Page 7 of The Stone Secret
Halfway down the stairs, my stomach sank. I was about to hurt the man I’d been in love with. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but Shar was right. We needed to know how he would react to know whether he could be trusted with the truth about Serath and me. I needed him in the circle of trust because I cared about him.
Hurting him was going to hurt me too.
CHAPTER3
“Relax,” Curi said under his breath. “Or do you want everyone to think I’m kidnapping you?”
I leaned into Curi, allowing our arms to touch, trying to ignore how large his hand was around mine. Levi and I had never held hands like this. Never had the chance to go out in public like this. We’d been together, but we’d never dated. Heck…I’dnever dated.
Curi was the first male I’d held hands with.
“Why are you hyperventilating?” Curi asked, his voice a low growl of concern. “Is he here? Where?”
“No. I’m…I’m fine.”
Goyles appeared on the path ahead of us, all headed to the main building for class. Several glances were thrown our way, but we were quickly dismissed. These cadets didn’t know Curi’s and my history.
“Relax,” Shar said from behind us. “Unclench your ass.”
“Sharniza!” Palia admonished.
Ginia snickered.
We approached the main building, where several goyles were gathered on the porch. I recognized Dayn’s stocky form first. The gargoyle had been Curi’s minion for a little while but had turned on him after Curi refused to fight the elite, Selas. Bax, another one of Curi’s ex-minions, stood with him. They fixed their stunned gazes on us as we strolled closer.
“What the actual fuck?” Dayn said. “You’re banging the halfblood now?” He sneered at me. “If you spread your legs for him, you can spread them for us—”
Curi punched him in the mouth.
Blood sprayed, and Bax bellowed in shock.
Dayn wiped his lips and bared his bloody teeth. “What the fuck, Curi?”
“Don’t talk about her. Don’t think about her. She’s mine!” His voice was a boom of authority that shook my insides.
Damn, he was good. But then, he was a Mason, one of the five elite bloodlines.
Dayn looked like he was about to throw down, but Saffe, one of the smaller goyles from our dorm, stepped forward. “Dammit, Dayn, haven’t you heard? It’s all over campus. She’s a Basque.”
Dayn stilled. “What?”
Curi smirked. “My Basque. Bitch.” Then he took my hand and steered me around the group and into the building. Silence followed us, breaking only once we were inside.
* * *
“That was fucking awesome!”Ginia said as we made our way up the steps.
“Ginia!” Palia whisper-hissed.
Ginia ignored her. “The way you popped him in the mouth—fluid, fast. I need you to teach me how to move like that.”
Curi slid a glance her way. “I’m not a fucking instructor.”
Palia sucked in a sharp breath. All the cursing was probably giving her heart palpitations.
“How much longer do I need to hold your hand?” he asked me.
“Just till we get into class. If Levi is in there, then he needs to see us together.”
