Page 11

Chapter 10

Merci

My new "home" at Crestwood University is a pretty fucking awesome suite—two private bedrooms, a shared bathroom and living space. Mr. Knight definitely pulled some major strings to get me in here.

It would be perfect if it wasn't for this chunk of wood threatening to box me in, which is the reason I’m glaring at my bedroom door like it's my mortal enemy. And, honestly, it kind of is.

Just being near it makes my skin crawl. The whole closed-in spaces thing and I have a complicated relationship—as in, they try to suffocate me, and I try not to have a complete mental breakdown.

So, the door has to go.

"You sure you want to take it down?" Cornflower-blue eyes study me from the doorway. My new roommate Eli shifts his weight from foot to foot. Sweet boy probably thinks I'm crazy already. "Don't you want some privacy? "

"Privacy is overrated." The first pin slides free, and I move to the next one. "Speaking of surprises, how'd you end up with me as a roommate anyway?"

“Jamie met someone and moved off campus." Eli holds onto the slab as I take care of the bottom hinge. "Kinda odd, though. He was really secretive about it. "

We carry the freed door out and lean it against the wall in the common area.

"Thanks for the help." I wipe my hands on my ripped skinny jeans. "And for not pushing about the whole door thing."

Eli's gentle smile reminds me of a golden retriever puppy. "Everyone's got their stuff."

If he only knew.

I head back into my room, then stare at the amount of shit filling the space. Mr. Knight went overboard with his "glad you’re back home" care package. New clothes, new laptop, even a fucking brand-new Porsche Cayenne. As awkward as the luxury SUV makes me feel, I can’t deny what a sweet ride it is.

A little over two weeks ago, I was only focused on passing my GED. Now I'm actually in college, expected to figure out what I want to do with my life.

No pressure or anything.

Zach's been MIA since our little bathroom incident. Though "incident" is too mild a word for grinding against each other all because I decided—for reasons I still don’t fucking understand—to kiss him back after he slammed his mouth down on mine.

Epic clusterfuck. That’s what it is. One I can’t stop replaying in my head.

But it's not the kiss haunting me or how good his pierced dick felt against mine through thin cotton, nor the fact I'm stupidly attracted to my psychotic stepbrother who literally kidnapped me.

No, it’s how I bit his lip, breaking the skin. It’s how I clawed his back, collecting blood under my nails.

His blood.

My stomach turns, just like it did when I puked in my trash can after running back to my room that night.

I’d hurt him. Again.

Then there’s his comment . . . He thinks I enjoy doing it.

I don’t, not one fucking bit.

Also, I can’t help but feel like it’s my fault he’s stayed away. Like I drove him out of his own home.

"Fuck." I drop onto my bed, running my fingers through my hair.

What’s wrong with me?

I’d waited all day and built up the courage to finally apologize. But Zach never showed, so I went to sleep only to wake and find him watching me. Again. Of course, I got angry and decided to go pick a fight with the asshole.

But seeing him jerk off in the shower . . .

My dick perks up like a meerkat spotting food. Apparently it has zero shame about lusting after the asshole. But those tattoos running down his arm, the way his muscles flexed as he stroked himself . . . those fucking barbells along his hard, thick shaft. . .

I groan and roll over, burying my face in my pillow.

“Want some help unpacking?”

Fantastic timing. Nothing like my new roommate catching me mid-crisis over my stepbrother's dick.

I turn over, waving a hand with extra flair because if I'm going to be a disaster, might as well be fabulous about it. "Knock yourself out."

Shit.

Too bitchy.

Sweet boy’s just trying to help, and God knows I could use the distraction from my personal soap opera.

Eli immediately dives into the closest box and, of course, pulls out my nightlight. “What’s this for?”

“To keep the boogeyman away.” I snatch it from his hands, aiming for playful but probably landing closer to defensive.

Whatever .

Let him judge. After quality time in a freezer, darkness and I aren't exactly besties.

The outlet near my bed gets a new friend while Eli turns back to carefully unpacking, like finding a college freshman's nightlight is totally normal. So, I concentrate on putting my clothes away.

My phone buzzes with a text from Mom asking if I'm settled in. I send back a quick thumbs up emoji. She's been hovering like she's afraid I'll disappear again if she blinks too long.

Putting the phone down, I get back to unpacking. A few minutes later, someone knocks on the door to our suite.

“One second!” Eli puts down a pair of socks he is holding, leaving the room to answer it.

I stay, praying it’s someone delivering a pizza so I can beg for a slice.

“Hey, Feisty Mouse.”

That voice. Fuck me sideways.

I scramble into the common area, practically tripping over my feet. Zach’s leaning against the counter, looking like sex and danger in dark jeans and a fitted forest green Henley.

My brain short-circuits as I take in his smirking face, those steel-gray eyes locking onto mine like he owns the air I breathe .

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” I mutter, crossing my arms like they’re some flimsy shield against all six-foot-whatever of him.

Eli's gaze ping-pongs between us. “You two know each other?”

“Zach’s my stepbrother.”

Watching Eli try to glare at Zach is like watching a bunny threaten a wolf. It’s anything but threatening.

I roll my eyes and huff. “So, I take it you two know one another.”

Eli bites his bottom lip, shoving his hands into the pockets of his khakis as he nervously shuffles. “My boyfriend and Zach are friends. They were teammates on Crestwood’s hockey team . . . before Alexei got drafted to the NHL.”

I bark out a laugh. "Of course they were. Because, apparently, the universe thinks my life isn't fucked up enough already."

Zach's face might as well be carved from marble. Classic him, giving away nothing while I'm over here having a meltdown. “Eli’s family. We watch out for him, so when his roommate moved out, we figured you two could keep each other company.”

“We?”

“Alexei and I. ”

My finger jabs into his chest, which is rock solid because, of course, it is. “This is sabotage. I’m so over you and your stupid friends.”

Eli's eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. "Okay, I'm just gonna . . . " He points to his room. "Yeah."

Once he's gone, I turn back to my stepbrother. "Mrs. Novotny might’ve cockblocked your murder plans, but that doesn't mean you get to fuck with my life."

He matches my stance, looming over me like the world's hottest thundercloud. "You fucked with mine, now it's my turn. Get used to it."

"I hate you."

"Let me search for the fucks I give . . . none."

"Well, thanks for the warm welcome." I sweep my arm toward the door. "But I have some very important unpacking to do. So, see yourself the fuck out."

"Running away again?"

"Nope." I moonwalk toward my room while giving him my middle finger because if I'm going to be petty, might as well commit. "Just choosing not to engage with your particular brand of crazy today. Bye, bye now!"

Luckily, he doesn’t bother to follow me, and a few seconds later the door slams hard enough to rattle the walls. Victory lap canceled by the way my hands shake as I collapse onto my bed. My phone's already in my hand, pulling up Raiyne's number .

That ginger bitch owes me.

Me: Still hate you but need a favor.

Raiyne: Only if you promise to forgive me.

Me: Not how it works, asshole. You going to help or not?

Raiyne: Sure. Tell me what you need.

I fill him in on Zach's little roommate manipulation, and Raiyne comes up with the perfect mindfuck. By the time we're done scheming, my hands have stopped trembling.

This is supposed to be my fresh start, my chance to figure out who I am and what I want, which is scary enough because I never really thought about my future. Up to this point, my whole life's simply been about trying to survive to the next day.

But now Zach's here, bringing chaos like it's his fucking job and damaging my fucking calm .

Which means I know one thing's for sure—college is going to be anything but boring.