Page 28 of A Lesson in Obedience
“He’s not going to listen to you,” I said, making my way over to my dog. “What’s going on buddy?” I felt River grab my arm, pulling me back.
“Why don’t we just go upstairs, gorgeous? We can talk about everything when you’re settled. You and Beau.”
I stole my arm back, looking over my shoulder. “What’s behind the door, River?”
Asher’s exasperated laugh filled the air. It wasn’t that he found something funny, but more so that whatever needed to be said was so wildly insane that laughing was the only way to deal.
I looked up expectedly at my boyfriend, who pressed his lips together. He placed his hand at the back of his head and looked up at the ceiling. He was avoiding my question and I wanted to combust. “I swear if you don’t tell me I will rip that door off its hinges.” I made it so we were so close in proximity that he could feel my breath. “We both know I can do that.”
He huffed in defeat. His green eyes already had a look of pleading, and I didn’t even know what was going on. “Grayson.”
One name. One word. A small breath escaped my lips and I had to cross my arms over my chest, tucking my hands into my armpits to keep them from shaking. “He’s here?”
River slowly nodded, reaching for me. I stepped back, shaking my head. “Why?”
Asher raised one of his hands. “That was my idea. After what happened, it was the best case scenario.”
“Your idea?” I reiterated, looking back at the door and then athim. He put his hands in his pocket, turning and heading up the stairs. I rested my gaze on River. “You agreed to this?”
River shifted from one foot to the other. “It seemed like a good idea to keep him close, after everything. He told us what happened, and I know he hurt you. What happened with Mari?—”
“Shut up! Stop talking.” I felt my palms getting hot and I knew it was more than just anxiety. I took a deep breath and shoved past him, hearing him let out a groan. Beau’s familiar footsteps followed after me, almost right on my heels.
I stomped up the stairs, seeing Asher coming out of the bathroom near River’s room. “Are you expecting me to go in there and talk to him right now? Hear him out?” I shoved him lightly and he peeked over my shoulder. I heard River creeping up the stairs but not interrupting us.
“Who, Grayson? No, I don’t. You can talk to him whenever you think you’ll be okay to do so. I don’t actually care what you do.”
I snorted. “Right? Says the guy who just told me I couldn’t have my dog and claimed I was going back to school.”
“Fuck’s sake, keep the dog. You want to fight me like a child to keep your companion, fine. River is right, he’s your familiar so as long as you pick up his shit and he stays out of my room then we’re all good. School is non-negotiable though.”
“Non-negotiable?” My mouth dropped open. “You can’t just make all these fucking decisions. We aren’t in a classroom,sir. You can’t just tell me what to do and expect me to just nod my head and submit. I just had one insane fucking man try to tell me what I am and who I’m going to be, so fuck you, if you think you’ll be another one.”
“Hey, Riley, it’s okay. Let’s just go to my room and talk,” River coaxed, tentatively touching my shoulder.
Asher scanned my face, taking in my heavy breaths and likely over-stimulated demeanor. His eyes dropped to my mouth, moving them back to meet my eyes so quickly it was almost as if it never happened.
The tension in my body started to fall away and I sighed, letting out a breath that came out like a light cough. “I really don’t know if you do all this because you like control or because you actually give a shit.”
I swiftly turned around, my body knocking against River’s, heading towards his room.
I saton River’s bed, having changed into one of his shirts and played with the hem while he was out in the hall with his brother. I jumped in surprise when I heard Asher’s door slam. I stopped fidgeting, listening as the door opened. River closed it with his back, leaning against it with his head bowed.
“If you guys were arguing out there, you are both surprisingly quiet about it.”
He laughed softly. “Asher is very good at whispering harshly. He did say he was sorry.”
I gave him a leveled look. “No, he didn’t.”
“He did not,” River admitted, walking over to his bed and sitting on the edge. He gave me a bit of space and something was holding me back from telling him that he could get as close as he wanted. He took in my change of clothes. “It’s the middle of the day. You look like you’re dressed for bed.”
I drew circles on my exposed knees, since I had on his shirt and nothing else. “I didn’t sleep well at Corrin’s despite crying until I was practically dehydrated.” He opened his mouth but I continued before he could interject, “Please don’t ask about it. I spent most of the night in and out of sleep, tossing and turning and being here….” I splayed my hand out on his comforter.
River placed his hand over mine, the feeling of it warm and loving. “Being here, what?”
“I think I could sleep soundly. I just keeping seeing b-blood and I?—”
River ran his hand up my arm and over my shoulder, so he could cradle my neck. The thick lines of tattooed black vines that decorated his bicep in my eyesight. “Grayson told us about Marianne and Riley…”
