CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 2 4

MYRA

Signals crossed

I PUSHED THE almost full tray of food away from me, my knotted stomach unable to eat more than a few bites.

I had been sitting next to Ron's bed since they moved him to a room on the third floor, waiting for him to wake up. Toby and Lisa had left hours ago, and the shift change had brought new nurses to the ward. When I smelled the dinner cart delivering meals, my stomach had growled wretchedly, causing the nurse who was taking Ron's vitals to frown at me.

"When's the last time you ate?"

I sighed. "Yesterday, I think."

"Go down to the cafeteria and grab some dinner. You're no good to him if you don't take care of yourself. Besides, he's not going anywhere. "

That's the part that worried me. What if he didn't wake up? What if the blood loss had been too severe? While I was sitting in Ron's room, I had googled hypovolemic shock. According to what I read, there was a high chance that severe blood loss could cause organ failure or death if not treated in time. None of us knew when the attack had occurred or how long he had been unconscious. What if it was too long?

The thought of losing someone else was almost more than I could bear. I stayed by his side as if I could will him to live. I didn't know if anyone had contacted his family, and I didn't want him to wake up to strangers if he did pull through, so I stayed and I watched and I waited. Leaving to go eat was the hardest thing I had done since watching my dad die.

When I got back to the room, the IV for the blood had been removed, leaving only the saline drip. I caught the nurse out in the hall and asked her about it.

"His blood pressure and heart rate are stable now, his red count back to normal. It's just a matter of waiting for him to wake up."

"So he's going to be all right?"

She offered a reassuring smile. "He should be. All his vitals are strong. I'm actually surprised he hasn't woken up yet."

I breathed a sigh of relief and thanked her before hurrying back to the room. I was just thinking about turning on the TV to see if the noise would bring him around when I heard him moan. I sat forward and stared at him, waiting for any sign he was waking.

His eyes raced back and forth beneath his lids like he was having a bad dream. "No," he murmured. "I don't–"

I stood up and grabbed his hand, hoping the contact would chase away whatever dream had him in its hold .

His eyes fluttered then opened, staring blankly around the room.

"Ron," I breathed with a relieved sigh. "Thank God, you're awake."

He looked at me without recognition and opened his mouth. "Thirsty," he croaked.

I grabbed the pitcher on the cart next to the bed and poured some water into the glass then brought it to his lips. His hand closed around it and tipped it up, swallowing a taste then gagging.

"I'm sorry." I set the glass aside and used a tissue to wipe the water from his chin before closing my hand around his again. He squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled, then slipped his hand away from mine, pulling it close to his chest like he didn't want to be touched. The gesture bothered me, but I didn't say anything.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

He opened his eyes but didn't look at me. "Where am I?"

"The hospital. Toby found you unconscious. We were all so worried–"

"Toby found me?" he interrupted.

"Yeah. He couldn't get you to wake up, so he called 911. What happened to you?"

His expression grew harder, his voice cold when he replied. "I'm fine. You can go now and tell everyone I'm okay."

I opened my mouth to reply, but I didn't know what to say. Why was he acting like I was a total stranger? "I was worried about you," I said in a small voice.

"Why? So you have something to gossip about?"

"What? No. I…care about you. I've been sitting here all day waiting for you to wake up."

"You've done your good deed. You can go home now. "

I blinked back the tears welling in my eyes. Why was he talking to me like this? It was as if he was someone I had never met before. He looked away from me, like he was refusing to acknowledge my presence. I waited a moment, hoping he would change his mind, that maybe he was still confused from the blood loss, but he simply stared straight ahead, his lips set in a grim line.

Seeing I wasn't going to get a response from him, I picked up my purse and grabbed my jacket, scurrying from the room. I wanted to get away so badly I plowed right into the nurse in the hall.

"Whoa, slow down, hon." She looked at me, at the tears now streaming down my face. "What happened?"

I shook my head. "He woke up."

"Well, that's good, right?"

