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I can see it now—as vivid as a picture in my head. Riley has a family of her own, but with enough persuasion, maybe she’ll stick around campus with me, while everyone else goes home. With how quickly things are changing between us, it’s a possibility. That thought has me smiling as I go back into the room where Dr. Edmonds is waiting.
CHAPTER32
MADDOX
I glancearound the empty space in front of the Kappa Rho House impatiently. Ridge stands in front of me, thumbs drumming against his phone's screen, oblivious to the task at hand. Frustrated, I step closer and push him forward. “Clear!"My voice is low but sharp, but when he doesn't budge, I shout, "Fucking go!”
Ridge growls. “Chill out, man,” he says with a huff as he stuffs his phone in his pocket. “I was checking to see where they were. They’re going to the hot springs, so we’ve got all afternoon.”
“We’re about to raid a dead man’s room. I don’t wanna be here a second longer than necessary.”
“No one knows he’s dead, though,” Ridge says all too casually.
“Not yet. But eventually they will. People are already asking about him around campus. It won’t be long until an official missing person’s report is filed.”
Ridge walks around to the back of the house, where he says a ground-level window is unlocked. I’m beginning to think he’s done this before. When he pushes up a sill, I’m more than certain he has. I don’t ask questions because I don’t want to know. I just follow behind and hope like hell we can find what we came here for.
“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea,” I tell Ridge as we trail down the hall. “You do realize once Cade’s deemed missing, it’s my ass The Elders will be after? If anyone catches us here, they’ll for sure list us as suspects.”
“Fuck them.” He scoffs. He’s ahead of me, so I can’t see his face, but I can tell he doesn’t give a shit about this whole thing. “Just say you were doing your job and keeping an eye on the Kappa Rho guys. We’re here on official business.”
He has a point; I can just claim I was doing my duty. Sure would make my father happy to hear and no one in The Society would think twice about it. We walk farther into the kitchen and a chill runs down my spine. “Something’s not sitting right with me, man.”
“Then let’s hurry our asses up, search his room for his phone, and get the fuck out of here.”
It still blows my mind that Cade didn’t have his phone on him. What twenty-year-old doesn’t carry their cell phone with them at all times?
We ascend the stairs and I can't help but reflect on the last time I saw Ridge here. The fury in his eyes as he beat Cade's half-naked ass was unparalleled to any anger I've ever seen him express. The thought of that incident alone has me looking over my shoulder as we enter Cade's room.
If it ever comes out that Cade is dead, we will likely be the first suspects. So it's important we keep a low profile and keep ourselves off The Society's radar. Just as that thought crosses my mind, I look over to see Ridge raiding Cade's drawers without a second thought about things looking suspicious. "What the fuck, Ridge? Do you want the whole fucking fraternity to know his room was raided?"
"Don't really give a shit, if I'm honest."
I follow behind him, attempting to put stuff back in Cade's drawers, while Ridge continues tossing everything without a care in the world.
Ten minutes later, Ridge comes to a halt and I exhale heavily as I say, “It’s not here.”
He runs his fingers through his hair, eyes scouring the small space. “Where the hell could it be?”
“Well, he was at the main campus building when you kidnapped him. Could he have dropped it?”
Ridge’s eyes widen as if a light bulb just came on in his head. “He had weight training that day. I bet he left his bag and phone—”
Reading his train of thought, I finish for him, “In the gym lockers.”
“Bingo.”
I hurriedly scoop up any remaining evidence of us being here, tossing the random junk into one drawer. Once I slam it shut, we leave in a hurry. This time, we opt for the front door instead of the window, since we’re sure no one is here.
“Should we call for a shuttle?” I ask Ridge as we close the door behind us.
“Nah. We don’t want anyone tracing us back here, or to where we’re going.”
I nod in agreement, then we turn on our heels and race away from the house, down the trail that leads to the school. We dodge trees and leap over roots as we make up for lost time, both panting heavily by the time we make it.
Pushing open one of the heavy double doors of the main building, I step inside and Ridge follows. The large foyer is deserted, but the muffled conversations coming from the student center can be heard. An eerie stillness hangs in the air and I can't help but be afraid of what we will find when we actually do get Cade’s phone.
“Dude,” Ridge nudges me. “Get a grip. We’re not doing anything wrong. You look like you saw a fucking ghost.”
