Page 21 of Deadly Sacrifice

His smile is soft yet dazzling as he nods and says, “Of course I can. Lead the way.”

As we’re walking outside and crossing the main quad, Creed slips his hand in mine, lacing our fingers together. When I look up at him, he’s as casual as ever, the smallest hint of a smile on his handsome face.

My heart trips over itself, and I scold myself for getting all mushy over such a small thing. I’m sure people hold hands all the time. It’s just… I never have. It feels kind of like a public claiming, silly as that may be, and I’m not sure what to make of it.

As if he can hear the loud thoughts in my brain, Creed distracts me by saying, “What’s your major? I don’t think I’ve asked.”

I hum as I think. “I’m undecided right now. Honestly, college was never a huge dream of mine, so I guess I’m kind of winging it and hoping I find a class that inspires me.”

Creed chuckles softly, and the deep sound vibrates through me. “Yeah, same. School has never been my thing, but gotta keep up appearances, follow orders, you know?”

“So what’s your major, then?” I try to picture him as some business man or mathematician or something else, but nothing fits. Nothing seems like Creed, not that I know him all that well.

He shoots me a wide smile, giving my hand a little squeeze. “You’d never guess it by looking at me like that,” he teases, pushing his black locks off his forehead. “Psychology. I want to learn everything I can about the human mind and all the things that can go wrong inside it. And how to help when they do.”

My feet are suddenly too heavy and my thoughts are even louder than before, but for a totally different reason. Does he have any idea how meaningful that answer is to me? How close to home it hits? My focus is glued to the side of Creed’s face as he looks forward once more, and I trip over a crack in the sidewalk.

Creed steadies me with a hand on my arm. “Whoa, you okay?”

I have to swallow several times before my tongue decides to behave. “Um, yeah, thanks. I just wasn’t watching my step, I guess.”

He rubs my arm for a moment and then takes my hand again, pulling me closer to his side as he starts to walk again. “Then I’d better keep you close so your busy mind can wander all it wants,” he says easily, like he isn’t aware of the way his words curl around me. Like he’s oblivious to the impact he has on me.

I’m so screwed.

13

Asher

I didn’t wake up and choose violence. Or more aptly, I didn’t wake up and choose to go out of my way to be a raging dick. But when the moment calls for it, I have to fall into the role. And Prudence speed walking right past me as we’re leaving sign language this morning is the exact reason I needed to let myself have some fun.

Sorry, Creed, but I don’t think I want to play nicely.

I catch up to her easily, curling my fingers around her arm and jerking her around to face me. “Not so fast, Prudence,” I muse with an easy smile. “I have a favor to ask.”

She grits her teeth, studying my face, and then sighs with a dramatic eye roll. “What?”

“Walk with me.” I release her, only to wrap my arm around her shoulders and force her to walk down the hall. She drags her feet every fucking step of the way like the little brat she is, but with our size differences, I get her outside easy enough.

As we’re crossing the quad, she looks up at me. “What do you want, Asher? I have another class to get to in twenty minutes,” she explains, her voice tired and heavy, like she’s fed up with my shit already.

Too bad for her. I’ve hardly even started.

Tutting at her, I turn us and head further from the main campus buildings and closer to the large parking lot. “Sorry, but I don’t think you’ll make it in time.”

She stops walking, jerking away from me, wide eyes scanning the sea of cars before us. “Whatever you want, I can do it here,” she says firmly, planting her feet onto the pavement and holding her head high in defiance.

I look out at the parking lot, then at Prudence, raising my brows as a slow smile curls up my lips. “You sure about that? My car is much more private,” I tell her. I wasn’t really sure where I was going with this ruse until this very moment, so thanks, Prudence, for being so damn difficult.

She blinks through whatever thoughts race through her mind, chewing on her bottom lip as she glances at the parking lot once more. Then, with a sneer, she says, “I’m not dumb enough to get into a car with someone like you, so yes, I’m sure.” Her face is a little too pale for me to believe the tough-ass act, though, and her hazel eyes keep flicking nervously back to the parking lot, so I file that knowledge away for another time.

I laugh, shaking my head at her. “Oh, sweetheart. Whatever you say.” With a shrug, I step in front of her, easing the strap off her shoulder and letting her olive green backpack fall to the pavement.

Prudence quirks a brow at me, crossing her arms over her chest. We’re close enough that she almost brushes against my torso as she does it, but not quite.

Reaching up, I cup her face in my palms, grinning wickedly when she frowns and tries to lean back. “Ah, ah,” I warn softly, tracing my thumbs along her smooth cheeks. “Let’s not be nasty now.”

Her lips curl up in distaste, but she stops trying to break out of my embrace. “Forgive me, it’s just so hard to enjoy your hands on me. I really don’t know how the other girls do it,” she sasses.

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