Chapter 25 Mia
When I sent the message, I felt a small thrill of victory.
The walk back to the room last night with Alden had been awkward until I decided to own it.
Yes, I’d stormed into the guys’ locker room and made a spectacular fool of myself.
But who wouldn’t? If you didn’t get hit by the stupidity stick when you saw Ash Santo in a towel, then you were obviously dead.
Last time I checked, I was a very much alive nineteen-year-old woman who had a healthy sexual appetite, and trust me, that man made me hungry.
I thought about him this morning. He was so free with his hands.
He took ownership of me and my body like he’d been doing it for years.
It should probably worry me how easily we fit together, how relaxed we both were with each other, but in reality, I knew he was probably just adept at knowing his way around the female body.
When Alden and I were halfway back to the suite, I looked over at him and then nudged him, telling him it could be worse.
When he asked me how, because he was pretty sure the Devils were going to kick his ass, I replied that at least he hadn’t been drooling over the football team in the locker room.
It had broken the uneasy atmosphere, and Alden had actually felt bad for me.
Although he did say I had handled it well, he’d never seen anyone talk back to them.
That had surprised me. Had the team never been in the presence of Ava or Quinn?
Quinn handed Gray his ass most days. When I thought about it, I decided that maybe only Quinn got away with it, because the man was obviously in love with her and was an antisocial grump with everyone else.
When Alden asked me why I was in the visitor accommodation, I told him my apartment was being refurbed due to a leak.
He commiserated. He then very not subtly asked me if Ash was actually going to sleep with me tonight.
I understood he meant it in a hookup way, and I had to think of a way not to blow everything up.
So, I bit the bullet and took one for the team.
I was the unofficial hookup of Ash. I knew, by morning, the whole campus would know, and I would be a “jersey chaser.” Ava had better love me forever for this.
To make me feel better, I decided to play to my advantage of hooking up with the Devil.
I told Alden I had Ash wrapped around my finger.
Of course, Alden had the front row seat to my epic embarrassment earlier, and I needed to prove I could back my words up.
So, I asked him what one thing I could do to prove that I was in control of my relationship with Ash.
He immediately told me that Ash was never late, ever. Well, that was just too easy. I mean, I knew I would have to see how the evening went, but I was sure even on a bad day, I could delay the infamous manslut Ash Santo.
It had kind of backfired. When I woke up, I was too comfortable, and it was so nice to just be there, lying beside him.
He seemed to be equally comfortable, and I think we were both reluctant to move.
When he suddenly got up, I knew I had said something wrong, but I wasn’t sure what.
As I listened to him rush around the bathroom, I recalled the talk with Alden.
I needed to delay him. Had I lost my chance?
Would I push it too far if I took advantage of the obvious attraction that we had for each other?
I had walked into the male locker room and confronted him; I could easily delay him from walking out the front door.
When he picked me up, deposited me on the bed, and put his hands on me, I forgot all about the bet. I wanted him to stay for a whole other reason, and that involved him wearing less clothes than he was then.
If I hadn’t frozen at his words and his insinuation of what I would do when he left, I would have been quicker off the mark and capitalized on the situation better. Even a good makeout session would have been of benefit to me and earned me twenty dollars.
But no, he had to be a conscientious sports player. My only consolation was I knew as he backed away, he didn’t want to be moving away from me, he wanted to be on the bed as much as I did.
I gave him ten minutes before I owned my victory.
I had no doubt Alden would tell the others, and sure, it probably painted me in a less-than-flattering way, but who cared? Sex was sex. People got far too hot and bothered about something that had nothing to do with them.
My dilemma now was the fact that it was ridiculously early, and I was wide awake. Ash said someone would be here for eight, but it wasn’t even seven. I needed coffee. And a muffin. I’d skipped dinner last night, so now I was ravenous and I wanted breakfast.
Looking out the window, I saw a few people start to walk around. The campus was populated. I was a little bit off the main pathways in this building, but it was morning, even if it was still dark. But the campus was so well lit, what harm was there in going out?
I needed coffee.
Brushing my hair, I considered washing it, but I’d had a shower last night and washed it then.
Looking at my auburn locks, I shook my head as I thought of him calling me Red.
Getting my flat iron out, I straightened the curl I had developed when I slept.
With some tinted moisturizer, a coat of mascara, and some lip gloss, I was ready for the day.
A nice pair of dark jeans, my new soft pink sweater that Ava had bought in Cardinal, and my coat, and I was eager to leave for my caffeine fix.
I checked the time. Ugh, I had ages to wait. Or did I? If I texted him now, he would know not to send some poor freshman, and I could text him again when I got to class.
Chewing my lip, I thought about it as I looked out the window again. More people were moving around.
Me: Don’t freak out, I left the room, I needed coffee. No need to send someone, I’ll text when I’m at the coffee shop and again at class.
I waited. He didn’t respond, and I knew that I was rebelling against his authority, which only aggravated me that he had any authority, so I left the room.
I probably should’ve made inquiries about when I could go back to my dorm room, but to do that, I would be closer to the time of being chaperoned, and now that I had opted for freedom, I didn’t want to conform.
As I came out of the building, breathing in the crisp November air, I had a spring in my step. I checked the phone one more time, still nothing. See, I was fine to leave, I told myself.
Cheerfully, I started to walk to the coffee shop.
“Well, look who it is.”
Looking up, I saw a guy, dark coat, dark beanie, scruffy face. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place why.
“Me?”
“Yeah, you.”
