Page 46 of A Lesson in Obedience
“Beau is in River’s room,” Asher explained, crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes roamed over me like he was inspecting every inch.
“That’s where I’ll be then.” I swiftly turned around and started to head out of the room when a hand caught my arm.
“Grayson, I don’t think—” Asher started, but the act of me harshly removing my arm from Grayson’s hold cut him off.
He stood before me, much closer than before and my heart constricted. His being this close had me wanting to feel his warmth and let those shadows that once caressed me do it all over again. I wanted the guy who literally hung onto my every word whenever we were alone because he thought what I had to say was important. The guy who wanted to make me happy with his books, his family, his words…. his mouth. I closed my eyes tightly. His closeness made it hard for me to think and as much as I missed him, I couldn’t let his sad eyes and relentless pleas get to me. “You don’t get to be this close.” I pressed my hand against his chest causing him to take a few steps back.
“Riley, please.” The begging tone in his voice sent a shock through my chest and it sounded so sincere.
I shook my head, keeping my hand out to maintain our separation. “You can stay here and help. You can hate Chancellor Fowler just like the rest of us, and you should. You can be around me and look at me and think up all the ways you can win back my trust, but you don’t get to be that close. Not right now.” My throat had developed a lump that I tried to swallow down and it hurt.
I started to turn around again, but his voice echoed through me. “Riley, I’m sorry. I’m sofuckingsorry that?—”
“I KNOW!” I whirled around, nearly inducing my own vertigo from how fast I’d spun. “I know you’re sorry!”
River covered his mouth but didn’t make a move to follow me when I stormed off, running upstairs and into his bedroom. I didn’t make it to the bed, but just slid down the side until my ass hit the floor. Beau came up next to me, circling a few times before laying down near my legs.
Do you want me to bite him?he thought, laying his head on my thigh.
I furrowed my brows. “Thanks, but that’s a little drastic.”
Beau sighed.It’s not drastic to me. If it will make you feel better, I’ll do it.
I stifled a laugh, hearing my phone buzz on the bedside table. Ireached around and grabbed it, seeing Corrin’s face blown up on my screen. I swiped to answer her call.
“Hey, what’s up?” I answered in a steady voice.
The line was silent on her end and I pulled my phone away from my ear thinking I had accidentally hung up. “Hello?” I asked again.
“What’s wrong?” she inquired, sounding a little far away, but I could still hear her clearly.
“What do you mean? All I said was hey.”
Corrin hummed. “Mhmm, and the way you said it was all weird and not like an everyday ‘hey’. So I shall ask again, what’s wrong?”
I rolled my eyes to the ceiling, playing out all my options. Then Mateo’s voice came through the line. “Riley, she’ll just keep going if you don’t give her a reason to stop, so say something.”
I pulled my phone away from my ear for the second time. “Mateo? Where’s Corrin?”
“I’m still here, you’re just on speaker,” Corrin responded. “Mateo absconded my car and made me a passenger princess for the day.”
I let out a little laugh. “Sounds nice and like something you shouldn’t complain about.”
“I happen to like driving, thank you very much. We all can’t be transit gurus like you,” Corrin grumbled. “Don’t change the subject. I will not ask a fourth time, what’s wrong?”
I groaned, rubbing my fingers into my eyes. “I saw my mom today.”
“Really? How did that go?” Corrin asked, intrigue peaking in her voice.
I told her what I could, yet again leaving out the parts about Marianne. The guys already knew, so speaking about her in a way that started to bring it all back was okay because I didn’t have to explain so much. They knew what she meant to me in so many words. Corrin knew my dad, so speaking about how his death made me feel was easier because I didn’t have to tell this long, drawn out story. I didn’t care about background listeners, none of the people I’dsurrounded myself with would judge me, but my head wouldn’t connect with my heart to form the words.
I simply told her something else that was just as important. I let her know about how my powers had taken over and I’d hurt my mom. I told her how regretful I felt and how her mom was right when it came to my own mother’s forgiveness.
“Riley, you’re a novice witch and they make mistakes. They fuck up, believe me. You can ask Ike and he’ll eagerly tell you all the ways I’ve made a fool of myself. Of course, he’s never made a mistake in his whole fucking life, but I digress, your powers are understandably unstable which is something I’m sure you’re aware of.”
“Yes, yes, I’ve been told that before.” I rolled my eyes.
“I was actually calling to tell you that my mom talked to Samia and I have your dampener ring. You’ll need to put it on for the first time so it can sync to your magic, so I’ll bring it tomorrow before school. We can meet in the parking lot, just text me when you leave the sausage fest that you live in.” I heard Mateo bark out a laugh on the other end.
