Compounding Traumas (Artemis University Book 6)

by Erin R Flynn

  “I added that you were a snuggle monster to my tattoo,” he whispered against my hair.

  A giggle slipped out. Him too? Oh geez, so my secret wasn’t much of a secret anymore. I moved my hand to his chest and my leg over his. “Thanks. My street cred would be shit if people found out.”

  He chuckled softly. “Yeah, that’s the thing we need to keep quiet most.”

  “Totally.”

  Gods, I really had missed him more than I had let myself admit. Simply laying there with him and knowing we were on the path back to being together was slowly healing my soul. It was a good day for once.

  14

  We must have dozed because a knock at the door had us both sitting up fast and blinking around. He reached for his glasses and put them on before giving me a quick kiss and rolling to his feet.

  I wiped my eyes and glanced at the clock, knowing I had to be somewhere soon.

  Darby opened the door to reveal Lucca carrying a huge box. They shared a surprised look, and then Darby stepped back to let him in, closing the door behind him so no one walking by would be part of this.

  “Hey, hi, so um, you guys…” Lucca trailed off, glancing between us.

  Darby was perfect and looked to me as if saying the answer was mine to give or not.

  It made me smile. “We’re back together. Slowly.” It was my turn to shoot a glance at Darby. “Um, boyfriend and girlfriend?”

  “Damn right we are, agra.”

  Good.

  “Cool, good,” Lucca said, sounding like he truly meant it, but felt awkward walking into something. Or simply awkward and not knowing what to do after what had happened between us. “Well, I didn’t mean to intrude, and I can come back.”

  Darby glanced at the clock. “No, I need to handle some things, and lunch is soon.” He frowned. “But you have something to do. I didn’t mean for us to nap, though clearly we needed it.”

  Lucca looked at the clock too, and understanding filled his eyes as he smirked. “How are you doing it? Do you need cover? I can pick you up from your class or whatever and give you cover.”

  I gave him my most innocent look. “What are you talking about? I’m not doing anything I would need cover for.”

  Lucca threw back his head and let out a full laugh. “Tamsin, I’m sure there’s at least a dozen things you’re up to that you could use cover for.”

  “At least,” Darby agreed, sounding just as amused. “Let us help and update our tats to cover the whole topic.”

  After thinking back to what the queens and Mrs. Von Thann had said the other day, I caved. Good people wanted to help, but didn’t always know how. “Yeah, okay, if you’re sure.”

  “I am,” they said together.

  I was already wearing what I needed, but I must have slid off my shoes while laying with Darby, so I put them back on before going to my closet. I felt the energy in the room change and spun on them. “You are not coming with. I can do tons you cannot. Accept that and you would be a liability.”

  “We would,” Darby sighed. “Though, I do have a suggestion.” He waited until I nodded. “You kept getting back out of the estates and then opening a portal. You’re defaulting to that after years of thinking you were human and doing your activities. Go in because you don’t know the landscape and specific wall or who’s around, but after you open a portal for the hobgoblins—”

  “Open one for myself right there,” I groaned, feeling like a moron. But then I didn’t. “Yeah, that helps, but most times I’ve been meeting up with the fae dogs or hitting two places. Still, I can let them know that I’ll get out that way and change the plans so they don’t worry. Thanks.”

  “Anything to keep you safe.”

  That earned him a quick kiss to his cheek before I opened a portal to where I was going and rescued the hobgoblins. At first, I had thought to do more on the weekends, but there were more people around then. And it screamed the person doing it had stuff going on during the weekdays when they might have eyes on them.

  Like being at college. Sure, that would also be most adults at their jobs, but it would narrow down the suspect pool, and I wanted it as big as possible given most would already point all their fingers at me. If they were smart at least.

  “How many did you get?” Lucca asked excitedly when I arrived back.

  “I didn’t count,” I admitted with a shrug. “It was a big room, and they were packed in there like sardines. Four dozen at least.”

  “Wait, they were all in one room?” Darby asked, not hiding his horror.

