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We drove another twenty minutes back to Waterford before pulling into a large subdivision full of cookie-cutter houses and postage-stamped yards. I hated not knowing where I was, but I was a hundred percent sure it was better than where I was supposed to be tonight. I followed him into a driveway leading up to a house that looked the same as every other house on this road and parked the black car behind his truck.
Jayden hopped out of the driver’s side and jogged around to the passenger side as I slid out of the car. He pulled the dark-haired unconscious girl into the house, and I followed behind them, taking in my surroundings.
My eyes darted around the room, scanning for any evidence of where we were or whose house this was while Jayden tended to the girl. The place was bare, with only minimal furniture. There were no pictures on the walls or anywhere—no bills lying around on the kitchen counter. Nothing!
"We'll stay here tonight," Jayden said, appearing from the dark hallway leading to the back of the house. "I'll take you back to campus in the morning. The bathroom is the second door on the right." He pointed down the dark hallway he had just appeared from. "You can shower, and I'll leave some clothes on the bed in the bedroom directly across from the bathroom. You can sleep there."
I pressed my lips into a tight line to keep from asking if I'd be sleeping alone. I didn't want to give him any ideas if he wasn't already thinking about it.
I offered a tight smile before bolting towards the bathroom. Counting the doors, I opened the second door on my right, quickly shutting it and twisting the lock before searching the walls in complete darkness for the light switch. Keeping the monster on the other side of the door was more important than seeing where I was.
Finding the switch, I flipped it on and squinted against the harsh light until my eyes adjusted to the brightness. I searched the bathroom for any evidence of whose house this was, but there was nothing. It was as bare as the rest of the house, with only a few towels and some basic toiletries, both male and female. Maybe they shared this house, but that still left the question of who she was.
I showered quickly, praying he wouldn't barge through the doors, and he didn't, and I suspected he had his hands full with the girl.
Tightening my towel around me, I placed my hand on the doorknob. I just needed to open the door, take a few steps across the hall, and hope he was preoccupied enough with the girl that he didn't notice me. Sucking in a deep breath, I eased the door open and stepped out.
I should have kept my gaze fixed on my final destination, but I couldn't stop myself from scanning the hallway. Looking left and then right, my eyes locked with Jayden, who was propped against the door frame at the end of the hall.
Jayden didn't ever show what he was thinking, but the way his gaze raked over me in such a lewd way made my stomach flutter.
"Jayden," a male voice called from inside the bedroom, distracting him, and I used that as an opportunity to escape to the bedroom. There was someone else in the house. I flipped the lock.
After dressing into the t-shirt, Jayden left for me and the extra panties I kept in my purse that I'd never actually needed until today, I listened to the soft chatter outside the bedroom door.
"She's going to be okay, Jayden," the man said. "But you'll need to check her back into rehab tomorrow. I'll call and see if they can make room for her."
"Thanks, Doc," Jayden said. The man was a doctor. "I appreciate you coming out again." I could hear the raw emotion in Jayden's voice which was rare, considering he never showed his feelings.
Boots pounded down the hallway towards the exit, and everything went quiet.
Pressing my lips into a thin line, I stared at the door. I should stay in bed with the door locked. Curiosity did kill the cat, after all. I definitely shouldn't go out there with him. I should go to sleep.
"Shit," I muttered, throwing the blanket off me. I couldn't, so I tiptoed out to the living room.
Jayden's gaze darted up, immediately seeing me. I froze. Jayden leaned back in the chair, his arms resting on the armrests, his fingers curved over the edge, and his legs spread wide. It sucked that he was such an asshole because he was hot, even with his 'I don't give a fuck' attitude.
"What are you doing out here?" His eyes trailed over my bare legs.
"I couldn't sleep, and I thought you might want some company," I lied, forcing a smile.
"Don't get confused about what this is, princess," he said dryly. My eyes locked with his, and I bit down on the inside of my cheek to keep from telling him off. His expressionless face was hard to read. "You're only here because I needed someone to drive the other car." He tapped his finger on the arm of the chair. "You're nothing but a toy to pass the time." Clenching my teeth, I spun away from him, intending to storm off, but I couldn't. I couldn't swallow my anger and just walk away.
I whipped back around. "You are an arrogant asshole if you think that I think this is anything more than you blackmailing me to do things I don't want to do," I hissed. "And you're a delusional narcissist if you think I would ever carry more than pure hatred for you."
The corner of his mouth turned up, and it took me a minute to realize this was what he wanted. My hate turned him on, but it wasn't just my hate; it was also the fight in me. I told myself to shut up and walk away, but I couldn't.
"I don't want to be your girlfriend. I don't even want to be your friend, but we are both stuck here together tonight, and for some stupid reason, I thought we could have a conversation to pass the time like normal people. I'll never make that mistake again."
I spun on my heel, but he was behind me before I could take the first step. His fingers curled into my hips, pulling me back against him. He buried his nose in my hair, inhaling deeply.
"Stay," he whispered.
"If you're worried, I'm going to say anything," I said. "I'm not."
"And why is that?"
"I believe in respecting people's privacy," I said, twisting out of his grip and taking a step back.
