Page 30 of Alive and Kicking
She doesn’t say anything as we pass her, but the smug smile on her face really makes me want to say something to wipe the look off. Nox’s hand tightens in mine like he’s afraid I might run off to go murder the girl in plain sight of everyone around us. But I’m not so unhinged that I can’t consider the consequences of something like that.
I ignore the desperate girl and follow Nox into the cafe. Once we’ve both gotten a white chocolate raspberry latte we take a seat at one of the two seaters in the corner. It’s actually the same table where Nox saved me from the guy that was failing at flirting with me last year.
“So what classes do you have today?” Nox asks before taking his first sip of coffee.
The look of pure bliss that crosses his face makes me pause before answering his question. “I have Physics with Hanson first. Then History of Ancient Warfare, I’m not sure who the teacher is for that. It’s a guest lecturer but they never released their name, so I guess I’ll find out today.”
Nox frowns at that but shrugs. “Maybe it was a last-minute thing?”
“It really doesn’t matter. I’m only taking the class because it’s the only one that seemed interesting to fill my requirement. History isn’t really my thing.”
Nox grins. “With all the violence in history I figured you would love it.”
I huff at him and glare indignantly before taking a long drink from my coffee.
Nox looks down at the table, his fingers fiddling with the cardboard sleeve around his coffee cup. By the time he starts ripping a strip off it I know something is bothering him. “What’s wrong?” I lean forward and lower my voice.
Nox stops his anxious destruction to look up at me. A small smile spreads across his face, though it doesn’t reach his eyes so it looks more nervous than happy. “I… uh… just wanted to ask you to do something,” he says softly.
My brows lower. “You can ask me to do anything.” I’m not even joking. I would probably agree without hesitation as long as it doesn’t involve killing one of my guys.
The small smile that appears on his face does reach his eyes this time. “I just wanted to see if you would sleep in my room tonight. Only if you want to, of course.”
“Absolutely. You don’t need to feel weird about asking for that. We’ve slept together plenty of times.” I furrow my brow, confused about why he felt so nervous to ask.
“I know. Usually it’s not a planned thing. I find myself in your bed without any conscious thought, it’s just that lately Sloane and Zane are always there. Which I’m not upset about or anything, I just have a hard time sleeping with anyone else in the bed. And you’ve never slept in my bed. I always go to yours. I’ve been meaning to ask, but I just didn’t know how to without making it awkward.” He bites his bottom lip.
I reach across the table and place my hand on top of his. “All you have to do is ask and I’m there. I don’t understand it. The guys have mentioned that you usually have trouble sleeping, but I’ve never witnessed that. I actually think you’re a pretty deep sleeper.”
Nox frowns before turning his hand over to thread his fingers through mine. “Well when I’m with you I don’t have trouble sleeping. It also helps that I know you can handle your own if I get startled… Like what happened at your dad’s place.” His jaw clenches and I know he’s feeling guilty again when his eyes trail to my neck where he’d wrapped his hand around my throat.
I laugh softly. “You were there when I woke up swinging a knife at Sloane after he snuck into my dorm room last year. I can understand those kind of instincts. I don’t know what kind of trauma gave them to you, but I can guess. Waking up to assassins in my room on more than one occasion has made me very jumpy when woken abruptly too. I’ll be more careful next time. I didn’t realize that was a problem for you.”
Nox winces and rubs his eyebrow. “Yeah. I probably should have let you know about that, especially since I find my way into your bed more often than not.”
I shrug. “I’m not upset about it. I didn’t warn you about me either. So I guess we’re even. Especially since I wake up stabbing, which is a lot worse than a little choking.”
Nox snorts. “You’ve never tried to stab me though,” he disagrees, but his eyes have lightened and the harsh lines of his face have softened.
I drink the last of my coffee and look at the time. “I’ve really got to get to class.”
Nox sighs, but stands from the table anyway, and pauses at the trashcan with me as I throw my cup away. “I’m going to savor mine for as long as I can,” he says, taking a sip from his coffee.
Shaking my head at him, I wonder why he just hasn’t invested in an espresso machine to make it himself at home. Nox holds the door open for me and grabs my hand again. I figured he would just leave but he starts walking me toward my class. A flutter goes through my stomach at that, which I ignore because I’m a badass and I don’t get butterflies.
Maybe I do a little, but only when it has to do with my guys. Outside the door he leans in and presses a chaste kiss to my lips. “I’ll see you when you get home.”
I bite my lip to keep from pulling him back in for another kiss, taking a moment to watch him walk away and sighing when he turns a corner. Nox and Sloane just have the best asses. I never considered that a guy could have a nice ass, but those two just have the most perfect bubble butts. My feet have to be forced to take me into the classroom instead of following after him, and I’m halfway across the room when someone calls my name. The redhead from breakfast yesterday is in this class. “You can sit with me. I don’t have a partner yet.”
A smile somehow appears on my face and I do just that. I set my stuff down on the empty side of the table and take my seat. Now that I’m actually paying attention I see a huge problem with this class. Carol is sitting a few tables away with a scowl pointed in my direction.
I smirk at her and look pointedly down at her hand that I had broken last year. If she really wants to play games with me we can play. I’m sure most of what Enzo taught me could put anything Jigsaw could come up with to shame. I haven’t actually seen all those movies yet and I’m surprised that Enzo didn’t make me watch them as ‘training’ since the gore scenes are so realistic.
“So was that another boyfriend?” Red asks, leaning toward me conspiratorially.
I frown because they’re not my boyfriends. Nobody has made any steps to label what is going on between us still, but I don’t think she would understand that. “Yeah. That’s Nox. He graduated last year.”
She sighs wistfully. “I wish I had a whole team of boyfriends. Do they feed you grapes and fan you like in those movies with the creepy old guys and their hundreds of wives.” She eyes mepensively. “Except you’re hot as hell and I don’t think there are a hundred of them.”
