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Maddox: On my way.
CHAPTER21
RILEY
“You keepyour hands to your fucking self.” I hear Ridge say to Maddox in a gritted whisper. “You’re here for her. Not for your own benefit. I’m trusting you, man.”
“Chill out, Ridge. I’m not gonna throw myself at Riley. You know me better than that.”
“Thought I did. Until I saw you kiss her last night.”
“Maybe if you stopped watching her so closely, you wouldn’t see every damn thing she does.”
“All right,” I cut in loud and clear. I grab Ridge by the arm and steer him toward the door. “You go do…whatever it is you need to do. Maddox and I will be fine.”
Ridge hesitates a moment, shooting Maddox a look of warning before finally exiting the room. Once the door closes, I click the lock. Little good it does, though, since it seems everyone has a key to this damn room. I make a mental note to contact campus security to have the locks changed when they replace the window.
“Well,” I wave my hand around the room, “this is my place. It’s small and there isn’t much to do except watch TV.”
Maddox kicks off his shoes like he’s at home and makes his way over to the bed and then drops down. “What do you like to watch?”
I chuckle behind the palm of my hand. “Ya know. Scar will chop your head off if she walks in and sees you in her bed.”
I’ve never seen someone jump up so fast. My lips twitch with humor. “Are you scared of my roommate?”
“No,” he quips, “she’s just a chick. A chick who looks like she carries around a switchblade to chop off the dicks of any guy who pisses her off.”
“And you’d be correct.” I take a seat on my bed, and he joins me. “Do you know Melody Higgins?”
“Why? What have you heard from her? Whatever it is, it’s a lie. It might be smaller than an eggplant, but it’s definitely bigger than a banana.”
As if a banana is small?Wow! Now my wheels are turning. Annnnd…there’s a visual. My cheeks tinge pink and I’m thankful no one can hear the thoughts in my head.
“Whoa,” I chuckle, hand in the air, “not at all where I was going with this.”
Maddox snatches a textbook off my nightstand, places it in his lap, and begins nervously flipping through the pages. “Okay then.”
I slam the cover of the book closed. “Are you embarrassed, Maddox?”
“It really is bigger than a banana.”
It’s been so long since laughter has come so easily. “I believe you.”
In those brief moments, I almost forgot about all the chaos surrounding me. One glance at my boarded window, though, and I’m instantly reminded.
“All right, so now that we’ve made it clear I do, in fact, know who Melody Higgins is…”
“Right. So, last year at The Academy, Melody did some cruel shit. Scar took the bitch to the ground, and I’m not kidding you, she chopped her hair off.”
“Damn. Honestly, I’m not a bit surprised. I can see that Scar has some fucking balls.”
“Yeah,” I mutter. “If only I could grow a pair.”
Don’t do it, Riley. Don’t get down on yourself. You’ve been doing so well given the circumstances.
Pity sucks.
Pity burns.