"I thought so, until he told me to leave."

"He what?"

I sniffled miserably. "It's like he didn't even know who I was."

She glanced past me toward the room. "Wait here. I'll go talk to him."

"No, it's okay. I'm just going to go. I…I'm tired. It's been a long day."

I brushed past her before she could stop me and hurried down the hall, catching the elevator as it dinged open on the floor. Somehow I managed to get through the hospital and out the front door while calling an Uber to pick me up. I sat on a bench out front and waited for it, unable to stop the tears from flowing.

Why had I let this happen to me again? I should have known it was too good to be true. A guy like Ron, what could he possibly see in me? He was just using me, for what I didn't know. Some sick fantasy, pity the unpopular girl? Was I just a joke he could tell his friends?

The thought of going back to the dorm to face Kristin was almost too much to bear. What would she say? Ron was her friend. They were all her friends. Surely they would take his side against me. I didn't even know what I had done wrong.

The Uber arrived and I climbed in back, telling the driver to take me to the college. I was still crying, though if he noticed, he didn't say anything. Probably just thought I had lost someone at the hospital. In a way, I had. When we got to the parking lot on campus, I thanked him and got out, looking around. It was early evening on a Saturday night. I would have expected more activity around, but the place seemed deserted. Then I remembered what had happened earlier today; the girl who had been killed. It seemed like a hundred years ago since Kristin had called me with that news.

I wrapped my arms around myself and struck out across the grass toward the quad, my wary gaze sweeping the darkness. I told myself to stay focused, to be aware of my surroundings, but my mind kept replaying Ron's words over and over again, causing the tears to continue to flow.

I was halfway across the quad when I felt it, that same tingling across my skin. That same feeling of being watched.

"Myra."

I turned around, looking for the source of the summons, and saw him step out from behind a nearby tree. I almost didn't recognize him since he wasn't wearing his usual suit. Instead he was clad in black jeans and a dark hoodie, his hair loose, his eyes, even in the darkness, reflecting light like a cat's.

"Julianus. What are you doing here? "

He didn't answer, instead closing the distance between us and stopping inches from me. My breath hitched with him so close. Why did he have this effect on me? It's like I couldn't form a coherent thought in his presence.

He studied my face, reaching up and brushing a finger across my tear-stained cheek, that simple gesture sending shockwaves through my nerves. There was an edge to his voice when he asked, "What's wrong, cuore mio ?"

I sniffled, trying to gather my composure. To not sound like a blubbering child when I opened my mouth. "Nothing," I replied evasively. I didn't think he wanted to hear about Ron.

"It's not nothing if it upsets you," he murmured, his deep, buttery voice enveloping me with its warmth. Without realizing it, I leaned into him, suddenly craving his touch. Craving anything to chase away the pain of rejection.

His gray eyes sought mine, pulling me in until I couldn't look away if I wanted to. And I was surprised to find I didn't want to. That despite my earlier resolve to stay away from him, he was exactly what I needed right now.

As if he sensed this, he pushed me back against the tree while his arms closed around me, his body pressed tightly against mine, and I felt my pulse quicken. I wanted–no I needed –him to kiss me like he did that night in the restaurant, and he smiled as though he had read my mind. He lowered his head, his soft lips brushing mine, the touch tentative at first, as though he was merely tasting.

"I shouldn't want you this bad," he growled, "but fuck if I do."

I could feel the truth of his words as his growing erection pressed against my belly. His mouth sought mine again, his lips persistent, his tongue tasting then devouring mine, one hand running down across my hip and dipping behind me, pulling me closer and cupping my ass. Squeezing the tender flesh until I moaned into his mouth. He took that as a sign to continue as the other hand rounded my thigh and pressed against my crotch.

A voice in my head screamed at me to stop him. This wasn't who I was. I had never let anyone's hand near me there, but I couldn't deny the bottomless ache that surged through me. I simply couldn't think clearly with him this close. He splayed his hand across the front of my jeans, two fingers dipping in and stroking the sensitive crease between my legs while his tongue continued its assault on my mouth.

