Page 128 of Risky Passion

Tory.

The knot wedged in my stomach.

Where is she?

As we all trailed into the schoolhouse, I wondered if Tory had gone home.

Maybe she’d needed space after everything. Or maybe she had to go home because of her cats; she’d mentioned them a few times. I wouldn’t blame her for leaving. After the nightmares she’d been through, she probably crashed into bed, and that’s where she’d stay for days. Still, the thought of her leaving without saying goodbye was damn disappointing.

Shit! No! She can’t go home. Not while Beatrice is still out there.

Whisper appeared at my side with a sly grin. "Looking for someone?"

“Yeah. Tory. Is she still here?”

"She’s having a nap." Her brows waggled like she had a juicy secret to reveal. Knowing Whisper, maybe she did.

Yes! She’s still here!My pulse ticked up a notch. "Good. She needed a rest."

Whisper chuckled. "Yeah, but you know what she needs more?" Her grin widened. "You."

I raised a brow at her. Whisper had a reputation for meddling, matchmaking, and sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. Normally, I would brush her off, but a part of me hoped she was telling the truth.

"I don’t want to wake her," I said, keeping my tone even.

Whisper slapped a hand against my chest. "Oh, don’t be a wuss."

"I’m not a wuss," I muttered, crossing my arms. "She’ll be pissed at me for waking her. After what she’s been through?—"

"Stop overthinking, Jaxson." Whisper’s grin turned downright wicked. "She’ll sleep better in your arms."

My chest tightened as images of Tory curled up against me flickered through my mind. My body’s response was immediate and far from subtle. I shifted, clearing my throat, but Whisper’s knowing laugh only made it worse.

As the others headed toward the gymnasium at the end of the hallway, Whisper led me down the hall to a closed door. She stopped in front of it, her expression softening into something almost serious. "She’s been through a lot, yes," Whisper said quietly, "but so have you. Don’t mess this up, Jaxson."

I gave her a small nod.

“I’ll look after Onyx, give her a feed. It’s time you looked after yourself.” She scrunched her nose, eyeing me up and down. "Speaking of that, you might want to hit the showers first. I’ll get Cobra to grab you some clean clothes."

She turned and strode back toward the others, leaving me standing there.

I exhaled, and running a hand through my greasy hair, I headed down the hallway to the restroom.

The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as I stepped into the locker room. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror over the sink and groaned. I looked like crap. I felt like it, too.

When was the last time I’d actually laid down?

Cobra showed up with a bundle of clothes in his hands. “Figured you could use a change,” he said.

“Appreciate it,” I muttered, taking the clothes.

He gave me a nod and disappeared, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I stepped into the scalding hot shower and scrubbed away the grime. My heart pounded as my thoughts drifted to Tory . . . her smile, her warmth, the way she’d look at me like she saw past all the walls I’d built. I rinsed off, killed the water, and grabbed a towel.

With the towel slung over my shoulder, I caught my reflection again. I looked halfway human now, but that didn’t stop the nerves crawling under my skin.

After dressing in Cobra’s shorts and T-shirt, I felt like a damn teenager sneaking out past curfew as I peeked into the hallway.

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