Talons

Chapter 48: The Splash

Rhea’s POV

Mike texted me the address of where the party was going to be. I wasn’t planning to go, but after hours of deliberation I barged into Jamie’s room and asked her to dress me. She raised a brow at me, and I told her that I’d been invited to a party.

I was shocked when she said that she was coming with me, but also relieved because it meant I didn’t have to take a taxi.

By the time she’s done giving me a makeover I’m impressed. She has hidden my weight well by playing up my cleavage, she styled my hair by accentuating my natural curls, and she removed my glasses, replacing them with mascara and eyeliner. I have to admit; I look nice, and I can’t wait to see the look on Mike's face when he sees me.

We step into the frat house, and I immediately feel eyes on my breasts. They are normally hidden by my clothing, and truthfully, I didn’t realize they were so ‘full.’

I don’t see any of the guys, so I make my way upstairs. For reasons unknown Jamie won't follow, and she tells me to be careful. I don’t understand why until I see several people making out.

I scoot past them, not sure if I want to find Mike within the group, but I do, and he has a girl straddling his lap with his hand up the front of her shirt.

I gasp and turn to leave, but Gavin shouts my name, surprised to see me and probably by the way I’m dressed. It gets Mike's attention, so I run.

I see Jamie looking miserable in the same place I left her, and I pull her out the front door with me. My heart is racing and aching, so I can’t explain to her what's wrong.

Mike comes running out the front doors behind us, but I quickly hide, and Jamie catches on.

“Where is she?” Mike asks. He knows Jamie is my roommate and it's not a stretch to assume that I came with her.

“I just got out here. I saw her running and she jumped into a car with some guy.”

“And you let her?” Mike questions. I can hear the annoyance in his voice, and I can’t help but to think that he has some nerve.

“I tried to stop her, but I was too slow," she lies.

“Which way did the car go?” Jamie shrugs, and I hear Mike approaching her. She is not intimidated by him, but for appearances she pretends to be. Unfortunately, he catches sight of me huddled behind the car and starts walking toward me instead. “B,” he says in a sympathetic tone. “Let me explain.” I breathe in deeply before letting it out.

“It’s okay,” I say, standing as I brush myself off. Mike looks me up and down biting his lip before trying to pull me into a hug, but I block his hands. "That doesn't mean you get to hug me." I feel proud of myself for my words, but Sylvia is silent in a way that lets me know she is hurt.

“He doesn’t deserve us,” I tell my wolf, and she scoffs at me, finally understanding how annoying those words are when you aren’t ready to hear them.

I loop my arm into Jamie’s, and we start walking to her car. Mike follows us, but we are both ignoring him.

"I told you he wasn't what he was pretending to be," Jamie says, uncaring if Mike can hear.

"He and I aren't a couple. He is free to do what he wants." Jamie wraps her arm around my shoulders and pulls me in close.

"Where have you been all my life?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm guessing you didn't catch him praying up there and you are the first girl I've heard say something rational after seeing something that's probably less than uplifting." I chuckle weakly.

"Sorry for how I reacted, I was caught off-guard.” Jamie bumps me with her hip, making me lose my balance, and Mike seizes the opportunity to pull me into his embrace.

"Please stop talking about me as if I'm not right behind you. I messed up, but I can do better." I give Jamie the signal to walk ahead and I turn to face Mike with a serious expression. "You look really beautiful,” he says, as he goes to push my hair back, but I catch his hand.

"Listen Mike. The truth is that I was selfish for expecting you to wait for me. Whether it's a few months or a few years. Let's just continue as friends, just friends, only friends; no promises." Mike pulls me in close and buries his face in my neck. Uncomfortable, I push him away. “Mike,” I say in an uneasy tone; in part because there are people around, and because I want him to let me go.

"I'm so sorry. I will do anything to make this up to you."

“You could start by letting me leave,” I say, a little more annoyed this time. Mike kisses my hair before releasing me and I walk away.

