North are bordering on obsessive.
“Miss Fallows, this is a highly unusual situation we’ve found ourselves in and I’m taking that into consideration with my decision here. While Mr Draven is your professor and should have final say on your grades, I understand that the— delicate particulars of your Bond mean that there will be some changes required.”
The only thing around here that is delicate is Nox’s fucking ego.
I nod and keep my eyes on him, my resolve not at all strong enough to handle even a glance in North’s direction right now. The dean’s eyes do flick over to my asshole Bond as he continues, “Councilman Draven has the same qualifications as his brother and has offered to mark your assignments for the remainder of your classes with Mr Draven. Given the circumstances, I’m willing to go to the school board with this and I’m confident that they’ll agree to these terms. You will still be required to attend your classes and workshops, all of your due dates will remain the same, the only change here will be that your assignments will be sent over to the Councilman.”
I want to flip the table.
I want to unleash my gift on them both and just watch them face the wrath I have building in my veins.
I want to punch North and his gutless fucking brother in the faces.
Instead, I say, “Thank you, Dean Myers. I appreciate your leniency and efforts on this delicate issue.”
I can’t stop the sarcasm from oozing out of me but the dean doesn’t notice, he just grins at North like he’s done an outstanding job on this and we all stand as one.
I’m ready to stalk home to walk some of my rage off, then North comes out of the left field and says, “Oleander, I’ll drive you home.”
My name. He says my actual, full first name without any of the derisive, controlling bullshit he pulls with my last name and, goddammit, I shiver at the sound of my name coming out from between those pouty lips of his.
What the fuck was that?!
Okay, I need a brain bleaching the second I get back to my room because I’m definitely not going to be thinking about that domineering asshole like that, no matter what my bond thinks. Fuck. I remember where the hell I am and give the dean an appreciative nod before following North out of the office building.
He doesn’t attempt to slow down for me and once again, I find myself jogging to keep up with his stupidly long legs. I have to huff out the words, breathless and exasperated, “I know you hate me and, honestly, I’d feel the same damn way, but I worked my ass off for that paper. I have done nothing but study and stick to your bullshit rules, I have no freedom, no fucking life, and still you’re going to sit there on your high horse and tell me all about how much of a useless little brat I am? No, fuck you, North. I don’t deserve this.”
He stops when he gets to the car and holds the door open for me, ushering me in, and I’m distracted enough by the bullshit in my head that I don’t notice Gryphon until I’m already sitting down. He’s already buckled into the middle seat on the rearward facing row and I scoot along to get as far away from him and North as I can, shame curling in my gut that once again my humiliation has to be a spectator sport. His eyes roam over me with cold apathy, pausing for a second on my cheeks, and I quickly scrub a hand over them in case I’ve done something mortifying like cry in front of them.
North slides in after me, sitting in his usual seat. “Nox isn’t known for his subtlety, you’ve wronged him and he’s going to make sure everyone knows about it. You can’t blame him for assuming you’d do a terrible job, he knows you dropped out of high school on a whim, Fallows.”
I speak through my teeth, “It’s not like I had a choice, Draven.”
North glances over to Gryphon, his brow furrowed, and Gryphon shrugs back at him. “She’s telling the truth.”
I snort. “Well, thanks for your vote of confidence there, Gryphon. Why the hell are you even here? Shouldn’t you be off torturing people somewhere else, somewhere that’s nowhere near me?”
He stares me down until my skin is crawling and I desperately want to look away from him,