Page 64 of Wicked Dove
“Hey, what did I do?” he says with a gasp, and I scoff.
“Leave me the hell alone. You’re an asshole by association,” I grumble, looking for another option as I plant my hands on my hips. When I hear his footsteps approach, I start walking, refusing to glance back as I desperately keep searching for an out.
“Don’t associate me with Kael,” he demands, and I shake my head.
“He’s your friend and roommate. I’m definitely associating you,” I insist, doing a full lap of the building before I turn my attention back to the exit, but before I can reach the wrought-iron gate, he hurries past me to stand in my path.
“What do you need right now?” he asks with his hands raised in surrender, and I shake my head again, more with frustration than anything, but I can’t help it.
“Some space to breathe,” I bite, and he raises his eyebrows at me in confusion.
“And you think you’re going to get that out here?” he clarifies, leaving me speechless and choking on my next breath.
“Let me pass,” I grumble when I can’t find the right response, but instead of heeding my request, he moves closer.
“Make a deal with me,” he breathes calmly, like I haven’t gotten myself worked up so hard that I’m close to passing out.
“No,” I bite, and he smirks at me.
“Petal.”
“Rion,” I retort, and his smile grows as he plants his hands on my shoulders.
“I make good deals,” he insists, but I’m more mad by the fact that I don’t balk at his touch.
“I don’t believe you,” I rasp, clinging to nothing as he takes a step back and lifts his hands in surrender again.
“Don’t run right now, and I’ll get you the privacy you want. I’ll even personally make sure that you are left alone.”
My nostrils flare with frustration because I know without a shadow of a doubt that Institute Twelve isn’t going to be my savior today. Trusting him, however, seems like a dangerous plank to walk. I just don’t know what else I’m supposed to do.
“What do you expect from me?”
His hazel eyes shimmer with victory already. “Consider it another part of yesterday’s deal, and you already gave me what I wanted then.”
I rake my teeth over my bottom lip nervously. It feels too good to be true. It probablyistoo good to be true, but there’s something in his stare that makes me breathe one word.
“Deal.”
He doesn’t miss a beat, waving for me to follow after him, and I go willingly. He remains quiet, and as we make our way onto the path that runs around the exterior of The Vale, I quickly understand we’re heading back to Thirteen. It’s only when we’re inside the institute building and on the fourth floor that I pause in confusion.
“What’s this?” I murmur, confused about how he’s going to provide what he offered, but he opens his bedroom door and turns to me expectantly. “I’m not going in there.”
“Trust me,” he insists, and I purse my lips.
“I’m not going to get any quiet in his room,” I retort, and he nudges the door open wider to reveal an open lounge.
“My room is the door straight ahead. No one will bother you in there,” he promises, but I’m too busy gaping at the fact that their room is nothing like ours.
“Including you?” I finally murmur, and he snickers.
“Including me.”
Why would he promise that? I don’t know, but I seem to trust him enough to find out as I step over the threshold and makea beeline straight for his room. I don’t pay any attention to the communal area, but the second I’m staring at his personal space, I eat it up.
Navy and gray sheets are spread perfectly over his double bed, and they match the curtains draped on the far right wall. There’s a door off to the left which looks like a bathroom, and another doorway to my right which looks like a closet. All of the furnishings are white and light oak, making the place feel warm and cozy, but beyond that, there’s nothing, no personality, nothing that screams this is Rion’s space.
“Do what you want. I’ll make sure to get you some food,” he murmurs, and I turn to face him.
