The name Jeremy doesn’t appear on my screen, and I hate how my chest deflates.
It’s about three in the morning, and there’s still no sign of him or even a text.
Instead, it’s my best friend, who should be sleeping by now.
So should you.
Ava: Sooo I know you’re probably busy, but I just learned something weird. Like super weird. Remember the guys from last night? The ones Jeremy pummeled to the ground for coming near you?
I sit on the bed and type.
Cecily: What about them?
Ava: Snap! Why are you here?
Cecily: What about you, then? Shouldn’t you be sleeping?
Ava: I was practicing. Anyway, back to the topic. My gossip antennas let me know that two TKU students were admitted to A&E today. One of whom is in the ICU. Guess who? They’re Larry and Steven! The latter is in the ICU.
A shiver snakes beneath my skin and I swallow thickly. There’s no way this is just some coincidence or an arbitrary incident.
Larry and Steven approached me and ended up in the hospital.
Steven touched me and said that weird sentence that threw me off, and he’s in the ICU.
Ava: AND, you know what the strangest part is? Their friend, Donovan? The guy who was with me at the bar. He completely disappeared. That’s just next-level scary.
I grip the phone tighter, my fingers unsteady as I reply.
Cecily: Are Steven and Larry okay?
Ava: They’ll live. But with pain. I feel so sorry for them. Do you think Jeremy did it?
Even she thought of that.
That’s the most logical answer, after all. It all lines up.
Cecily: I don’t know.
I hope not, though I’m kind of sure he did.
My chest constricts at the thought that he hurt those people severely just because they talked to me or touched me.
And where the hell is he, anyway?
I click on his contact.
Cecily: I’m here. You’re not.
I wait for him to read it and reply.
And wait.
And wait.
Then I fall asleep while waiting.
I wake up feeling a shiver of cold. At first, I’m disoriented, then the events from last night rush back to my memory.
The first thing I notice is the empty spot by my side.
I grab my phone that has fallen to the floor because I might have slept with it in my hand.
It’s ten thirty. Holy hell. How did I sleep in?
My belly flutters when I find a text from him.
Jeremy: There was a situation. I’ll talk to you soon.
His words seem clipped, almost dismissive. Or I hope I’m reading too much into it.
Cecily: What type of situation?
Jeremy: Nothing you need to know about.
My blood boils, and the sense of dejection from last night rushes in at full force.
Cecily: You could have, I don’t know, let me know beforehand so I could’ve been with people who are actually considerate of me and my time instead of staying in this gothic house.
Jeremy: Drop the sarcasm and watch that mouth.
Cecily: Fuck you.
I pause, and I think he pauses, too, because there’s no typing on the other end.
Why the… Did I just curse? Okay. It doesn’t count since it’s in a text. It’s not like I said it out loud.
I startle when the phone vibrates in my hand again.
Jeremy: Next time I see you, I will be the one who holds you down and fucks you until you’re screaming while you’re bouncing off my cock.
A splash of heat slithers through me and I try—then fail—not to clench my legs.
It’s not fair how much he can affect me with mere words.
Jeremy: I’m going home for a few days. There’s a situation with Annika that I’m sure you’re fully aware of.
I stiffen for a completely different reason.
He knows about Annika and Creigh.
Dammit.
Cecily: Are you taking her home? To your father? Why?
Jeremy: She wanted to convince him and I’ll be there to prove that she can’t.
Cecily: Don’t do that to her.
Jeremy: Worry about yourself and don’t even try to provoke me. Just because I’m not there doesn’t mean I won’t take action.
Cecily: Just like what you did to the guys from the other night?
Jeremy: They deserved more.
Cecily: Did you also hurt TKU’s American football team because of me?
Jeremy: Maybe.
I pace the length of the room, feeling hot to the core and not in a good way.
He’s not even going to deny it or offer excuses.
Cecily: You can’t just beat people up because they talked to me, Jeremy. That’s not how this works.
Jeremy: I don’t give a fuck about whatever this is or how it fucking works. You let me deal with it when it comes to outside threats.