Fallen Crest University

“Oh.” She perked up. A smooth smile appeared, and she winked. “I was talking to a chap today. I think I have a solution.”

“A chap?”

She laughed but held up a finger. “One minute. Let me go and grab some stuff. I’ll be back.”

I checked my phone while she ran to the room. Still no call or text from Mason. I thumbed through the six texts that I sent his way. Where was he? Was he okay? Why wasn’t he answering? Should I start to freak?

He’d sent one text five hours ago, saying, I’m okay. Talk tonight or tomorrow. Love you.

I suppose it should’ve been enough to placate me, if it weren’t for the hair-raising alarm. I wasn’t going to call 911 and report a missing person, but Mason texted, and because of that, I hadn’t texted Logan or even Nate. Mason was going to get back to me. I knew that. We’d been through enough battles, so I knew he’d follow through, but…I wanted to know now.

Or I wanted to run now.

Either of those would help to appease me.

Summer rushed around the corner with a backpack strapped to her shoulder and keys in hand. She dangled them at me. “Come on. We have to meet someone somewhere.”

“Where are we going?”

She didn’t answer. She just latched on to my arm. I was dragged from the dorm to the parking lot, and we got into her car. She drove around campus, and not long after, she pulled into the empty lot of the campus gym. Empty was the operative word.

I looked around as we got out. “Where is this going?”

Summer grinned over her shoulder, heading for a side door. “Relax. Come on. Trust me.”

I grunted, “Not my forte.”

She knocked once, paused, knocked again, and did a double tap right after. The door was immediately pushed open. A big guy wearing a Cain U sweatshirt stood on the other side. His hair was sticking up, and he rubbed his eye as he held the door for us. Summer and I slipped inside. I wasn’t sure what to say, but Summer touched his chest.

Her hand lingered, and she gazed up at him, a soft smile stretching her lips upward. “Thank you, Dex.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He released the door but caught it so that it wouldn’t slam shut at the last second. It softly clicked instead. He went ahead and motioned for us to follow.

This was part of the football stadium where Mason trained. He would know where we were going, but I had no clue. The guy led us through dark hallways, and everything was a maze. We came to an open area. The air lightened.

Dex said, his voice echoing slightly in the room, “Hold up one second.”

He left us. It was just silence after that.

I grabbed Summer’s arm and hissed, “If he kills us, I’m haunting your ass.”

She laughed, easing my hand from her arm. “Trust me.”

She patted my hand, but I swatted at hers.

I repeated, “Like I said, not my forte.”

“What isn’t?”

“Trusting people.”

“Oh.” She grew quiet. “Well, trust me in the next few minutes because—” And as she said those words, the lights turned on, flooding a huge indoor running track.

I stopped listening. My eyes got big. My mouth was slightly ajar, but I didn’t care how idiotic I looked. It was my own personal running track. Okay, not really, but this was why Summer brought me here.

I was gutted. “You’re joking.”

She squeezed my arm. “Nope. You need safe? Well, here you go.”

Dex was coming back. He seemed more awake than when he’d met us at the door, and he rubbed a hand over his jaw, taking in my excitement. “Summer said you’re a big runner. Have at it.”

I held my hands up. “I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Just thank you.”

The track was larger than regular sized gyms. I judged the distance and calculated that two laps would equal a mile. I’d go as long as my legs would take me.

Summer pointed to the starting line. “Go for it.” She pulled a paperback out of her bag and went to a nearby chair, plopping down. “This is my seat for the duration. You do your thing, and I’ll do mine. I’ve got a hard-on for Harlequin hotties.”

Dex lifted a hand. “All right, I’m going back to bed. I’ve got early morning practice.” He said to Summer, “Don’t get me in trouble. All the lights have to be off. Don’t mess with the sound system, and go out through that same door. It’ll lock behind you.”

Practice? As he left, I asked Summer, “Is he on the football team?”

She nodded. Her face was more guarded now. “Should I have told him who you were?”

She meant, who I slept with.

I shook my head. “I’ll tell Mason tomorrow.” When he finally returns a phone call. I gestured to where Dex had gone. “Do I want to know how this transpired?”

Summer opened her book, but she winked at me, running a hand down her leg. “I’m a model. Getting hit on by guys happens. Though,” her forehead wrinkled, “I don’t usually take them up on their offers, but Dex seemed fine. He wants in my pants. I know that. There’s not the usual pressure I get from other guys though.” She shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll actually go on a date with him. Now, go. Shoo. Do your thing, roomie. I will be completely distracted here for as long as you need to run.”

It’d be an hour, maybe two. I frowned. “It might be longer than you expect.”