Page 49 of King of Pain

TRACK TWENTY•TWO

Be Near Me

Anthony

The second I step into my dorm room after today’s classes, my sneakers squish against the carpet. I look down and see water pooling across the floor, creeping toward the few pieces of furniture in the small space. My duffel bag, which I’d left by my bed, is already soaked halfway up.

“Shit,” I mutter, stepping carefully around the water to check the extent of the damage. It’s bad. My bed, desk, and bookshelves are mostly untouched for now, but the water is spreading fast. I quickly grab a towel to try and block it from reaching my things when there’s a knock at the door.

I open it to find the facility maintenance guy, a stocky man with graying hair and a clipboard tucked under his arm. His boots are wet, and he looks like there’s one hundred other things he’d rather be doing right now.

“Pipe burst on this floor,” he explains, bypassing introductions, and glancing past me at the mess. “We’re clearing everyone out so we can extract water, assess the damage, and get repairs done before mold sets in. You need to pack up essentials and head to the front desk to figure out temporary housing.”

“How long are we talking?” I ask, already feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me.

“Could be weeks,” he says flatly. “Depends on how bad the damage is once we tear into the walls.”

Fucking. Fantastic.

I nod and thank him before turning back to my room. Essentials. Got it. I grab an empty duffel bag and toss in a fewchanges of clothes, my laptop, toiletries, and anything else I might need for a couple of days. I can come back for the rest later. Hopefully it’s all salvageable. Sadly, this tiny space holds everything I own.

When I left Michigan, I packed a suitcase and left the rest behind, walking away from my parents—and everything tied to them. I’m not going back. Ever. Not to the house of blind eyes turned. Not to the people who sacrificed their child to their faith.

This duffel bag is all I have now. It’s all I need.

At the front desk, the student worker barely glances at me before launching into the same spiel she’s clearly been giving for hours. “We’re adding displaced students to a waitlist for alternative housing, but it’s going to take some time to find anything available this far into the semester. In the meantime, we recommend finding someone to stay with.”

“That’s it?” I ask, my voice sharper than I intend. “No guarantees, no timeframe, just... figure it out?”

She shrugs, clearly over it. “Hey, just the messenger here. We’ll call if something opens up.”

I clench my jaw, grab my bag, and leave before I say something I’ll regret, then head to the only place I know to go.

When I get toDevil Records,Jen and Chance are at the counter laughing about something. Jen waves when she sees me, her smile fades a little when she notices my face and the duffel slung over my shoulder.

“What happened?” she asks, coming around the counter to meet me.

“Flood in the dorms,” I say, setting my bag down. “Pipe burst. They’re kicking everyone out while they fix it, but there’s no available housing right now. I need to find somewhere to stay.”

Jen’s eyes soften. “Damn. That sucks.”

“I was hoping I could crash with you,” I say calmly, trying to mask how panicked I really am. “Just until something opens up.”

She winces, and my stomach sinks. “I’d love to help, but my landlord’s strict about extended guests not on the lease. You know how it is with students. Too many people pack into studios and one-bedrooms and trash the place.”

I open my mouth to reply, but she glances over her shoulder at Chance, her expression brightening with mischief and something else I can’t decipher. “Hey, Chance has a one-bedroom. That’s way more space than my studio. You should stay with him while your room gets sorted.”

I freeze, my heart leaping into my throat. Chance, however, doesn’t seem fazed. His blue eyes lift to meet mine, his expression calm and open. After a beat, he cocks his head, and his lips pull into one of those blinding smiles that always make me want to blow up every wall and boundary I’ve ever built.

“I mean... yeah,” Chance says, his tone genuine. “I’ve got the space, and Little G already loves you. It’s really no problem.”

I’m immediately plunged into a conflicting mix of relief and panic. With no other options, I know this is the best solution, but the thought of being in close proximity to Chance sends my mind spiraling and my body reacting in a way I’m determined to ignore for now.

“Are you sure?” I ask, my voice steadier than I feel.

“Of course,” Chance says, his smile softening. “Come on, roomie. Let’s get you settled.”

I nod and lean down to set my bag on the floor. As I straighten, I catch Chance winking at Jen.