Chapter 21
Killian
Killian was fairly certain what he was doing counted as something stupid, despite Devon’s daily reminders not to act out.
But it was a new day, and Killian was still painfully sober, as he’d been since that first unfortunate night.
And he’d been showing a remarkable amount of restraint, so perhaps his lapse could be forgiven.
It had been a week.
A week since Killian had gotten drunk off his ass and fallen asleep with a mountain of regrets crushing his chest. A week of giving Chase space and time, which Chase seemed to be taking ample advantage of, without sending so much as a single text after that last, Home safe.
And it was Friday, and Friday was their day. And Killian couldn’t be at home, waiting for a message he was fairly certain he wasn’t going to receive.
There was a knock on Killian’s car window. He jumped in his seat with a curse, turning to find a familiar face on his driver’s side, although it was one he’d only seen from a distance so far.
Spencer, last name unknown. Undergraduate alpha. Roommate to one Chase Adler.
Killian rolled down his window, and Spencer grinned at him as the heat of the day rolled into Killian’s car, combating the air-conditioning he had running.
Spencer was obnoxiously handsome, tan and lean and muscled in his loose tank top, with his dark hair in disarray and a tongue piercing peeking out between his bared teeth.
He had the sort of obvious, cocky swagger that should have been a front but that he seemed to back up with his good looks and—from what Chase had told Killian—innumerable notches on his bedpost.
Killian could name half a dozen doms who would probably trade a fucking kidney to bring this kid to his knees.
“Professor,” Spencer greeted, somehow making the word sound like a taunt, although his smile was friendly enough.
Killian sighed, fighting the urge to roll his window right back up. “You know who I am.”
That was unfortunate, as Killian was currently parked outside the home Spencer shared with Chase and Noah. Killian hadn’t even parked around the block in some attempt to be stealth. His car was idling barely thirty feet from their front door.
As he’d said: something stupid.
Spencer set his folded arms on Killian’s lowered window, leaning in. The gesture wafted his spiced-tea pheromones into Killian’s space in a way Killian didn’t much enjoy, but he felt like this might be a test of some sort, so he kept his growl in check.
“Hell, yeah, I do. I looked you up like ten seconds after Chasey told us about you.” Spencer gave Killian a thorough once-over. “Not bad.”
Killian had nothing to say to that, and Spencer’s grin widened. “He’s not here, you know.”
“I’m aware.” Chase’s car wasn’t in the driveway, and if Killian had been thinking straight in the first place, he would have realized Chase still had hours of classes left. But he hadn’t been thinking straight for a week, so …
Killian should leave. Nothing good could come of this conversation.
Instead, he cleared his throat. “I came at him too hard. Too fast.”
Spencer laughed brightly. “Oh, you gotta do that with Chasey. It’s a funny balance, pushy but patient.
I was shit at it at first, but Noah helped balance things out.
” He cocked his head, glancing toward the empty house and then back to Killian.
He lowered his voice to a whisper, despite there not being anyone else on the street.
“His parents are dicks, did you know that? Like, serious dicks.”
“I know.”
Spencer scratched his neck. “Like, my mom’s mean as hell, but at least she acknowledges I exist.” He blew out a breath. “And he never talks about it. Not ever.”
“I gathered.”
Spencer cocked a brow. “So you might have to be patient for a little while longer, is what I’m saying. Keeps those emotions locked down tight, our Chasey.”
Was Killian really going to take advice from this cocky kid? But he found himself nodding. “I will be. Patient.”
Despite his current lapse in judgment, Killian would wait months if he had to. If that was how long it took for Chase to gather what he wanted to say.
Fuck, he hoped he didn’t have to wait months.
“Mm-hmm.” Spencer grinned at him amiably. “No offense, but you’re parked in front of our house like a stalker right now.”
Killian’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Fair point.”
He was trying to be agreeable, but a familiar, territorial aggression was building inside him.
Some primal response to another alpha telling him what to do with his beta.
Never mind that the alpha was young—somehow Spencer seemed so much younger than Chase, without any of Chase’s air of self-possession—and a long-standing friend of Chase’s.
Killian’s reaction was unreasonable, and yet he couldn’t shake it.
The scent of rich leather filled the car, free of any cherry sweetness.
Spencer sniffed the air, then laughed again, obnoxiously loud. “Aw, don’t worry, Professor. Chasey is like a brother to me.” He poked his tongue piercing out between his teeth, wiggling his brows. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, he’s a handsome dude …”
This time Killian’s growl couldn’t be contained.
Spencer’s taunting smile took on an approving cast. “You’re possessive of him. That’s good. He deserves that.”
His smile immediately dissolved into a thoughtful frown.
Mercurial little fuck, wasn’t he? Killian could barely keep up.
“You know, Noah and I thought at first that you’d ended things.
” Spencer’s spiced pheromones took on a sharp edge as his frown deepened.
“I was all ready to kick your ass and get expelled for the trouble. But then we realized, if that had been the case, Chase would have just shut it all down and packed it in some secret feelings box and not even shown us he was hurting. So we figured out pretty quick that something else was up.”
He suddenly straightened, slapping the car door in a definitive way. “So, you know. Keep up the good work and get the fuck out of here.”
Killian was left reeling. Like he’d been given too much information and not enough at the same time.
He leaned out the window as Spencer started walking away, his backpack slung over one shoulder. “Wait!”
Spencer turned, brow raised expectantly.
“How is he?”
“Oh, he’s miserable. Really, super-duper sad.” Spencer held up two thumbs in the air. “So there’s hope.”
And weirdly, for the first time that week, Killian felt like there might be.
He sat there for a few long moments, watching Spencer head toward the house.
He watched as he was intercepted by another alpha at the driveway, one with a broad build and loose blond curls.
He watched as the newcomer turned toward Killian’s car and locked eyes with him, grinning wide.
His smile was less mocking and more welcoming, but it still had Killian cursing under his breath.
That was both Chase’s roommates who now knew Killian was a fool.
Killian rolled up his window, letting the air-conditioning blast in his face before setting the car in gear. It was time to head home and find a few more scraps of patience within himself.