Page 172 of Blood & Betrayals

“It’s safer than running,” I reply. The truth in the statement sends a pang of sadness through me. My solace has been stolen from me by some psycho.

“So we’re not running anymore?” Alice asks.

I lift an eyebrow. “We?”

“Yes, I live vicariously through you. You run, so I do, too.”

I roll my eyes. “Well,westill run at the gym.”

“Gross, I hate that. Go get dressed. We’re going to be late.”

I wave in acknowledgment and hurry to my room to shower and change. When I return to the living room, Connor and Alice are arguing about something that happened on the show. Connor has become nearly as obsessed as Alice with the vampire drama. The moment I enter the room, he stops mid-conversation and stands up, smiling brightly at me.

“Hi, gorgeous.”

“Hi, big guy.”

Connor kisses me hard before handing me a cup of coffee.

“I missed you,” I say, taking my coffee and kissing him again.

"Not as much as I missed you,” he murmurs against my lips.

“Late,” Alice grumbles from the open door.

I grin and take Connor’s hand. Alice’s mood lightens when we leave the building, and she takes a long sip of her coffee.

“How did people live before coffee?” she asks with a small sigh.

“I’m excited to see you in my jersey at the game tomorrow,” Connor says, wrapping his arm around me, his big hand resting on my hip as we walk.

I smile. “I’m going to cheer so loud for you.”

“You sure you don’t want to be a cheerleader?” he asks humor in his voice.

“Pretty sure, big guy.”

He chuckles, and we stop at the door to Adze Hall. He kisses me deeply, and I bite his lip, eliciting a deep moan from him. “Get to class, succubus.”

I smile against his lips and pull back. “See you later, big guy.”

As we head toward our first class, I link my arm through Alice’s.

“He has been insufferable since you told him you love him.”

I laugh. “Well, how could I not, Al? He’s just so…”

“Connor.” Alice chuckles.

I nod, squeezing her arm.

“You’re gross now.”

I nuzzle into Alice in a way that is so unfamiliar to me but also feels good. It feels warm and happy.

Alice bats me away playfully. “You’re so mushy. Like a ripe, mushy banana.”

“Please, you’re obsessed with me.”

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