  I nodded. “These aren’t nice people. They won’t let their slaves go, Darby. Most of the conditions I’m finding are worse than I treat the fae dogs. And I only keep them in the garage because they set themselves on fire. But lots of the hobgoblins are on nothing but old yoga mats for beds with junk whatever leftover stuff.”

  “Wow,” Lucca whispered. “As horrible as my father is, even he immediately had two bathrooms converted to facilitate them when they came to work for us. A few bedrooms too. He offered more but—”

  “They prefer that closeness,” I defended, nodding that I knew. “I’ve actually spoken with the hobgoblins who lived with you.” I cleared my throat. “They wanted to speak with me on your behalf and tell me how wonderful you were. I wasn’t open to hearing it, but they did tell me that, even with as many issues as I have with your dad, he was always, always respectful and kind to them.”

  Lucca sighed. “He was, but he is still racist because he doesn’t see fair folk as equals, but more like dependents or child-like beings that simply have magic that needed to be managed.”

  “They said that too,” I confessed. “But they said it wasn’t out of malice, simply he couldn’t understand and hadn’t spent much time in Faerie to know how things truly were.” My lips twitched. “And he was deficient in the brain and incapable of the higher reasoning to learn enough to evolve.”

  Lucca’s laugh echoed through my room again, Darby even joining in after a moment. Yeah, it was a good dig, and I enjoyed it coming out so innocent from nice hobgoblins about asshole Mr. Von Thann.

  “How about we all have dinner?” Darby asked, giving me a hesitant glance. “Something calm before the madness starts tomorrow?”

  I nodded, seeing Lucca did as well. “Yeah, that sounds perfect. I’ll text Irma that we’re coming home for dinner. There’s a bunch of stuff they’re thinking of adding to the bakery for fall treats they want me to sample and give my opinion on.” I smiled when they simply blinked at me. “Yes, I’m spoiled. Get ready for it as well.”

  “I’ve honestly missed it,” Darby muttered, wincing when he realized how that sounded. “Not—I missed the hobgoblins. They weren’t mean to me, but even the children immediately shut me out when we were—and it hurt. I wanted to cry that they basically hated me now.”

  “Yeah, I feel that way whenever Irma gives me a disappointed look,” I grumbled.

  Darby snuck a kiss before heading out, leaving Lucca and I alone… With the large box he’d brought. Okay then.

  I pointedly stared at it as if making it clear I wanted an explanation.

  He simply chuckled and dragged it over to the two super bean bag chairs we had, and then brought me over there too, pushing me to sit in one. He pulled the second much closer and knelt by the box. “Hi.”

  “Hi?” I chuckled.

  He cleared his throat and leaned in, brushing his lips over mine. “Hi.”

  I swallowed a giggle. “Hi, Lucca. What are you up to?”

  “So first, for the record, I’m glad you made up with Darby.”

  “Okay.”

  “Izzy told me you—he gave you flowers, and you had other issues and well; that’s common, and you’re not a common woman. And I don’t mean that because of what you are. You’re special, and I wanted to do something fun.”

  “I like fun,” I offered, unsure of how to help or what to do, but he was acting so adorable, it was hard not to laugh. He was uncomfortable though, so I was try
ing to make this easier.

  He gave me a full grin. “I know, and I really like that about you. You’re so real and just who you are. So many women worry about how people will see what they do and judge them, so they hide who they are. You’re just you and know it’s not about doing something wrong, simply finding the people who fit with the type of person you are. And not just men, but friends.”

  “Yeah. It took me a while to get there.” I squirmed a bit. There was more to it than that. There was a lot of heartache to it as well, and finally finding someone who accepted a fucked up kid. Mel had been the first person to really accept me and say she liked who I was, and that mattered.

  “I know, and I honestly want to be more like that but, well, you know our society so right now, I just want to be more like that with you.” He stole another kiss as if each one gave him a power-up to keep going. “Don’t laugh, okay? I want to share one of my secrets with you. It’s part of my courting present, or not present, but like I would give flowers, but yeah, a part of me.”

