Revered: Santa Catalina University by Crystal North

Author:Crystal North [North, Crystal]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: North River Hill Publishing
Published: 2023-07-28T04:00:00+00:00

I’m bone-tired by the time we head back to the house. Cove and Bhodi both look completely washed out too. I think we all overdid it today.

“Leave your board outside with mine and I’ll clean them both off while you shower,” Cove tells me.

“Thanks. But Bhodi can shower first.”

“I won’t say no to that, unless you want to shower with me, little dot. We could conserve water.”

I laugh when he wiggles his eyebrows at me. “That’s not a good idea.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re still healing,” I insist.

“Exactly. I need someone to nurse me back to health.”

“Then maybe you should take your medication!”

“You’re such a grass,” he snipes at Cove, before turning back to me. “I feel faint. Maybe you should chaperone me while I shower.”

I laugh but shake my head. “You’re incorrigible.”

“My dick’s incorrigible.”

“Enough. Go shower.”

I’m still laughing as I push open the front door and step inside. Rounding the corner to the kitchen, I halt, the laughter dying on my lips.

“You’re back!” I exclaim, rushing forward and throwing my arms around the professor. He stiffens under my touch and I step back, frowning. “What—?”

He winces, unable to hide the grimace of pain on his face.

“You’re hurt?”

“I’m fine, Miss Van der Zee—”

“Bullshit!” I snap, frustration and relief and fear warring inside me and coming out all wrong. “Look at you.”

“What about me?”

“You’re hurt. I can tell,” I insist.

“There’s not a mark on me, so I don’t see how you could tell.” He folds his arms over his chest in challenge.

“It’s the way you’re holding yourself.”

He raises a brow at me, a slight smirk tugging on his lips. He’s mocking me, even though I knew the moment we met that he was left-handed from the way he tied his shoelaces, he doesn’t believe that I can read him. “And how’s that?”

“Stiff. Your movements are tentative. Hesitant. You stiffened when I touched you and your eyes are full of pain,” I reply with confidence, meeting his gaze unflinchingly.

“Maybe I stiffened because I don’t want to be touched by you.”

I silently baulk at his harsh tone and try to ignore the pain his words cause to strike through my chest. Why is he being a dick? Is it because he’s hurt? I’m not the one who did this to him though, so why take it out on me?

He steps away from me, and I watch as he moves towards the kitchen counter, his movements still all wrong. He usually moves with so much confidence, with fluidity, but right now he’s jerky.

I don’t know why he’s being so cold to me. I thought we’d moved past this. He’s always blowing hot and cold – a saying which makes total sense to me now – and I can never work out where I stand with him.

“We missed you,” I say quietly, trying again. The man standing with his back to me feels like a stranger, not the guy who killed to protect me.

When he doesn’t respond, I take off up the stairs deciding to just have the first shower while Bhodi and Cove are still outside.

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