Page 20 of Crimson Promises
Riley: Making it up to me will take a little bit more than coffee. But I have something in mind…
Oh God. Here we go. If he says something sexual, I’m out.
Aurora: Alright, what is it?
Riley: Next Friday, you come with me to the game afterparty.
Aurora: Umm…house parties aren’t really my thing.
Riley: I thought you wanted to make it up to me. It’ll be fun. Say you’ll come with me.
Aurora: I won’t know anyone there.
Riley: You’ll know me, and if you feel uncomfortable, we can leave, say the word.
I looked around my apartment was empty, and I was alone. I didn’t want to hang with Riley at a party, but after everything last week, maybe I needed to shake things up. Step outside my comfort zone a little.
Aurora: Okay, I’ll come.
Riley: Sweet. I’ll send you the details. Am I allowed to pick you up this time?
I grinned at that.
Aurora: Yes, you can.
Riley: Cool. I gotta head to practice. See you soon, babe.
I lay back in bed, phone clutched to my chest.Babe. The widest, stupidest smile on my face. Only a week until I could see Riley. I kicked my legs up and down. I couldn’t wait.
ChapterFour
Bennett
Outside the house was littered with plastic solo cups. I put both hands in my jeans pockets and slightly arched my back. The odd puff of smoke was coming out a few second-story windows. A person had their calf dangling outside, and a remix of “Higher Love” by Whitney Houston and Kyga blasted through the speakers. I winced. I could feel the beat of the base from here, ringing in my ears. The symbols of Alpha Phi Alpha in black lettering etched in gold sat over the home’s entrance.Great, her first outing, and she decides to go to a fraternity party with some All-American douchebag.
I groaned, there were a million things I would rather be doing than wasting my time in this shithole, but Aurora was here, which meant I was forced to follow.
Something brushed my elbow, I pivoted quickly. It was a curvy female, heavy on the lip fillers, dragging her nails across my leather jacket. I stepped off the sidewalk’s curbs.Imagine I had brought the bike. A smug smile stretched across my lips. Tonight wasn’t about attracting attention; I had to blend in. Though I couldn’t deny the lure of the Ducati, it would have attracted more than a few stares. Attention wasn’t something I sought, but when I was lonely and needed company, the sports bike was better than any wingman.
The duck-lipped woman continued walking past me. She turned around and winked as she headed up the walkway to the house party.Barf. Not only do I have to blend in with this crowd, I have to avoid woman-shaped landmines.
I knew Aurora was inside—the kitchen, to be exact. My heightened angelic senses made it easy for me to pick her out in a crowd. But deep within me, I felt thispulltowards her. It was as if there was a cord connecting us. When I wasn’t with her, it stretched taut. When I was in her presence, it slackened. I wasn’t sure what sort of magic it was, but it had to be something Michael enacted when I agreed to watch over her. It couldn’t be anything else. I feel connected to her in a way I had never felt towards anyone else—pain in the ass and all.
I dragged my palms down my face. I shoved that thoughtwaydown. She was a job, nothing more, nothing less. Aurora was a means to an end. Revenge and power were the only things that mattered anyway. Vulnerabilities just ended in heartache. I knew that firsthand.
Rocking back on my heels, I debated waiting a few more minutes to go in there, but that would only delay the torture.Better get this over with.This evening, I was a college student. I rolled my shoulders back and walked into the world of beer pong, keg stands, and horrible pick-up lines.
As the door opened, heavy beats flooded out. Over it was the sound of something shattering, splintering my eardrum. I cocked my head to pinpoint the source, unable to help how the noise reminded me of the lastest fiasco. I should have known there would be trouble from the way it began.
* * *
Two weeks ago began regularly, Aurora took her usual run when she decided to take a break in the college’s courtyard. I had studiously avoided the bead of sweat that had traveled from her earlobe down the delicate curve of her neck to her collarbone. Instead, I focused on how the building’s shadow cast the landscape into a miniature version of the Rockies on the grass. I pulled at my collar to generate some air at the base of my throat. It felt hotter than usual today, even though I didn’t do any running. After her stretch she lay down to rest in the sun, dozing off for a few hours. Keeping myself concealed, I had laid down in the grass beside her, watching as her chest expanded and contracted ever so slightly. I itched to lay her down on my chest and hold her in my arms, just for a moment, for her to know that she wasn’t alone in the pain she had endured.
When my shoulder grazed hers, she snuggled closer to my warmth—even if she couldn’t see it. I held my breath. If Aurora opened her eyes right now, she would be looking straight at me. If a stranger with ‘The Sight’ happened across us, they would think we were a couple taking a nap together on a fall day. I knew I was taking an unnecessary, stupid risk. I shouldn’t be this close to her. Not where she could see me. I reasoned with myself it was because I wanted to ensure she was safe after the attack. Exploring this any further would lead to questions that I wasn’t ready to face the answer to.
Then all of a sudden, a football hit her in the stomach. My head whipped as I sought who the fuck did that, but it was short-lived. As much as I wanted to pummel the living shit out of whoever did, I had to movenow.
For fifteen minutes, I was forced to watch Aurora talk to the idiot who threw the ball at her. He kept smiling at her. I noticed a faint blush rise from the base of her throat that spread to warm her pale cheeks.Angelfucker.He handed her his phone. I clenched my jaw. I should be happy that she met someone. She deserved better. But that wasn’t my choice to make.
