Page 43 of #PhiThetaForever
As I lose myself in everything that is her, I grind into her and that's when she breaks the kiss and firmly puts her hands on my chest.
"Declan," she pants, "slow down."
Putting my palms on the floor, I push myself up and stare down at her. "I love you, Magdalena. You are the best part of me."
Her eyes soften and tear up as she brings her hand to the side of my face. Leaning up, she lightly presses her lips to mine several times, and I sigh when she lays back down, knowing it's my que to get up. Sitting back on my knees, I brings my legs around and flop on my butt, and Lena moves to sit between my legs and lean into me.
"Declan, I know you're trying to make up for everything, and I love that about you. But, you don't need to. I know you're sorry. I see the sincerity in your eyes. And I have so much faith in you doing the right thing after everything you've been through this semester."
Staring into the fire, I kiss the side of her head and for a while, we just sit by the fire place, content with each other's presence. The silence is only broken when my stomach growls and Lena bursts out laughing. Getting up, I grab the food and drinks, and glance at the clock.
It's one minute till. I quickly pour the sparkling cider, and hand Lena a glass. Raising mine, I smile at her. "Here is to a new year, and more love than either of us ever hoped for."
Lena clinks her glass into mine, and after we take a sip, I lean in again and kiss her just as the clock chimes.
This is the best way to ring in another year, and the start of our future.
46 Lena
Winter Break wasn't long enough. Standing back in our dorm, unpacking my clothes knowing the new semester start in a few days, I just want to curl up and take a nap. Declan got a text from Bo asking what was going on because the frat got visited by the cops. Thankfully, the attorney already told Declan not to have any contact with Bo or the frat outside of things required by the university. I was surprised when the first thing Declan did was show me the text. He's trying so hard to make sure I know he's not hiding anything.
Declan and Jackson are getting settled in their dorm as well, and Darcy is driving back tomorrow with Justus. They stayed with the Harps a few days longer. I can't tell if something is really going on between Justus and Darcy, but I keep praying that something is meant for them. She seems so much happier since she met him. We didn't a lot of time to hang out just us. Between Declan's parents and my grandparents, it was like constant demands on having to be here or there every day.
"So," Candace says coming up and hugging me from behind, resting her head on my back, "are all things good with you and Declan now?"
Smiling, I turn my head enough to see her face. "Yeah, I think so. He's still trying to make everything up to me, but I told him it's all good. I think he will do better now that the frat shit is out of the way."
"God," she huffs as she lets me go and flops on her bed as I put the last of my clothes in the closet, "if he would've joined Sigma Nu, I would have kicked his ass."
"You and me both!" I chuckle just as there's a knock at the door.
While Candace is still laughing, I open our dorm room door, and as I turn to see who is standing there, something hard goes around my throat and squeezes, pushing me backward. My eyes widen as panic sets in, Candace starts screaming, and I grab the wrist attached to the hand choking me. My eyes meet Bo's and the murderous look he has makes me panic all the more.
"Listen here, you little bitch," he snarls as Candace runs from the dorm, screaming for help, "you will not get Sigma Nu in trouble, and if you know what's good for you, you better make Declan drop this shit against the frat."
"Go. To hell," I croak still trying to get his hand off my throat so I can breath properly.
Bo pulls my face toward his, the gleam in his eyes making my blood run cold. "If he doesn't drop it, I promise my next hazing will include defiling you."
As tears sting my eyes, Bo yells as he yanked back, his hand slipping from my neck and the sting of his nails breaking my skin as he goes. Falling to my butt in the middle of the floor, Declan kneels next to me, gently cupping the side of my face. Focusing on the commotion in front of me, I realize Jackson is holding Bo in the floor and Candace is standing in the hall, waving her hand as if to hurry someone along.
Two policemen come into the dorm in a hurry, and As they reach for Bo, Jackson lets him go and comes right over to me, Candace on his heels. It's only then I realize Declan's been talking and I haven't answered him.
"Baby, look at me," he says panicked, "Lena?"
A little dazed, I turn to look at him and reach up to cover his hands with mine. "I'm okay, I'm okay."
"She needs to see the paramedics, Declan," Jackson says, "she's got blood all over her neck."
"No, I'm okay," I say as my breathing becomes shallower. "Declan . . . panic . . . attack."
"I got you, love," Declan says as he scoots behind me and pulls me back so I'm flush against him. "Match my breathing, and close your eyes."
I do as he says, and it feels like the blackness is going to swallow me for a few minutes, but lessens as I focus all my energy on the rise and fall of Declan's chest. He's pretty much mastered how to get me through these at this point in our relationship.
"Mr. Harp," a deep voice says close by, "can you bring her outside to be checked by the paramedics? We can get her statement out there too."
A gentle hand comes up to tuck my hair back. "Lena, baby, can you walk outside?"