Chapter 330. Grumpy Jer

Chapter 330: 330. Grumpy Jer

Maisie

Jericho came in first, a look of panic carved into his features, his body rigid like he expected he was coming in here to fight another dragon.

Behind him was a small crowd. Members of the Council, staff pretending to be on their way somewhere else, but just really peeking in, and a dozen guards were crammed into the doorway.

A disconcerting moment of silence fell as everyone took in the disaster.

Their gazes swept from the missing chunk of the ceiling, to the splintered furniture--a few chairs were thrashed, a shelf was broken in half, there was a dent in the wall... dents actually, not that I even remembered any of it--to Soren standing there completely unbothered in his ruined shirt, undone pant buttons, nail gouge marks, and looking thoroughly smug.

And then, they lowered to me where I was sitting on the floor. And their faces melted from confusion to utter disbelief.

Jericho’s face flared at the smell. Councilman Derek’s reddened. Someone else coughed softly and whispered, "Jesus fucking Christ."

Randall Jr. was blinking hard at Soren’s messed up hair and the marks on his skin. Rosalia was laughing her head off.

They had probably heard all the screaming. And the furniture breaking. And the glass shattering. I choked upon the realization that they thought we’d somehow included the roof in the destruction of our love making, too. Well, we did indirectly, but it wasn’t what they were thinking!

Jericho recovered first, his face going stony and his fingers curled to form fists. He wouldn’t look at me and that bothered me.

Oblivious to it all, or maybe he just didn’t give a shit, Soren lowered to pick me off the floor.

Like I needed his help.

There was no way I was letting him help me in front of this audience. I had to salvage whatever pathetic shred of dignity I had left. Or I really would die from the embarrassment. Plus, I was an independent, capable woman.

"I’m fine," I snapped, swatting his hand away. "I can stand on my own."

His eyes crinkled, and I wanted to slap off the laughter on his face as he took back his hand. "As the lady likes."

I planted my hands on the plaster-dusted floor and pushed myself to my feet.

Or at least, I tried to.

The second my weight hit my feet, my knees liquified.

Shit. My legs aren’t working!

A squeal of betrayal tore from my throat as I faceplanted unceremoniously toward the floor.

Before I could smash into the rubble, Jericho and Soren lunged for me, but Soren caught me, and I was suddenly in the air, his hand under my knees as he tucked me against his chest.

A collective, quiet gasp went around the doorway.

I buried my face instantly into Soren’s chest, squeezing my eyes shut so hard I saw stars. Mortification burned through my veins like hot acid.

Now everyone knew that Soren had screwed me so hard he had temporarily paralyzed me.

It was over. My life was officially over.

"Rosalia," Soren said, his right hand tightened against me while he leaned over to grab my boots where he had dumped them.

At the sound of his voice, a few of the staff jumped and scurried down the hallway. No doubt to spread the gossip. "Check in with facilities. There seems to have been a... weather issue," he said.

"A weather issue," Rosalia nodded sarcastically. "Sure. Any other person I should call? The wood maker? A doctor, maybe?"

"Rosalia?"

"Yes sir," she squeaked, and was gone in an instant.

Soren stopped in front of Jericho. "Take her. I’ll finish up here," he told him, though his arms tightened around me like he wasn’t ready to let go just yet.

But he reliquished his hold on me, and my protest died when Jericho’s big nice-smelly arms came around me.

Soren’s eyes lowered to me, a secretive smile brightening his face. "Remember what we talked about?" he asked.

Or you could be a good girl. Clench and keep it all in.

At my remembrance, he smiled. "You’re leaking, Adams."

The inside of my thigh was wet with his cum. That he said it so callously made me want to hide in Jericho’s chest, but the depth of his delicious voice resonated deep in my core and my insides clenched tight involuntarily to keep it all in, like he’d ordered me to.

I flushed, irritated at my body for obeying him.

"Very good," he hummed in approval like he knew what I’d done, tapping my nose twice like I was his little bean. I considered slugging him, the asshole.

"I’ll see you tonight."

"Tonight?" I stammered.

Right. It was his turn to babysit today.

"Be good," he murmured. "Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. And don’t torment Jericho. He’s having a terribly l-o-o-o-o-ng and painf-u-u-l day," he drawled pettily.

