeps on the floor like a guard dog.

“I’ll,” Damian’s shoulders rise to his ears before they drop,“talk to him.”

“I think your talking only makes it worse, Damian,” I mutter as I lean my head against the car window, watching the trees blur by. I feel like them, trapped by the roots that hold me down, watching everything pass by me as I’m stuck standing still, just swaying during the thunderstorms that bombard me.

The routine of life feels like chains at my feet. Seeing Dash in the hallway ignoring me and rarely ever meeting my eyes is growing insufferable. I can’t remember the last time he looked me dead in the eye. Yet each night, he comes to my dorm, or when he’s away on family business, he forces me to spend the night at their campus house inhisbed, with just the ghost of his absence lulling me to slumber.

I’ve been bearing it. The only thing keeping me going are the very rare whispered conversations at night. They are always at night in the dark, like we are just two scared kids trying to keep each other’s hope alive.

The problem is we dream of different outcomes. I pray for Dash to cave and come to me; he desires the opposite.

Dash says I'm a predator with poison, while he has claws. We both attack each other and now we watch and wait to see who falls first. I wait for the venom to take root, but his claws cut me so deep that I think he might win before I can penetrate his walls again.

“He’s not with those other girls.” Damian breaks the silence as we enter the small town.

I nod, keeping my eyes set out the window. That’s another thing Dash has been doing. Flirting with others when he’s off during appearances for his family’s business. His photo is splashed in the tabloids, and so is our engagement. It’s made my father furious, having my image dragged through the mud, making it look like I’m with someone who is cheating on me.

That’s where Dash is now, at a meeting with our fathers.

“Do you think my father will call off the engagement?” My greatest fear is spoken in a whisper.

How can I want to be trapped with a man who can’t say he loves me? Yet, I can’t imagine my life without him.

I feel Damian glance my way.“You and I know that’s impossible. I’ve seen the contract.”

I haven’t. Shouldn’t I be able to see what sold me?

“He’ll stop,” Damian assures me.

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