20. Chapter 20

Chapter twenty

TIA

"What the fuck was that?" I yell at Paval as he steps into the room, still looking around. I have no idea what he's searching for but it's starting to freak me out. The fact that his pupils are still dilated and he's basically panting makes this all scarier. "Pav, babe, talk to me. Shit, is this a panic attack? What do you need?"

He's pacing in a little circle, mumbling something to himself before he meets my eyes. "It was less than five minutes, right? Cairo said four. That's right? I was counting but then… Tia—"

"Yes, it was less than four." I step up to him, relieved when he lets me hold him. "Why is it so fucking important? You defended my honor and for that, I'm grateful but it doesn't matter how long it takes. It's a fight. Three minutes or fifteen, it's still a fight."

He shakes his head, burying his face into my shoulder. "I was only given five minutes but I did it. We're good."

Paval won't explain himself when he's this hyped up so I lead him to one of the lounges toward the back. He sits there, dragging me into his lap before wrapping his arms around me. The silence calms his erratic breathing, his simmering emotions fading until the moment becomes peaceful. I want to ask about this ‘five minutes' business but this silence is more important.

He needs it more than he knows, a few moments where he can sift through his thoughts and I'm more than happy to be in his arms while he figures out the world around him. Especially when his lips start trailing down the side of my face, one of his hands sliding down my stomach and playing with the waistband of my pants.

"Are you feeling okay, Pav? You got hit pretty hard."

"I would like you to focus. Why would you ask me that right now?"

I snort, staying his hand so it doesn't go further. "Babe, I care about you, you know that, right? Which is why I'm checking on you. You scared me out there."

"I was protecting you."

I twist around and straddle his lap, grinding down on his hard cock. "And I love that you were but I'm still worried." My hands move to settle on his shoulders as I steal a kiss, loving the way he wraps himself around me again. "You'd tell me if there was something wrong, right?"

"Yes."

Which means there is something wrong but he believes not telling me is better than sharing the information. He pulls me down to ride him, our clothes in the way of any real friction that I need. Still, I give into the movement, heat pooling in my belly as the desire deepens.

He reaches between us, undoing the button of my pants. "Need you, Tia."

As much as I want the same thing, this is a public room and I'm not 100% on board with showcasing our private moments. However, he doesn't try to take off my pants. He just shoves two fingers down my panties and presses against my clit. "Paval…"

"You're so fucking wet. Is this for me? Or Cairo? Or both of us?" The panic in his eyes is still there but he's masking it with a distraction. Where he usually finds comfort in another puzzle or problem to solve, he's now using me. I can't say I'm complaining, especially when he twists his arm to stuff two fingers in my cunt.

My back bows as I cling to his shoulders and bury my head into the crook of his neck to keep from crying out.

"Give it to me, Tia. I want it. I need it."

Little whimpers fall from my lips as I ride his fingers, crying out into his neck when I come. He's still pumping into me as the orgasm fades, only pulling out when I try getting off his lap at the voices entering the room. He brings those fingers to his lips and sucks them into his mouth, smiling at the way my cheeks heat.

"Princess! What were you two—out in the open? Damn, we missed the real show, Jax." Aidan chucks out a laugh as he tosses me the little black book I keep near and dear to my heart with everyone's bets. "Had a really large bet on our newcomer here with a few stipulations. You get 50% of the cut, the rest goes to the one who placed the bet."

I open to the current page and stare at the amount. No one ever puts more than a few hundred but this person put down a few grand? That's impossible. "Who was it?"

"One of the newer kids. Said you were hot but money is money," Jax says as he shrugs. "Did we interrupt something?" He points to me and then Paval who is now standing behind me, looking around again. I really need to understand what's got him so frazzled.

"No, we're good. How's Cairo?"

"Fighting his demons. The other guy isn't faring well but I swear you pick similar men. Cairo's playing with his food tonight. What is going on with you three?" Aidan tilts his head, trying to read my expression but it's nothing I want to talk about. He already knows though. "We're keeping an eye out for her, okay?"

It's impossible to fight a woman who has been working the system for longer than I've been alive, though. Even with Paval's fathers alert of her whereabouts, anything short of leaving campus and finding a safe house, Ada will find me. It's just a matter of time.

I just wish I knew what she wanted.

Is her endgame really just having me at her side or is it something else?

Because if her obsession is nothing more than getting back what she's lost, I'm going to flip some shit.