Page 16 of Darkened Wings
I lay on my back, his arms bracing me only inches from the ground and only seconds away from a probably concussion.
“Sorry,” I mumbled and scrambled to get out of his arms, but I was still reeling from the fall and truth be told, a bit dizzy from not eating all day.
“What exactly are you sorry for?” He stayed rock steady, holding me even in my flailing and panicked movements. My vision was a bit blurry, but the man holding me was a god in his own right. Black hair, disheveled and messy but it suited him well. He wasn’t thin by any description. I didn’t think he had ever turned down a burger, but at the same time he wasn’t fat. He was stocky and strong. One of his hands gripped my shoulder, and I wished he would never let go.
In my mind, for a fraction of a second, I imagined this would turn into a romantic, cheesy moment. He would ask me my name, and I would ask him his. He would escort me into the dining hall and would tell everyone whispering about me to stop talking about his female.
“Did you lose the ability to hear when you almost ate it?” he asked, and my fantasy bubble was successfully popped.
Asshole.
“No. I’m sorry for falling. Sorry for making you catch me. I can tell it’s a real imposition for you.”
This time, my anger spiked my adrenaline, and I got up but held onto the nearest wall for support.
“You should watch where you’re going, female. This school is old, and there are bigger bumps like that all over the place. You’re going to crack your skull open if you’re not more careful.”
It seemed like he wanted to go on. His mouth opened and shut several more times, but he grunted and stopped himself. Clearly, he was conflicted about helping me or being around me. Maybe he was like everyone else, more concerned about his reputation than being a good person.
“Fine. I’ll be more careful.” I raised my voice slightly. Tears welled in my eyes, but I demanded they stay hidden. This asshole didn’t deserve a single tear from me. No one at this place did.
My mom said tears were a gift for those we trust. I hadn’t had anyone to trust in a long time.
He stood to his full height, and I felt my eyes widen. He easily had a foot on me, but my raven wasn’t scared at all. In fact, she was preening inside me, swooning even. Maybe she didn’t hear his words and what a jerk he was being to me.
I mean, I fell down, I didn’t try to grope him in public. Although, things done in private hadn’t eluded my mind. He was gruff and brooding, but I bet that all wasted away once he was behind closed doors.
Gods, Gwen, get your head out of the gutter. This guy is a Grade-A, no fillers, asshole.
“You need to take better care of yourself if you’re going to survive here,” he said, leaning against a stone column and looking down at me.
I brushed off my thighs and shirt even though I hadn’t touched the ground. He hadn’t let me. Those strong arms, that beefy torso…ugh, I needed to stop. Now. “I said I would be more careful. I don’t need another lecture. I’ve had three thousand today or it feels like it.”
Deciding I was done with the conversation, I turned to leave but he grabbed my upper arm, not hard but enough to make me stop. “I’m not talking about falling, female. I’m talking about you not eating. You’re skinny enough without missing a meal.”
I scoffed. “I’m not starving.”
He scoffed right back and let go of my arm. I looked him up and down, noticing he was wearing a sports team shirt and some lounge pants. He was really taking this casual thing to heart. “Don’t lie to me. You can’t lie to me. I can taste the betrayal in the air. You’re nearly starving. Seriously, you have to take care of yourself.”
He was pissing me off now, more and more by the second. Yeah, he had saved me from busting my ass, but there was no reason to be rude.
“I was on my way to the dining hall. Thanks for the advice.”
Ugh, even when I was pissed, I couldn’t be mean. I could ice princess the hell out of anyone but blatantly be mean, and on cue, no way.
One of his thick black eyebrows rose. “Go on. I’m going to walk behind you to make sure you don’t die before you get there. I’m not cleaning it up if you do.”
His tone was mean, insolent, but while he called me out on my lie, I wouldn’t call him out on his. His words betrayed him and it confused the hell out of me.
I stomped all the way to the dining hall, showing him my disapproval of all things…I turned around and crossed my arms over my chest. “I don’t even know your name and you’re telling me what to do. At least tell me your name.”
He grunted again. “Nixon. Now go eat before I bring you in there myself.”
Wouldn’t that be a sight. And I wasn’t completely opposed to it. Him bending down a bit to heft me over his shoulder, patting my behind a little in the process of making me behave.
The hunger was making me delirious. He was right. I needed to eat before my baser needs took over completely.
“I’m going!”
