Mad Boys (Blue Ivy Prep, #2)(34)

“Now, take that gorgeous ass inside.” He pushed off the car, then held out an arm. I returned the hug and sighed as he pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Call me for anything. Think smart and be safe, okay?”

“I promise.” I raised a hand before I headed up the steps. It shouldn’t have surprised me to find Captain Douchebag waiting just inside. Nor that his position gave him a perfect view out the side windows to where I’d been saying good night to Dix.

Great. RA and stalker. What other skills was he hiding?

“It’s after curfew,” Ramsey said. His voice was a little scratchy, but it had nothing on mine. I glanced at the wall clock and then back at him.

Curfew kicked in at ten.

It was five after.

I’d been back on campus and right at the building, just not inside.

Right.

“Not reporting you,” he continued, seemingly not interested in glancing at the same clock. “Everyone has some adjustments to make, but rules are there for a reason.”

I stared into the eyes of the guy who saved me. The same guy who’d actually gone out of his way the previous year. The teacher’s assistant I’d nursed a crush on and tried to thank for all his help…

Yeah, the same guy who ripped into me about being a selfish bitch, all the while hiding the fact he was my stepbrother. No, I had little to say to him, and I didn’t want to talk to him. So, I gave him a thumbs-up before I headed for the stairs.

“KC…”

Pausing, I didn’t glance back so much as turn my head enough that he could tell I was listening. What was he going to tell me? My hair was against the school dress code? I was out of uniform? Oh, I knew.

Don’t lead on my baby brother…

“My brother has his own issues…”

He doesn’t need mine.

“I’d appreciate it if you would—” He exhaled and I waited. “Just…use caution.”

Glancing over my shoulder, I raised my brows. Caution? For him? Or for me?

Only he was already shutting his door. I studied the whiteboard hanging off of it and his schedule, which was taped below it. RA and TA, not to mention a full-time college student…

Yeah, I didn’t know what to do with any of that. Busy life choices weren’t an excuse to be a dick.

Period.

Despite the co-ed nature of the “dorm,” I’d kind of expected it to be noisier or busier, or maybe just weirder. Instead, it was almost silent as I reached the fourth floor. Maybe everyone else was having a shit week, too.

When I got to the new room, I paused for a second to eye the other door. Aubrey being behind that with Payton, of all people, stung. Yes, I’d chosen to move out, but I hated that she was stuck there. Hated more that we weren’t rooming together.

Unease prickled through me, and I used the new key to unlock the door to Jonas’—and now my—suite. The interior was dim, with only a single light on the table next to the new sofa. The rearrangement of the furniture set up the room for the new television and the previous gaming chairs, as well as the sofa Dix got for me.

It was like my old one. I could curl up in the corner with a heating pad and ice cream to binge-watch once a month and it would be great.

The room was quiet.

Almost too quiet.

There was a faint scent of tacos in the air. Meat, spicy sauce, and the bag on the counter were from one of the local delivery places. Considering we just had dinner, I shouldn’t be hungry, but it smelled great. Leaving the bag, I got a bottle of water from the fridge before heading to my door.

A sticky note was posted to it.

The bag of leftovers is for you. Wasn’t sure what kind of tacos you liked so three crunchy and three soft. Take what you want. I can eat the rest tomorrow.

J.

Pivoting, I glanced back at the taco bag. He got me tacos?

We hadn’t even had leftovers from dinner to bring back. I took a step back toward the little kitchenette. The idea of crunchy tacos was downright heavenly.

Then again…did I dare eat something I hadn’t prepared or seen arrive?

I went back and forth on it so much, I almost gave myself a headache. The growling in my stomach would not be ignored so I retraced my steps, opened the bag and took out the three crunchy tacos. Then wrote a note on the little sticky notepad stuck to the fridge.

Thanks.

I posted it to his door before going back into my room. Once inside, I locked the door. I glanced at the bathroom that we would be sharing. I needed to pee, but…well, we hadn’t discussed this part.

I peeked inside, but the door on his side was closed. Phew. I locked it then peed before I washed up and got ready for bed. I didn’t unlock his side until I was done and heading back to my side of the room.

After devouring the tacos and the water, I went back in and brushed my teeth before crawling into bed. Exhaustion was right there but so were a million questions. I didn’t have my phone to listen to for a distraction.

I thought it would take a while, but I passed out relatively fast. Coughing myself awake, I grimaced at the raw feeling in my throat. As much as I wanted to go running, probably not the best idea… yet.

Maybe a long walk, circling the mailroom so I could get my new phone as soon as it was here. For now, I got dressed and headed out to make coffee.

One for me. One for Aubrey. And a third for Jonas.