Elite (Eagle Elite #1)(17)

That was the last thing I remembered until everything went black.

****

A loud bell ringing woke me up. Apparently I had been run over by a truck the night before. I remembered the party, and then I remembered drinking something from Phoenix. He looked hot last night, and then Chase? Had Chase been there?

The bell rang again. I shook my head and rubbed my eyes. Where was I? I felt comfortable, like I was in my bed, but it wasn’t my bed.

Oh no.

I jolted upright and noticed the room was masculine. Definitely not my room. I didn’t do anything though. I had all my clothes on, my body felt fine. Well, other than the pounding of my head. I quickly grabbed my jacket and bolted out of the room.

The guys’ dorm. Of course. At least nobody was there to witness my shame. And then one by one, doors to the hall opened, and guys poked their heads out.

“Ah! He bagged another one! Go Tim!” A guy shouted, and then a giant wall of muscles greeted me via the bathroom. The guy was Asian with killer golden eyes and an even greater smile. I gulped.

“Tim bagged the new girl!” Someone else shouted.

I tried to get by the guy, but he kept blocking me.

“What is your problem?”

He smirked and leaned in so close I could smell his toothpaste. “What baby? No good morning kiss from the guy you spent the night with?”

Anger and shame washed over me simultaneously. I didn’t do that. I would never do that! My eyes darted to all the guys around me. They were high-fiving and texting, and of course taking picture of me. Great.

“Get the hell away from me!” I pushed against his muscled chest. But he only pulled me closer. I struggled out of his grasp, mainly because he let me get free, and jogged down the hall only to find the door to the main lobby already open. And there stood Phoenix waiting. Chase was by his side.

As well as about one hundred other males from the dorm.

I launched myself on Phoenix, but Chase blocked my way. “Let it go, Trace.”

“You son of a bitch! Why would you do that to me?”

Phoenix smirked. “Maybe you shouldn’t drink so much next time.”

Chase released me. His eyes were sad, but I didn’t care. I charged out of the lobby to the sound of guys screaming and calling me a whore.

By the time I reached my dorm, tears were streaming down my face. I checked my pocket for my key card.

It was gone.

I guess I’d already used my one elevator ride anyways. I jogged up the stairs, sweating by the time I reached the third floor.

And, to my utter horror and humiliation, I was welcomed by several girls clapping. “Way to go, New Girl, bagging the quarterback of the football team. Well done!”

“What a slut!” another girl yelled. “Tim has a girlfriend! Who does that?”

I choked back sobs as I reached my door, and pushed it open. Thank God it wasn’t locked.

Monroe was still sleeping.

I didn’t know if I wanted to wake her. I didn’t know if I wanted to tell her. I paced the room five times before finally making the decision.

“Monroe.” I sobbed. “Please wake up! Please!”

She jolted awake and then cursed. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Oh you know, getting my brains screwed by the quarterback of the football team.” I didn’t even try to hold the tears in as I collapsed on her bed and told her the whole story or at least what I remember of it.

“Are you sure?” she asked when I was finished.

“What do you mean?”

“Are you sure you didn’t just drink too much and leave with Tim?”

“Yes!” I shouted. “Why don’t you believe me? Why doesn’t anyone believe me!”

“Whoa, calm down.” Monroe stood and yawned. “I’ll talk to Nixon, he’ll fix it.”

“He won’t.” Dread filled my stomach until I thought I was going to puke. “He told me he was done protecting me.”

“Come again?”

“We kind of made a wager…”

Monroe threw something against the wall. “Why the hell would you make a deal with the devil?”

“He provoked me!” I yelled.

“Wow…” Monroe paced in front of me. “Well, at least you don’t have to face any of them during lunch time that would be… catastrophic.”

Crap. Crap. Crap. “I kind of lost my access card.”

Monroe slumped to the floor. “Girl, I hate to be the one to say this, but you are totally and completely screwed.”

I nodded. I knew it was true. And I hated that I had to face all those people today.

“How do I eat?”

“I’ll think of something, okay?” She bit her lip. “It’s just the only one who has passes is Nixon. I’ll bring it up to Tex and see what he says.”

Great. Who the hell gave him the keys to the world?

“Look, just get ready for school, and we’ll sort it out this afternoon, okay?” Monroe threw me a granola bar and started getting dressed. I could do this. I could face a whole bunch of my peers. What could they do? Stab me?





Chapter Nine


It was official. I hated college. It was bad enough walking into the classroom to everyone snickering in my direction. I slumped as low in my seat as I could without falling off my chair and flashing everyone my underwear, solidifying my reputation as a hussy.