Jericho snarled in response. "Hey!" I yelled at him as he swiveled on his heel and stormed out the door with me, clutching me tightly enough that you’d think he half-expected someone to snatch me right out of his arms.

He was acting like an angry caveman.

Me take wife. Me hide wife in me cave. No one touch me wife.

He edged for the elevator with long, furious strides, ignoring my questioning stare. He hit the button a little too hard when the last of the staff emptied out, casting us curious glances, and his jaw was clenched when the door shut.

"Jericho," I called softly, touching his shoulder. "What is the matter?"

He’d never been vindictive. Sure, the not-there but still-there bond was messing with all of us, and that coupled with the one-sided mark made them more sensitive than usual, but I’d never seen him this... upset.

And I couldn’t help but feel like some of it was directed at me when he grunted a non-commital, "Nothing."

I opened my mouth to push, but he spoke first, "I felt something tug at me when the explosion happened. That was no weather damage, was it?"

My eyes lowered to my hand. "No. I... I think I might have accidentally tried to open the rift." I swallowed, holding back the tears pricking my eyes. "It didn’t work, but it could’ve. I could’ve... killed him. And Quinlan. And you."

"I’ll talk to Soren about meeting the... prisoner sooner," he said after a moment. My eyes shot up to his in surprise and he shifted uncomfortably, clearly not liking the idea. "It would help if he knew something about this. The books can only go so far. You could hurt yourself if it happened again without your knowing how to control it."

I didn’t think it could be controlled. Hell, it had felt as easy as breathing, and I didn’t know what I was doing.

I nodded anyway, leaning my head against his collar bone, suddenly bone weary.

His chin came to rest of my head instinctively, but then his body tightened again and he lifted it off. I wondered what was wrong with him.

"I’ll keep it quiet before it reaches the Queen, but chances are she’ll find out anyway," he murmured.

My pulse quickened. "You think she’ll try something?"

"She’s desperate, trying to fix that ruby. It’s more surprising she hasn’t tried to get to you yet." He glanced down at me. "Soren thinks she knows striking at you at this time is in bad taste. But I know her. If Lysandra isn’t acting, it isn’t because her hands are tied. It’s because it’s all part of a bigger scheme.

"But if she does try something, she’ll be met with resistance. We’ll protect you with everything we’ve got."

I swallowed. I believed him. And that’s what scared me.

****

The car pulled into the school’s parking lot. Other than the paparazzi following us when we got out of the building--heavens knew how they got there so fast. I could swear they were following me--trying to learn more than the vague, "The lightning struck the roof." "It’s all under control." "No. Nobody died.", Jericho gave them, the drive was uneventful.

Completely. Uneventful.

I mean the ’Jericho didn’t even speak to me’ kind of uneventful. And I would’ve thought he was just worried about the accident, but then barely one minute into the ride, he had cracked the windows like he couldn’t stand the smell of sex on me. And he kept stealing glances at me that felt like fire against my cheek.

And when I turned to look at him, he turned away instantly and continued sulking.

Now, he slid out of the car, walking around to get the door for me.

Thankfully, I’d regained enough strength in my legs to stand, because it would’ve been embarrassing to be caught falling on my face at school.

Not that it hadn’t already happened a handful of times. And my legs still felt a little rubbery.

I adjusted my bag over my shoulder. "I’ll, uh, get going."

He nodded sharply.

That was it it? No bye, malyshka?

I rocked back on my heels, ignoring the glare of the sun as I looked up at him. "Okay. What the hell is wrong with you? Someone piss in your bowl of cereal?"

His amber gaze jerked to me, affronted, and I felt better that he was, at least, looking at me now. "Nothing, and no. I don’t eat cereal," he muttered.

My face went hot with annoyance. "I am not going to apologize for having sex with Soren--"

Someone gasped in the distance and my face flamed when I looked behind me. There were a group of girls from my class. About four of them, hiding their giggling behind their hands.

Great. Now everyone was going to be talking about it.

"I wasn’t asking you to," Jericho said.

"Okay, then why are you acting like this? You’re the one who’s all about communication, and now you’re just being... whatever you’re being right now," I growled.

His cheeks flushed red and he looked away, grumpy.

Alright. I tried.

I started to walk away when he caught my wrist and I was pushed back against the car.