Shattered by You (Tear Asunder 3)

Crisis, no.

See you in ten, babe.

I turned around in my seat to the back corner of the room where Roman stood. He’d spoken to each of my professors when he’d first started coming to classes to inform them his purpose for being there.

Roman reached for his phone. Shit. I saw him type something back scowling. Well, he had already been scowling. Roman was like Luke, a permanent scowler, probably a prerequisite for the job.

Then twenty minutes later, the door opened and my heart stopped.

Crisis.

Professor Eric stopped talking and raised his brows. “Can I help you?”

Crisis looked around the room until his eyes spotted me, then he smiled at the professor. “Nope. I’m good.” He was wearing a baseball cap low over his face and had on a long sleeve shirt, probably to hide his tats that were a dead giveaway as to who he was to any diehard fan.

“Are you in this class?” the Professor asked.

“Nope. But my girl is and she forgot to kiss me when she left this morning.”

My mouth dropped open. I never kissed him.

There were a few giggles and whispers as Crisis bounded up the stairs. My heart pattered a tribal dance as I sat in my seat, all eyes on me. Crisis stopped to say hey to Dillon and Kevin, who were taking the class for an easy elective, then strode over to me. I glanced at the Professor, who looked a little uncertain what to do. So, instead of making a production out of it, he went back to the chalkboard and continued his lesson, although, most of the students were twisted around in their seats and looking at Crisis, who was now standing beside me.

“Hey, you mind, buddy?” He nodded to the guy beside me.

“Umm, yeah, sure.”

I didn’t know how he got away with it, maybe his disarming smile, but the guy got up and moved to another seat. Before Crisis sat, he leaned over and kissed me on the lips. It was a quick and light, but my belly still whirled along with everything else.

It was the first time he kissed me on the mouth and my entire body reacted to it. It was different from the light kisses on the head, although it was still a peck. I had imagined Crisis kissing me—really kissing me—many times, and as I stared at him, my cheeks heated because this was the barrier I’d had trouble breaking for the past few weeks, and with his light kiss on the lips, he gave me the confidence I needed.

“Don’t leave our bed again without waking me. I didn’t like waking up and you were gone.”

He called it our bed. “You kissed me.”

He slipped into the seat, looking too tall and overwhelming for the chair. He pushed his legs out to the side, crossing his ankles. “You’ve been wanting me to all week. You’re tough as nails, Haven. But the affection shit . . . babe, you suck at it. Luckily for you, I’m good at it.”

“Are you here to learn or chat with your boyfriend, Haven?” Professor Eric asked. “Exams are next week, in case you’ve forgotten, and I seem to recall you being absent a few classes this semester.”

“Sorry,” I muttered.

Crisis chuckled and leaned back in his seat.

It was the longest class ever. I felt Kevin’s eyes on me and looked over; he quickly looked away. Crisis listened and appeared to be enjoying the class. I didn’t hear a single word the Professor said because all I could think about was him sitting next to me.

“Okay,” Eric said. “The exam is next Tuesday. See you then.” I leaned over and slipped my books back into my bag.

Crisis hopped up, took my hand and pulled me to my feet. “Let’s go grab breakfast at that café down the street. Roman looks starved.” He pulled me down the steps toward the door.

I glanced at Roman, who was coming down the auditorium stairs toward us. “He’s not starving.” The guy could live off his muscles for a year. “And I have classes.”

He put his arm around me to get me walking again. Dillon was behind us, and from the tilt of his head, he was listening.

“I can’t skip anymore. Exams are next week.”

Crisis opened the door and let a few people pass; a couple of girls eyed him up and down and I waited for his smirk, but instead, he kept his eyes on me. “Your confusion gone?”

“What?”

“That confusion, Ice. Is it cleared up?”

There was no question it was. “Yeah.”

“And what do you want?”

Jesus, he wasn’t making this easy. Roman approached and Crisis slapped him on the back. “Give me five?”

Roman nodded and stepped past us, walked down the hall and leaned against the brick wall, arms crossed. Kevin walked by him, then was going out the door when a girl joined him and they left together.

“Need to hear you say it.” Crisis pinned me against the doorframe, the door perched open.

My heart did a jiggly dance and my stomach somersaulted. I had the urge to blurt out that I was in love with him. God, I was. I was in love with him. I didn’t know when it happened and maybe it had been buried along with everything else, but it was soaring through me like the wind. A strong encompassing wind that swept me up and carried me in its protective arms.

There was no fear. No need to sing to fade out the cries of the wind as it whistled through windows threatening to take me away. Because it was safe.

Crisis moved in so I was pressed against his chest, his hands resting on my hips. “Whenever you’re ready, Haven. I’m not going anywhere.” He tightened his hold and I met his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere,” he repeated.

“Yes, you are. You’re leaving my class,” Professor Eric said as he walked toward us. “And next time I see you, it better be on stage and not interrupting my class.”

My eyes widened, gaze darting to my professor. Professor Eric knew Tear Asunder?