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I quickly wipe it away with my sleeve, and he shakes his head at me in anger.
That was a test, and I’m pretty sure I failed.
“Lock your door,” he reminds me, and then he’s gone.
9
XAVI
I creep through the empty backyard and look at the house over my shoulder, chewing the inside of my cheek when I see Bryson West’s parents standing in their kitchen. I was only here a few nights ago, but it looks like a completely different house than it did then, spotlessly clean and free of all the drunk college kids and the drugs, the bodies dry fucking each other on those very surfaces they’re leaning on.
It would probably be easier to do this when they’re not home, but Katy wouldn’t have done this half assed. She’d have loved the thrill and the fear of being caught.
Stripping my clothes and boxers off, I set them down on the table Nate was sitting on the other night, shaking my head when I start to think about him again.
Stop it, Xavi.
This isn’t about him.
Pulling the blindfold over my eyes, I cover my dick and balls with my hand and jump headfirst into the heated pool. Coming up for air, I manage to swim two lengths before I hear shouts coming from beside me. It’s Bryson’s parents, probably pissed as hell to find some naked stranger making himself at home in their fancy ass pool.
“Hey!” Mr. West barks. “What the hell are you doing?!”
I swing my head the opposite way and dive toward the edge, hauling myself up and out before I make a run for it. I don’t get very far before I crash into a chair, bust my knees and fall on my ass, scrambling to get away from the hands trying to grab at my legs.
“You little prick.”
I kick him away and stand up. Feeling around for the table, I find my clothes and ball them up against my chest, hiding myself as much as possible as I sprint across the yard. I crash into something else and groan, laughing to myself as I clutch my aching ribs.
Jesus, how did she make this look so easy?
I’m running blind with my heart in my damn throat. By some miracle, I manage to find the wall I climbed to get in here and toss my clothes over the top, pulling myself up and quickly hopping down on the other side. I can still hear them both yelling at me as I snatch my stuff off the ground, rip the blindfold off, and run back to my bike parked on the side of the road down the street. I’m freezing and my teeth are chattering like crazy, but the adrenaline keeps me going as I shove my clothes back on and swing my leg over the seat, still laughing to myself as I speed away. I drive for a couple minutes with no destination in mind, just far enough away that I’m sure Bryson’s dad won’t catch up and beat the fuck out of me. Once I’ve pulled over, I dry my hands and pull out the list I brought with me, uncapping my red marker pen with my teeth as I find task number five.
Skinny dip in a stranger’s pool.
Crossing it out, I refold the paper and put it away, chest heaving as I swipe the wet hair from my forehead. Shoving my helmet on, I can almost hear Katy’s hysterical laughter in my ears as I start the engine and drive back to her brother’s house.
* * *
Being blind must suck.
My knees and elbows hurt, my ass and ribs feel bruised, and the inside of my thigh is dripping with blood. I didn’t notice it at the time, but I must have cut myself on something when I climbed back over the wall.
Limping into the kitchen, I grab an ice pack from the freezer and head back to the stairs, jumping out of my skin when Nate walks in through the front door.
“Jesus, fuck, you scared me.”
He stops in his tracks when he sees me, his eyes narrowing as he takes in my disheveled form.
He hasn’t said a word to me since that first night in the hall. I don’t even think he’s looked at me once in the last three days. But he’s looking now.
I’m not sure whether I should love or hate it.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” I answer, probably a little too quickly.
He cocks his head and grabs the strap of the gym bag on his shoulder, eyes never leaving mine as he drops it on the floor. He’s wearing a black pair of shorts and one of those tight, long sleeved gym shirts that clings to his skin, showing off every hard dip and curve of his upper body.
