Chapter 30

It took a long time after Brady left for me to be okay with it. A separation anxiety unlike I'd ever felt followed his departure. Whatever I'd done by kissing him had changed things, or, maybe, he'd changed them.

He wasn't what I'd thought he was.

In just a short amount of time, Brady had rewritten everything I though I'd known about him. No longer was he the monster, but the savior. No longer was he trying to pressure me into commitment, but helping me to prevent it. He'd taken my tortured childhood and, in a way, repaired it. I didn't have to worry about people knowing, about them judging or mocking. To them, I was nobody, not even a thought.

But now that I actually wanted to be around him, he'd disappeared. Well, not entirely. It'd only been a day, but still, I expected to see him the next morning. I definitely didn't anticipate waking up to a questioning Red, getting ready for school, and going about my day like a normal fucking person.

I'd wanted normal. I'd dreamed of it, but now...

Despite the amount of students filling the hallways on campus, they felt barren without him popping up to surprise me. Throughout the day, I searched, each face, every corner. It seemed strange to me, considering he'd been so adamant that my life was in danger. Perhaps, he was just hiding, giving me the illusion of normality, but all the while keeping close.

I hoped so, because although my soul felt lonely, I'd never actually felt alone. I had the deepest sensation of being watched. So much so, when classes finally ended, I opted to stay with the crowds in an attempt to squash some of the vulnerability.

The sidewalks filled up as the college emptied. Some students headed towards the dorms, but the majority moved towards the little strip where Red had taken me to eat. I chose to follow the larger crowd.

The last time I'd made the walk this side of campus, it'd been nearing night, and with Red to lead me, I hadn't paid much attention. I hadn't noticed the other shops and little restaurants that surrounded Big Al's. There were at least a dozen. Little boutiques, a spa, even a Hibachi Grill. I slowly walked amongst the other students, occasionally stopping to peek inside one of the many windows.

When I noticed most of the people entering a door at the end, I decided to follow and found a bookstore. Shelves stretched from wall to wall and floor to ceiling, all packed with books of all sizes and every genre. A small coffee shop was positioned in the center, and murmured conversations echoed out from the many tables surrounding it.

I fell in love with the quiet setting, the antique furniture, and the general peacefulness I felt by just being there. I selected a book from one of the featured displays, not even bothering to read the title before taking a seat at the nearest table. It'd been so long since I'd taken a moment to breathe, to lose myself in something so simple.

I should have known it wouldn't last. I barely made it through the first chapter when someone tapped my shoulder. "Amelia?"

My eyes widened. His accent made it impossible not to know exactly who it was, and my words caught in my throat as I looked over to find him standing over me.

Owen smiled. To his left, another man stood just behind him. His appearance was jarring to say the least. Piercings filled each ear, his nose, his lip. His head was cleanly shaved and covered in tribal tattoos. They ran all the way down his neck, disappearing beneath his shirt line. "This is Doogal," Owen continued, giving a name to the new face. "He's the friend I was telling you about. It's been hard to track you down. I'm sorry to pop up like this, but I've been trying to call, and your lack of a response made me worry." His voice lowered to almost a whisper, and his eyes darted about the room. "Do you have the stones?"

My palms grew sweaty as I suddenly felt like an ant under a microscope. The stones. He'd come back to finish it. To get rid of Brady. My heart lurched in my chest at the thought. I couldn't let that happen. "He left," I said, sounding like a cat who's tail had just been yanked.

Owen's brow furrowed, and he glanced at his friend for a long drawn out moment. "He left? What do you mean?"

"Yeah, uh, I guess he gave up." I shrugged my shoulders, but the looks I received told me I was failing miserably at my attempt to lie. "Thanks so much for helping me."

Owen took a seat across from me, but his friend remained in place. He hadn't said a word, and his presence combined with his intense scrutiny set me on edge.

Owen clasped my hand from across the table. "Do you have the stones?"

I swallowed hard, then glanced between the two men, before finally shaking my head. "I didn't need them anymore." It was the truth, but they didn't know the real reason why.

The man named Doogal shifted, and I watched his eyes slice across the room like a hawk looking for prey. They landed on Owen, serious as a grave and sharp.

Owen nodded his head. "Amelia, you don't have to lie. We can feel the magic surrounding you as we speak. He's got a hold on you. It's not safe here." He looked around the same way his friend had. "You should come with us."

"What?" Every fiber in my being rebelled against the statement. The pull between Brady and I seemed to disagree as well. It tightened my skin and made me jerk my hand away. "I can't. I'm fine. Really. I'm sorry I wasted your time."

The pair once again stared at each other, and a heavy silence stretched by as I waited for them to respond. They needed to leave. I needed them to go away. Just the thought of something happening to Brady, all because of me, sent my heart into overdrive.

"We understand." It was Doogal that spoke, and the sudden deep, roughness of his voice made me jump. "If you need help, please don't hesitate to give Owen a call. It's never too late."

Owen seemed torn, but he too eventually nodded. "Please consider it," he murmured before pushing himself up from the table. Our eyes locked one last time, before he turned away to follow an already retreating Doogal.

Guilt gnawed at my stomach. They'd come all the way here to help, only to have me turn them away. Still, it didn't matter. There was nothing I could do. Things had changed.

The book felt pointless after the confrontation. There was no way I'd be able to read it. I decided to head back to the dorm, hoping Brady would be waiting for me. I needed to see him. To warn him. To just know that he was okay.

I placed the book back on the shelf, and exited back onto the sidewalk. The crowds had cleared, with only a peppering of solitary students up and down in either direction. I retraced my steps, head held down and mind lost in thought.

Owen said he could feel the magic on me. What did that even mean? That Brady had a hold on me? Could they feel the bond, or was it something else, something I'd failed to take into consideration?

I shook my head. I couldn't go back to that. I couldn't doubt him. Brady had been so great. We had an agreement. I couldn't demonize him. I needed to treat him like a normal–

My thoughts were cut short as a pair of large arms wrapped around me from behind. A hand covered my mouth. I tried to scream, to cry out, to break free, but the grip was too strong. My voice was too muffled. A deep rough tone murmured words I couldn't understand into my ear, and I was turned towards a white truck parked along the curve. My body suddenly felt heavy, and my eyes drifted shut. I fought to keep them open, to kick and twist my way free, but each attempt became weaker as the murmured words continued.

I noticed Owen behind the driver's seat. His sad eyes met mine just before the world faded away to black.

😵

💙

😘