StupidMotherfucker:I haven’t heard from you. You’re late. Need you to deliver. No warnings. Don’t fuck up, Helen.
Tossing my phone on the couch with a groan, I crossed my legs and leaned an elbow on my knee. “Cool, cool. You want to take a walk?”
Zadie straightened. “Um…well, I was in the middle of setting up my room, so…”
“Is that on a strict timeline or can you walk with me? I need to go see someone about a thing, then maybe you can give me a campus tour.”
I probably shouldn’t have dragged Zadie into my business, but if she was there, I’d get in and out a lot faster. Hopefully.
“Okay.” She blinked at me. “I’ll go. My room will be there later, I guess.”
“Pretty sure that’s a definite, Z.”
Savage U’s campus was gorgeous. Very Southern California-chic, with lots of green space, palm trees, pristine white sidewalks, and blue, blue skies. The buildings were Art Deco era Spanish-style, some with ivy creeping up the sides, lending them an air of gravitas.
At least that’s what the pamphlet had said.
I carried my skateboard under my arm, walking beside Zadie. A few people stopped in their tracks and stared at her, but she was completely oblivious, pointing out buildings where she took classes as we passed. I’d lived in Savage River my whole life and had been to more than a couple house parties off campus, but I couldn’t say I’d spent any time exploring the university. So, this walk would legitimately kill two birds with one stone. I wasn’t actually using my brand-new roommate, she was showing me aroundandshe was my excuse.
Our destination was a frat house on the edge of campus. A place I only visited out of necessity. Five or six guys were out front on the porch in various states of lounging. Mostly shirtless. Mostly baby smooth and tan. And they were watching us closely.
“I’m not going in there,” Zadie whispered.
“You want me to leave you out front with these fine gentlemen?” I asked.
She shook her head hard.
“Didn’t think so. It’ll be fine. We’ll be in and out in a minute, then we can hit the dining hall or something. I just need to see a guy about a thing and he lives here.”
I took her hand in mine. It was soft and trembled slightly. She sucked in a breath and flicked her eyes to mine, then back to the guys on the porch who werestillwatching us.
“Okay. But please don’t leave me,” she pleaded.
“I would never. It’s always hos before bros.”
She giggled again, and it was so mega cute.
One of the guys on the porch rose to his feet when we climbed the steps. I breezed past him through the open front door with Zadie in tow.
“Can I help you?” he called after us.
I lifted a hand, not bothering to turn around. “No thanks. We’re good!”
Zadie scrambled to keep up with me as I strode through the house. “I think he wanted us to stop.”
“Did he? I didn’t notice.”
I’d been to this house exactly once and had avoided it like the plague since. Me and frat boys did not mix. But sometimes evils were necessary. This one was. I wouldn’t have been here otherwise.
At the top of the stairs, I stopped in front of the first room and pounded it with my fist. When no one answered, I kicked the door. My Vans barely made a thump, so I went back to my fist.
Then, Zadie reached around me and turned the knob. The door opened. I looked at her, and she shrugged.
“You seem like you really want in there,” she said.
“Yeah.” I shoved the door wide open. “I do.”
There was a body on the bed, face down, barely moving, white, bare ass glistening in the sun streaming through the cracked curtains. It was four p.m. on move-in day. This fool was already toasted and buck naked.