Mad Boys (Blue Ivy Prep, #2)(23)

My cock was hard as stone by the time I’d picked out everything. I’d debated getting her some lingerie, then I found the sports bra like the one I’d cut off of her.

Yep. Totally got her three different ones. I couldn’t decide what color I preferred. So, maybe I’d let her decide. I checked with a friend on campus after a stop at the hospital. KC wasn’t there.

Guy worked in administration. He was in his second year at the college and spent a lot of time taking care of records and assignments. It was how I’d found out what dorm Ace had when she first got to the school. Ramsey knew, but he wouldn’t say shit.

Asshole.

“Okay, so you didn’t get this from me,” he said in a hushed voice. “Miller reported they were staying at The Court Hotel in Monmouth.”

“They staying under their names?”

“Doesn’t say that one way or the other, but I’m gonna guess… maybe not?”

“Double check and text me?”

“You got it.”

“Same payment?” While my tone was droll, Guy liked three things… classic vinyl, good weed, and coffee coke. He could never find coffee coke, so I’d been working out a way to buy it for him and I had two cases put aside just for times like this.

“Man, don’t make me want to kiss you.”

I snorted. “I don’t care if you want to kiss me, just don’t do it.”

He laughed and the call disconnected. Monmouth was a good forty minutes away and it was well after two before I arrived. I stopped at a Coffee Shack and got her the latte she always seemed to order and then doubled it, ‘cause I had no idea what the roomie preferred and ten minutes of scanning their fan sites didn’t reveal shit.

At the hotel, I carried the bags and the coffee inside, delivered them to the desk, then said who they were for. The cute redhead winked at me. “Let me call up so they’ll come down. We can’t give out room numbers.”

I really loved food service delivery. While she didn’t tell me the room number, I didn’t miss what she dialed on the phone as I leaned there against the counter. Eventually, she pressed another button and said, “Good afternoon, this is the front desk. You have a delivery, but you’ll need to come down to get it. Thank you.”

At her apologetic smile, I winked. “Don’t worry about it.” Then I moved like my phone had gone off and pulled it out. “Oh, look at that, they just texted.”

“Well, we’re not supposed to let anyone go up.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll never tell.”

I crossed the lobby to the elevators and hit the up button. The hotel was higher-end, very classic and elegant. It really didn’t seem to fit her aesthetic but then it also made hiding easier, right?

Since the number she entered was for the top floor, I chose it. Just as the doors closed though, I caught sight of RJ Wallach.

What. The. Fuck.

My good mood shredded all the way up. Had she called him? Goddammit. What the fuck was he doing back here? By the time the elevator opened to the penthouse level, I was spoiling for a fight.

I knocked on their door twice. Once gently, the second time with a little more force. No one came to answer. I scowled.

Setting the drinks and the bags down, I dug in my pocket for a pen and then scribbled a note on the receipt. Tucking it on top of the stuff, I backed up and headed for the elevator.

Did I go down? Hunt the little shit down? Or did I stay here and wait him out?

I wrestled with it back and forth, then finally folded my arms and leaned back against the wall facing the elevators. To get to Ace, Wallach would have to come up the same way I did.

If—when—he did, he would find me waiting for him and I had no more patience for the fucker. I’d warned him away from Ace a couple of times now.

Time he learned that I wasn’t kidding. The gloves were coming off. He wasn’t going to do to Ace what he’d done to Kelly.

No.

Chance.

In.

Hell.

The bruise on my face throbbed, but I flexed my hands. I was ready for him.

RJ Wallach wasn’t touching her.

Ever again.





Ten





KC


Aubrey wasn’t quite snoring when I left the bedroom and closed the door behind me. I needed water badly, my throat hurt and my nose was runny. Even though I’d scrubbed in the shower, I hadn’t managed to get rid of the smell of smoke.

There were a series of messages on the room phone. I got ice water from the fridge, took several swallows, then tested my voice.

Oh. Yeah.

Nope. Not using it, I checked the room voicemails as I sank down into a chair, water bottle pressed to my face.

“Sweetheart,” Jackie said, her voice all kinds of relieved. “Thank you for having Aubrey send the message. No, I hadn’t heard about the fire and apparently, it’s just now hitting the gossip sites. Call me when you can.” A squeal of sound from Pen made me smile as she half-chanted, “Kay, Kay, Kay.”

The next message was from Dix. “I’m getting back on a plane. I’ll be in late tonight.” The relief I experienced at the sound of his voice was staggering. “Stay at the hotel until I get there. If you need anything, text my phone. It hasn’t hit the news out here yet, but reporters have it. Davina got some calls at the house.”