"I think we should take a break from men," Sylvia says, and I wholeheartedly agree. We have each had a heartbreak over men who didn’t belong to us, and I would hate to feel the pain of losing someone who did.

A part of me now understands Raven and why she reacted so harshly. I know that she loves Tucker unconditionally, just like I know she cares for me. It must have been terrible to think that he and I were sneaking behind her back, even more so because she wasn’t in her right mind.

Back in my room, I call my sister and tell her that I want to patch the relationship between us. She is sobbing as she once again apologizes but then I hear Luke's voice. It cuts out quickly, which prompts me to pull my phone back and stare at the contact.

“Robin?” I say, but only Raven responds. “Stop it, I heard Luke’s voice and unless you two are spending nights-” I’m cut off by Robin, who must have unmuted her device.

“I would kill them both,” she says.

“Kill who?” I hear Luke ask, clearly only hearing one side of the conversation.

“YOU!” She shouts. “You better never look at my sisters, do you understand me?” I hear Luke grumbling and I feel sorry for him, but then I hear Robin chuckling flirtatiously.

“HANG UP!” Raven and I shout simultaneously, but we are both ignored so we drop the call ourselves.

Mike’s POV

It has been weeks since that stupid party and I still can’t believe I did something so idiotic. I invited B and she actually showed up only to find me with another girl.

I keep thinking about how sexy she looked in the outfit she was wearing. It's the first time that I have noticed the progress she is making and the first time I have noticed her curves. Her legs are amazing, her breasts are perfect and I’m so glad Gavin was the only one to see her because I don't want any of the guys trying their luck now that she and I are on rocky terms.

B hasn’t been coming to study hall, and while coach Jim says it's because she has an important assignment she is working on, my mind is telling me that she is avoiding me. I’ve been so down that I’m glad the season is over, otherwise I would have hurt the team or gotten injured.

We did well again this year, and most of our starters, including me, have professional teams talking to us about possible contracts. Normally, guys would just jump at the opportunity to sign with anyone, but because of B, we are reading contract details and making notes to ask her about later.

Using one of the offers I received as a pretext, I send B a text, wanting to know her new class schedule and meet, but she tells me that she will be working out with Jamie during her break, which hurts my heart and my pride.

That means the only time I will see her is when we have group tutoring sessions and that isn't the ideal time for me to beg her to forgive me, especially because I know most of the guys will be pestering her to call her cousin for a detailed contract explanation.

Defeated, I send another apology text, thinking it may help, but I become a little bitter when she responds with just an emoticon.

Rhea's POV

I'm standing in front of my lab, going over my key notes before giving an oral presentation that will count toward my final grade. I don’t like being stared at, and what should have taken me a few days, took me weeks. I even had Jamie and some of her pack friends act as my audience, which resulted in me stuttering my words, but eventually I got it together.

While making sure I had every cue card memorized, I hear a woman say something about Mike and before I know it, hot liquid splashes my chest. I'm not burned by it, but I’m drenched, and by the color of it, I hope it's just coffee.

I’m mortified and start panicking because there’s a dress requirement for the assignment, and I’m wearing a stretchy white flared shirt that I borrowed from Jamie. I was feeling confident because the flare at the middle of the shirt flattered my body shape, but now I feel self-conscious and… angry.

I look up at the girl and know I could tear her apart, but I'm a rogue and attacking a human could get me executed, so I pretend not to want to kill her.

“Why did you do that?” I ask, knowing that I do not have time to go back to the dorms and change.

“Mike is mine. He has been since high school, and he always will be.” I shake my head at the woman, and Sylvia reminds me that she is likely insecure and needs assurance, not the slap I desperately want to give her.

My professor opens the door to the lab where other professors are waiting to grade the performance of each student. He takes one look at me and sighs.

“Are you sure you're still up for this Miss Talons? Your condition allows you extra preparation time, we can reschedule.” I’ve never had to use my ‘condition’ as an excuse in the past and I won’t start now.

“I’m fine sir, I just hope this,” I say pointing to my soiled blouse. “Will not greatly impact my grade.”