  Now I was supremely interested in the box’s contents. “I won’t laugh.” I reached for the flap, but he moved his hand to cup mine.

  “You’ll keep my secrets too, right, kitten?”

  “Yeah, always,” I promised, knowing we were talking about more than whatever he was about to show me. What we had learned was terrifying, and he was trying to lay some groundwork. Not only that, but because of my situation, everything tended to be about me all the time, and I was pretty sure this was his way of saying… He mattered? No, Lucca wasn’t like that.

  Maybe he had needs too. Yeah, that seemed more like him. He wanted to share parts of himself with me so I could appreciate the person he was. I thought it was cool but not in my face.

  I really thought it was adorable when I saw what was inside.

  “So I’m completely addicted to Pop-Tarts,” he confessed as he pulled out the first box… Of the mountain of them in the larger box. “There are always some in my room, even at home I sneak them, and I hide extras in my closet. I even follow them on social media, and anytime there’s a new flavor, I have to try them. They have some new ones I’ve not gotten to yet, and I wanted to with you. Have you taste my faves.”

  “I love Pop-Tarts,” I told him, biting back a giggle. “They were super cheap, and most of the assholes I stayed with when I was a kid considered that a real breakfast, but they were good. I’ve never really tried more than strawberry or cherry.” I shook my head. “No, Mel and I had s’mores a few times. Those are awesome.”

  He beamed at me and dug in the box, pulling out a double pack of the s’mores flavor. “They’re one of my favorites too.”

  “What else?”

  I listened as he talked about the watermelon ones that they no longer sold and how he loved them, but they wouldn’t bring them back and it was a shame. It was so friggin adorable that I couldn’t keep the goofy grin off my face. This big guy, a college junior and bear shifter, was gushing about Watermelon Pop-Tarts.

  What woman wouldn’t find that totes adorbs?

  “You don’t have a toaster,” he muttered, glancing around the room.

  “Yeah, Izzy does, or I can use a rune,” I told him, pointing to where it was. The goof jumped up and went over to her side, unplugging it and bringing it back to us. “Do you only eat them hot?”

  “No, but some are only good hot or better hot,” he explained as he plugged it in. “Some are good either way, and I thought this might be good for more calories you need. I mean, who can’t slip some packs in their bag?”

  “I think you’ll like me better if I do,” I teased.

  “Yeah, that will totally be why I sniff after you, Tamsin,” he chuckled, giving me a heated look. “Okay, so what do you want to try first?”

  “I cannot believe you got this huge box full of them.” I moved to kneel and reached inside, actually giggling then as I saw the array of options. I ended up dumping the box and started stacking them to try and organize. I went for the new Bites in their Frosted Confetti Cake flavor. My eyes went wide as I ate one. “Shit, these are seriously good.”

  “Right?” He snagged a package and gobbled them up as well. “It’s like a cookie, but a cake-cookie. The chocolate ones aren’t as good. These are my favorite of the Bites.”

  “Teach me, Yoda.”

  He narrowed his eyes at me. “Am I older, knowledgeable Yoda that lives in the swamp with the creepy hair, or the cute baby Yoda?”

  “I think you know you’re cute, but I’ve not seen the stuff baby Yoda’s in, so in this case, you’re knowledgeable.”

  He seemed to think on that a bit. “Can I be the sexy Liam Neeson character then?”

  “Oh for the love of—what am I eating next?”

  “Whatever you want, kitten,” he murmured, making it very clear he was also on the menu.

  Like I didn’t already know that.

  I tried the Strawberry Milkshake and spit it right back out, handing it to him like a little kid who didn’t like something. He gave me a surprised look, but the hysterical thing was when he did the same thing and put the whole box right in the garbage.

  “This is like a McDonald’s apple pie,” I groaned after trying the Crisp Apple. “Shit, yeah, this is awesome.”

  He leaned over and took a huge bite of mine, moaning as he chewed. “Yeah, see, this is why I love them. You can’t always run to McDonald’s, but pop a few of those in the toaster when you’re studying, and you’re set.”