"I can feel how hot you are," he murmured against my lips, the hunger in his voice sending butterflies skittering through me. "All for me."

Without conscious intent I parted my legs enough to give him access, and he shoved his whole hand between them, massaging my core, before moving up to unbutton my jeans. He eased down the zipper and slipped his hand inside, his long fingers caressing my bare skin.

No, I can't do this, my mind screamed. I can't…

Oh. I melted against him as two fingers dipped inside my pussy, scissoring inside and circling around my clit until I was panting against him in need.

"So wet," he whispered in my ear. "You feel as good as I knew you would."

My mind and body were at war. Every ounce of rational thought told me this was wrong, that I shouldn't be letting him touch me like this, a man I didn't even know. But the sensations rippling through me said otherwise. A fire I didn't recognize had been ignited in me and I suddenly couldn't get enough of his touch. I ground my crotch against his hand and he chuckled deep in his throat before sucking my tongue back into his mouth like a starving man.

He pumped those two fingers in and out of me, sliding across my clit with every down stroke until I was clinging to him just to stand. My thigh muscles burned from the position, but I didn't want to do anything to cause him to stop. I was making noises I didn't recognize as his fingers worked their magic inside me.

"That's it, cuore mio . Get yourself off. I want to feel you cum all over my hand."

What was left of my rational mind told me I should have been mortified. I was humping a strange man's hand in the middle of the quad, all the while moaning in need like a common whore. I could feel my release coming, and as much as I might have been embarrassed by the circumstances, I was more worried that he would stop before I got what I needed.

His mouth drifted over my ear, nipping at the sensitive flesh. "Come on, baby," he breathed against it. "So close."

His hot tongue dipping into the shell of my ear sent me over the edge. I crashed against him, my orgasm shuddering through me like I had been struck by lightning, causing me to momentarily lose all sense of time and space.

When I could finally think again, I was vaguely aware of him whispering endearments in my ear, most of them unintelligible, probably in Italian, while his hand continued to stroke my weeping pussy. "Such a good girl," were the only words I recognized.

He finally pulled his hand away and brought it up to his mouth, making a show of licking the fingers slick with my cum. "You taste so good. "

I felt my cheeks heat up. "I've never done that. Not with a man."

"I know," he grinned, running that same hand up to tuck a stray hair behind my ear before dropping it to zip up and button my pants. He leaned in to kiss me again, this time slower, as though he was savoring the taste of me. I melted against him while my heart slowed to its normal rhythm.

"You never answered me," I said when our lips parted.

"What do you mean?"

"What are you doing here?"

Before he could reply, a light was shined in my eyes, blinding me. I looked up toward the parking lot as a voice called out. "Is everything all right here?"

I squinted into the light and could make out a man standing there in the uniform of the campus police. "Yes sir," I replied, stifling the urge to giggle like a kid caught doing something forbidden, which was, in fact, what had happened.

"You should probably get inside," the man advised. "It's not safe out here right now."

"Thank you. We will."

After he was gone, Julianus looked at me curiously. "What was that all about?"

"Probably the murder."

He quirked a brow. "Murder?"

"A student was found on campus this morning. She'd been raped with her throat ravaged."

Julianus's entire demeanor changed. His eyes hardened, his voice noticeably cooler when he asked, "Her throat was ravaged?"

"Yeah. There was something weird about it, too."

"What?"

"Whoever did it left a rose on her body. "

He stood so still I thought he had gone catatonic. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked.

He blinked and looked at me as though he just realized I was there. "Come on," he said brusquely, grabbing my arm. "Let's get you back to your dorm. And don't wander around out here after dark."

His change in attitude was a little unnerving, and I found my mind going back to what had happened in the hospital. Was this another rejection, or was he truly concerned for my well-being?

When we reached my dorm, he pulled me in for another kiss, but there was no heat involved in this one. He left before I reached the top of the stairs.