Page 34 of Deadly Sacrifice

And the Asher I used to know would have felt the same.

My feet move of their own volition, my muscles tight and ready to do whatever they need to. Before I can reach them, though, Prudence knees Asher in the balls, whispers something to him, and storms off.

I hesitate, giving him one last look as he pushes to his feet, and then I turn and follow in the direction Prudence disappeared in. I don’t know what I’m going to do once I find her, but I tell myself I just have to make sure she’s alright before I can get back to the party. I can’t afford much more than that.

In the library, without the others around, I can help her however I’m able. I want to help her.

That first night, when she bumped into me and all those books about Black Creek and B.U. tumbled to the floor, I thought I had a good enough idea about what she was digging around for. Hence the panic attack that followed. But I’ve had time to think about whether I wanted to get involved. Whether a little redhead was worth risking my life for.

While I don’t know Prudence on any kind of personal level, I can tell enough about her to know that she doesn’t deserve whatever The Celestials are going to do to her. And she sure as fuck doesn’t deserve to get manhandled by a drunk and stupid Asher.

At the end of the day, that’s all I need to know.

So I ignore Creed’s howl of excitement as I pass him, trying to unsee the way he gropes the blonde at his side. She’s nothing compared to Prudence, I think, swiftly averting my gaze and continuing on my trek. I ignore the pissed off expression Asher throws me over his shoulder as he leads Heather upstairs. And I dutifully ignore the few girls trying to grab my attention — and my dick — as I walk by.

All I care about is finding Prudence.

It doesn’t take me long. The two times I’ve seen her truly relaxed since the day she showed up have both been when she’s inside the library. Everywhere else — in class, in the cafeteria with us — there’s a tense undercurrent she carries in her muscles, like she’s constantly guarded and waiting for the next blow. But in the peace and quiet of the library late at night, tucked back against the far wall with all those windows, she’s at ease; something I can more than relate to.

There’s no library here at the frat house, and even if she wanted to leave the party and make the ten-minute walk to the one on campus, it’s closed. But there is one place to go for a bit of privacy, so without looking anywhere else, I head there.

Like everything else in this godforsaken town, the concept of stars is a big deal at the Beta Epsilon Rho house. Greek row was built only a handful of years after the university itself, and each house more than likely has something similar. Here, we’ve got an enclosed gazebo with a glass ceiling and a telescope in the massive backyard. Hardly anyone actually goes inside, but it’s a nice, calming place to go when I need to think, and I’ve got a hunch that if Prudence wandered this far, that’s exactly where I’ll find her.

I hear her before I see her. As I’m pushing open the door, the distinctive sniffles that follow a hard sobbing session drift through the dark room and curl around me. It doesn’t take more than a second for my eyes to find her. Prudence is at the far wall with her back to me, arms tucked around herself while she looks out at the pool and the thick woods beyond. If I were anyone else, I could call out to her so I don’t scare the absolute shit out of her. But I can’t. I’m me; fucked up because somebody tried to kill me and failed.

Just thinking about my condition threatens to send me back to that day, to that dark place between life and death, where all I could taste was the blood choking me. But then the floor creaks beneath my shoes, and Prudence turns around, effectively snapping me back to the present. She angrily wipes her cheeks dry, gritting her jaw while she watches me. With a wince, I close the door behind me, shove my hands in my pockets, and walk over to her.

I don’t do anything but lean against the wall beside her, both of us staring out into the night without a word. I came to make sure she was okay, and clearly she’s not. No way am I heading back to the party now, knowing she might start crying again the second I leave. Eventually, her tense muscles relax, her soft sniffles subside, and the air between us becomes calm.

“I knew when I first met him that Creed was a player,” she mumbles, pulling her gaze away from the window and the scenery beyond and focusing her intense gaze on me instead.

I frown down at her, slowly shaking my head like I can force my brain to catch up. I knew Creed was acting like an ass, but I expected her to be more upset about Asher’s behavior. What do you mean? I sign.

The way Prudence’s bottom lip trembles fucking guts me. I reach for her, gently pulling her into my chest and winding my arms around her small frame. Our height difference is so vast that I practically curl over her body just to rest my chin on her head, but somehow, it feels more than right. I rub her back with one hand, gently holding the back of her head with the other.

Her breathing hitches and she buries her face in my chest, saying, “I didn’t come here to find a boyfriend, and yet Creed barged into my life and made it seem like maybe that was the role he was hoping to earn.” She curls her fingers into fists, gripping my shirt. “And stupid, naïve Prudence, falling right into his game, looking like a dumbass when Creed chooses to sidle up with some other girl tonight.”

I press my lips together, unsure what to do to make any of this better. Creed told me he had taken her out the other night, but conveniently left the details out of the conversation. I had no idea things went so well, and I never would have guessed that Prudence was so into him.

I’m shit at this; advice and dating and knowing when to walk away when the other person fucks up. I mean, just look at me. Still clinging to Asher’s side after he decided he didn’t want more than friendship. I didn’t think anything could push me away from him, but if this new shitty behavior of his continues, I think that might be my hard limit. If the day came where I couldn’t recognize my friend behind all that Celestial crap shoved in his head, then I’d have no choice but to walk away.

That’s a shitty thing to consider, though, and it tightens my chest with panic. Asher has been there for me through my worst days. I can’t allow The Celestials and his fucking dad turn him into someone he’s not.

I roll my eyes at myself, curling my arms a little tighter around Prudence and forcing my mind back to the issue at hand. Just as I’m about to try something — a distraction or maybe an offer to go kick Creed’s ass — she groans out a harsh breath and continues on her rant.

She tips her chin up and looks at me, her eyes full of anger rather than sorrow. “You know what he said when I walked straight up to them tonight? He requested that I go get him a beer. No apology, no half-assed scramble to explain himself. He didn’t even wait for me to turn around before shoving his tongue down her throat. I should have poured that fucking beer over his head.”

Requested. That’s a load of crap. Asher filled me in on the orders he gave her; that she has to listen to whatever we say or else he’ll kick her out of B.U. Of course, she has no idea that he won’t pull his family’s name with the Dean and actually send her home. He can’t. The Celestials want her, for whatever fucking reason.

She leans her cheek against my chest once she’s finished venting. Our embrace feels so intimate for two people who are barely even friends, but I’m scared to move, scared to even take a full breath, and pop this bubble we’re in. It’s been a long time since I’ve had anyone like this. Just someone to keep close and relish in peaceful silence with. It’s only now that I’m experiencing it again that I’m fully aware of how badly I’ve missed it.

Since the day I was attacked, I’ve been on edge. I’ve kept my guard up, always looking over my shoulder, always overly aware of my surroundings and the people I let into my life. It’s made me lonely, even when I’m surrounded by frat brothers and other college students. Maybe my efforts have been overkill, but how do I know that the next attack isn’t right around the corner?

But this moment with Prudence is like a soothing balm on all those fears and wounds.

I don’t know how long we stand like this for, but the moon has risen high in the dark sky and the sounds of the party inside the house have died down.

Prudence pulls back just enough to look up at me. “Thanks,” she murmurs, quickly averting her gaze. “I swear I’m not always such an emotional mess. I’m embarrassed you saw me like that. It was just a lot, and I’ve already been on edge. First Creed and then Asher, and that was all the bullshit I could take for one night,” she adds with a self-deprecating laugh. She pulls away from me, curling her arms around herself.

---