bullshit wrath and he’s been fine about keeping to those boundaries, until now.
“What now?” I drawl, a small concession because it’s a nicer tone than the snapping I want to do.
“I’m picking you up for Sage’s party tomorrow, don’t leave your dorm without me.”
I roll my eyes at him but he just shakes his head at me, my attitude not rolling off of him like it usually does. "No, this isn't about me tailing you because I don't trust you, this is— there's a lot of Council members going because of Sage's parents, and none of them are going to... be people you should talk to."
I don't want to talk to anyone who isn't Sage but I also don't like Gabe telling me who I can and can't speak to. "Afraid I'm going to embarrass you?"
He huffs and grabs my arm, pulling me off of the path and over to the side of the building where we have a little cover. "Maybe you should stop being so goddamn in love with the victim narrative you have going on in your head and think about this like a rational human being for a second. The Council aren't all friends. It's not some boys club that North is in that's trying to ruin your life. They're the leaders of our community and the staple of our society... and half of them think North should force you to bond with him because you shouldn't have the right to say no to him. Half of them think rape is the appropriate course of action here."
My stomach drops and he nods at me, "They're not all good people. They're just voted in as heads of their families and so they get a seat at the table. I'm taking you and I'll stay with you so you don't end up sitting in a dark corner with Sharpe or Vittorio rummaging through your brain with their gifts."
Sharpe and Vittorio, I take note of their names because there's too many secrets lurking in the depths of my mind that could ruin us all.
I stare up at Gabe for a minute, teetering on the edge of trusting him,and there’s a throbbing feeling in my chest that has me swaying into him just a little bit. There’s a tick in his cheek as he clenches his teeth that tells me he’s just as affected by this closeness as I am and suddenly this entire situation feels dangerous to me.
Remember they all hate you.
I push him away from my body, startling when I realize my hands had already found themselves sliding up his chest without me noticing, and suddenly my brain is full of information I do not need right now.
Like how toned and solid he feels under the shirt he’s wearing.
We both just stare at each other for a second before the spell breaks when my brain finally catches up to the fact that my goddamn hands are still pressed against his chest and I snatch them away, turning and stalking away from him.
My tone is scathing and shakes a little as I snap, “I’ll wait for you to take me over to the party but I’m hanging out with Sage there. I don’t care if you follow us around, but I’m not leaving her behind just because you want to hang out with your asshole friends.”
I’m expecting him to snap back at me or bitch me out like he usually does but he just follows me obediently, two steps behind me like usual, as if nothing has just happened. We make it to the TT training building and when I pause to push open the door Gabe steps back up to my body, leaning in close to murmur to me, “Maybe you’re not as ice cold as you pretend to be.”
I fucking need to be.
Just when I think that I’m getting in better shape during the workout portion of the TT class, Vivian switches up my sets and once again destroys my will to live. I still train away from the others in the class because I’m so far behind them, but I’ve already started to notice the growing strength in my limbs and the way I’m trimming down a little.
I still lose every last one of the training scenarios.
After the first class that I’d been knocked out of, Vivian lets the entire class use their gifts during the scenarios and there’s no way I can compete with them.
One of the girls is a walking dose of chloroform.
She also