Mad Boys (Blue Ivy Prep, #2)(29)

“Nope,” Dix told me. “I’ll have this set up in a minute. Aubrey is heading to the bookstore to pick up all your texts, and the new laptops should have arrived, but she has to sign for them at the mail room.”

That was good. We’d ordered them as soon as it hit both of us ours were gone. “Can I help…?”

“No,” Dix said, catching my arm and turning me around. He gave my ass a slap. “Go sit down and rest. You’ve been overdoing it all day.”

I barely felt the pat but I flipped him off before I went and fell on the sofa. It wasn’t that comfortable. Not like the old one.

Bummer.

It seemed to take Dix no time at all to get the coffee maker set up. Then the sound of the beans grinding was like heaven. Within a few minutes, he presented me with hot foamy goodness.

“Thank you,” I mouthed more than said.

“My pleasure. More to haul up. We’re having to take turns with the other movers so we don’t clog up the stairs.”

I savored another long sip of the coffee. Fuck, it was perfect. Dix even bought the right beans. Maybe Aubrey was right, we should ask Dix to stay for a while. That seemed a lot for someone who lived in California. He’d do it, if I asked, but the chaos of the school year was already a little out of control.

Speaking of chaos…

Coffee on the table, I grabbed my guitar cases and carried them to the room Aubrey and I would share. The closet wasn’t really designed for two, but we could make it work. We had on the tour bus.

A knock in the other room tugged at my attention, but I was stowing my guitars first. The murmur of voices—one male and one female—drifted into the room. It sounded like Payton was talking to someone, so I ducked into the bathroom to pee real quick and wash my hands while she was distracted.

I hadn’t closed the door to my room so I got there to see Payton practically rubbing against Ramsey, with her arms around his neck.

“You have to do something, Ramsey,” Payton half-moaned. Disgust curled through me at the simpering tone pushing up the words. “I need to feel safe and I’m not going to do that having to room with her.”

“Payton…”

“Please…” She pushed herself into him even as he backed up a step. Neither one of them were looking at me. To be honest, they weren’t looking at each other either. Ramsey was trying to get her hands off of him, and he was carefully not touching her anywhere but her hands.

The leech, on the other hand, was practically dry humping his leg.

“Imagine,” she said. “We get rid of her, then I’m right here in your building…and I’d be so grateful.”

I gagged. That was… disgusting.

Ramsey jerked free of her hold and Payton stumbled almost gracelessly. “Do you mind?” she snapped at me. “We are trying to have a private conversation!”

“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” I shook my head. “Maybe close a door or two if you want to keep it private.” I didn’t focus on Ramsey or the stiffness in his posture. Course, my disdain lost some power when I coughed. I fought against the tickle setting me off.

I owed him a thank you, but I wasn’t doing it now and I wasn’t doing it in front of her skankiness. Retrieving my coffee, I detoured the long way around the room to head to the kitchen.

“Ladies,” Ramsey said. “We’ll be having a dorm meeting this evening in the first floor entertainment lounge. I expect to see you both there…”

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Payton practically cooed.

I rolled my eyes but fought for a neutral expression as I faced him. It was the first time I’d really seen him since returning to school. Yes, he’d gotten me out of the burning building. I had a vague memory of him carrying me out. Of the guitar…

Then nothing.

The last time I saw him, he probably didn’t remember. Dad. He and Dad were close. That much had been clear. That also killed any desire to open up a dialogue. “I’ll be there.” I managed to push those out.

“Good.” He frowned. “You feeling okay?”

“I’m great. Thanks.” Then because he started it, I added, “You?”

“I’m fine.” He gave me a faint, if polite smile. The smile deepened a fraction and it softened some of the harder lines to his face. Had he grown more stern over the summer? Or was it just all the current chaos?

Also, why did he still have to be so hot? Dix arrived, giving me something else to focus on. “More furniture coming up in a minute,” he said, before carrying the box toward the bedroom Aubrey and I would be sharing.

Instead of leaving, Ramsey frowned at Dix. Not that Dix gave a damn. He walked out of my room and glanced at me.

“That’s not resting.” He pointed toward the sofa. “Take it easy.”

At the door, he paused when Ramsey stepped into his path. “I’m the RA for this building,” he said. “Ramsey Malone. You are?”

Dix didn’t even slow down, cutting around Ramsey and out the door. It left Douchebag Two with no choice but to follow him if he wanted more answers.

I blew out a breath, but a hand slapped against my shoulder in a shove from behind. Stumbling a step, I turned to find Payton invading my space.

“You’re going to keep your slutty hands off Ramsey,” she practically snarled the words in warning. “He doesn’t want you. He doesn’t even like you. You’re just his stepfather’s spoiled little bastard. Stay. Away. From. Him.”