  “You’ve converted me,” I chuckled. I tried the Red, White, and Blueberry next, turning up my nose. “Those are just blueberry.” I checked the ingredients to make sure there wasn’t chocolate, like in red velvet. “Yeah, just blueberry with unneeded red dye. Eww.”

  “Yeah, but I like blueberry.” He handed me Wild! Berry to try next, and it was hard not to laugh how much sugar we were having right before lunch. They were great, but he was super excited to try the limited edition flavor—as Pop-Tarts had limited edition flavors. “Oh fuck, try this.” He practically shoved it in my mouth.

  I was about to tease him, but then I swallowed my bite. “That tastes just like warm, gooey Fruit Loops.”

  “That’s the flavor.”

  “Shit, buy out the stores before they stop making them,” I muttered, checking the box.

  He laughed so hard he fell into me, and I couldn’t even blame him. But they really were that good.

  And so were the cinnamon roll ones. I fucking loved the new Crisps options and was going to carry those along with my protein bars from now on. Raspberry was a staple but nothing exciting. Confetti Cupcake was gross.

  Oh, and apparently I didn’t like any of the dessert ones besides s’mores. Go figure. What I did really like was Lucca. He was too much, and it was seriously sweet that he wanted to share this with me, and I didn’t mean all the sugar of the Pop-Tarts.

  “Thanks for not laughing, kitten,” he murmured as he leaned in to kiss me.

  I kissed him back, turned on at seeing this softer, goofier side of him. I used my magic to throw up a barrier on the room and locked it. “Never, but I am a bit jealous over snack foods, as you seem to like eating them more than you do me.”

  “Never,” he growled, shoving the boxes away and rolling to his knees. “You’re sweeter than even the watermelon ones. I’d take you over a whole store full of them.”

  “Oh wow, now I know you really like me and my pussy.”

  “Kitten,” he groaned, loving it when I talked dirty to him.

  I smirked up at him as I leaned back on the bean bag chair. “What? Do you like my tits better? My pert ass? No, my tight pussy most, right? You want to fuck it with your fat cock, don’t you?”

  “I’m going to if you keep teasing me,” he growled, reaching behind him and yanking off his t-shirt so fast, a few seams tore. “And I want to fuck your tits. And your ass. And one day, my mate’s going to wrap her lips around my cock and suck it all night.”

  I blinked up at him. Okay the
n. I hadn’t expected that from Lucca. The dragon I shouldn’t be thinking about, sure, yeah, he got possessive and aggressive like that. But it was a shock to hear it from Lucca.

  “One day, way in the future,” I whispered.

  “Yeah, way in the future,” he whispered against my lips as he moved over me. “Just checking you would for me one day.” He smiled when I nodded. “Do I get a sexy skirt or dress one day soon?” He swallowed loudly when I flinched. “It’s hard not to get upset when they ruined stuff—”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “No, I don’t want you to be sorry,” he chastised gently. “I don’t. I was kind of apologizing for stepping in it. Or explaining that I’m not trying to step in it or hurt you.”

  “I know. Thanks for understanding.” I licked my lips as I stared up at him. “It won’t be forever. I just need more time. It’s—this was my first real anything or real time loving anyone.”

  He nodded, sliding his hands under my shirt, his eyes filling with heat when I let him take it off of me. He quickly yanked off my sports bra before I could react, and then he was on the girls.

  Well, good to know my breasts could move him past any pouting or upset that fast.

  I moaned as he lavished them with attention, practically making me orgasm from that.

  “Show me what you want, kitten. Let me feel it. I want to feel your fantasy and enjoy it with you.”

  I let out a whimper as he stripped me and caved, showing him how I wanted him to move me over to my desk and kneel behind me. He did, eating me out like that a few times like I truly was his favorite treat.

  Then, he undid his jeans and pushed them down his thighs and lifted me up against the wall. He thrust up into me and fucked me against the wall with all he had, showing me how strong he was and how desperate he was for me. His fingers dug in my ass rough enough to leave bruises as he nipped at my neck and shoulders.