Page 76

CHAPTER

FIFTY-FOUR

REMI

I call Sloane again.

And again.

And again.

She isn’t sending my calls to voicemail, because they ring all the way through, but she’s definitely not answering me, either.

I know she’s with Asa. She said she was staying there all weekend. But I never really met Asa. What if Asa is a serial killer? A Ted Bundy psychopath who’s already mutilated her?

My heart races as I dial her number again on my steering wheel.

And finally, on the third ring, she answers.

“What the hell, Rems?” She sounds breathless and as I race down the highway, I realize I probably interrupted her and not-Ted Bundy having sex. Fuck.

“Sloane, thank God,” I say anyway. “Where are you?” I glance in my rear-view mirror and switch lanes, passing a car going way too slow in the fast lane.

“I’m with Asa, like I told you I’d be.” I hear the note of irritation in her words and know we have a lot of talking to do. But her next question is edged with concern. “Where are you? What’s going on?”

I hear what sounds like a bed squeaking, like maybe she’s getting off of it.

I get back over into the fast lane. “Our dorm is on fire,” I tell her.

There’s a moment of silence, then she says, “What the fuck. Are you in it?”

Despite everything, I smile at that, shaking my head as I keep my eyes on the road. “Yes. I’m watching it burn down around me right now,” I deadpan.

There’s a moment of silence, then she bursts into laughter. It feels good, hearing her laugh. “Seriously, where are you? How do you know? Did the school call you?”

And that good feeling vanishes with her question.

Fuck.

“I’m on my way there now. I don’t know how bad it is. It’s gonna take me a few more hours to get there.”

“I’ll leave right now,” she says, and I hear her mutter something away from the phone, probably to Asa. “I’ll call you when I get my eyes on it.”

I open my mouth to protest, because I have this feeling Cortland is going to be waiting for me.

Then I realize how stupid that would be. Our dorm is on fire. Asa lives in an off-campus apartment, probably within walking distance. Of course she’s going to go see what’s going on.

“Okay, great. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

We hang up, and I speed up, my heart in my throat as I drive.