I looked past him to the building I had walked away from. “I think you have me confused,” I told him as I started to walk again, although a little faster.
“No, I’m well aware of who got me fired.” He was walking alongside me, and I had a very bad feeling about this.
Ah drat. It was the janitor. Ash was going to kill me. I knew it.
“I think you managed that all by yourself,” I retorted as I put more pace into my stride.
His hand caught my elbow and jerked me to a halt. “Listen to me, you little bitch,” he snarled. “I lost my job because of you and your slut friends.”
“Take your hand off me,” I warned him. I wasn’t Ava; I wouldn’t hit first, think later. Or Quinn, who would also punch him and also had an army of Devils behind her. I was me. And he was bigger than me and angrier than me, and I knew I was in trouble.
“Or what?” he sneered as he pulled me closer.
How was he even here? Had he been stalking me? Was he the one who trashed my apartment? “Are you following me?”
His grip tightened as he laughed. “Following you? Jesus, you are one stupid, stuck-up bitch. I was getting my final paycheck for working in this shit hole. Final paycheck because you lost me my job.”
“You lost your own job. So, it’s coincidence that you were in the same building as me?” I asked skeptically as I tried to free my arm. “Yeah, tell someone who may believe you. I don’t.”
His face twisted with scorn. “God, you’re as stuck-up as the rest of them. Do you really think I’m following you?”
“Dude, you’re the one who’s grabbed me and is preventing me from walking away,” I snapped at him. “Now, please, take your hands off me, or I’ll—”
“What? Punch me?” he mocked me. “Like the Queen?”
“No, I don’t agree with violence, even when it’s warranted.”
He looked stunned for a moment before I opened my mouth and screamed at the top of my lungs.
I was so loud he dropped my arm as I startled him, and as soon as he did, I ran before he could grab me again.
I wasn’t Ava or Quinn; I didn’t hit people, but I also wasn’t stupid.
My scream would have woken the dead, and I wasn’t hanging around to find out who would come running to my aid.
I was also hoping he didn’t want people to see him harassing a student.
I would have to tell the others, but as I ran to the coffee shop, I was more concerned with putting distance between me and the creep.
As I got onto the more populated walkways, I slowed down, looking over my shoulder furtively as I kept walking, praying to anyone who would listen that I wasn’t being followed.
I pushed the door open to the coffee shop, and my heartbeat didn’t slow down until I was seated in the back corner, with my back to the wall so I could see everyone who came in. I had the window beside me, giving me a clear view of the outside as well. Janitor dude had officially freaked me out.
My hands were shaking as I reached for my coffee cup. My phone sat on the table, looking at me, and I felt the judgment from it even before I told the others what had happened.
Was it a coincidence? He had turned up too many times now, the bar, the theater, and now outside where I had been sleeping. Where we had been sleeping? Had he seen Ash leave? Was he really there for a check? My mind was racing, and I realized I was scared.
Who did I tell? Ava? To warn Quinn that he was on campus?
Or Ash? Because . . . because I needed him.
I took another drink of coffee. There was no choice: I lifted the phone and created a group chat.
When I had added Gray to the chat, I looked at the five names.
This was right, they needed to know. I needed to own my actions.
Me: So I left the room early, I wanted coffee.
I got accosted by the janitor, the one who messed about with Quinn.
He wasn’t exactly threatening, and I don’t know what he actually wanted, I think he just wanted to be mean.
But he grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go, called me some names, I screamed in his ear, my best high-pitched scream and ran away.
I’m sorry, I’m not brave like Ava and Quinn, I ran.
I’m in the coffee shop, I’m fine. Just a little bit shaken.
I wanted to let you all know, he’s on campus.
Quinn be careful when you go to class. He said he wasn’t hanging about or following me, and it probably was just a really bad coincidence, but he’s rattled me.
I’m sorry to message you all but I thought it would be easier.
I put the phone down after I pressed send. Picking it up, I reread it. It was maybe too much information.
Ava: I’m coming, don’t move!!!
Quinn: Are you okay? We’re coming, stay there.
Ava: I’m so sorry Mee, don’t leave, I’m on my way right now.
Quinn: Are you okay?
Me: I’m fine, the heart rate is back to normal and I have coffee. I’m okay, tell Ava not to panic. I’m okay.
I felt the tension ease as I picked my coffee up. My friends were coming; I was fine. The phone lit up, and I read the message.
Quinn: We’ll be there in ten minutes x
I got an X from Quinn Lawrence. I think I’d officially been friended, and I smiled at the ridiculous thoughts in my head. Sitting back, I drank my coffee as I waited for them, keeping an eye out the window for shady ex-janitors.
Ava and Quinn were out of breath when they came in, and I had the brief thought that Ava may actually have run to get to me. She flung her arms around and squeezed until I couldn’t breathe.
“I’m okay,” I told her gently as I extracted myself from her. As she stepped back, Quinn hugged me, too.
“I’m so sorry, Mia. This is all my fault,” Quinn apologized.
“No, it isn’t.” I shook my head as I sat down, with Ava close to me. “He’s an adult and made his own crappy choices. You didn’t say go scare the redhead, did you?”
“Why was he even there?” Ava demanded.
“He said he was collecting his last paycheck.” I shrugged. “I mean, he probably was.”
“It’s not even eight.” Quinn glanced at her watch. “The office isn’t open.”
“So, he was waiting outside and saw Mia and thought payday? Of another kind?” Ava demanded angrily. “I thought Onyx had taken care of this?”
“I did too,” Quinn murmured. She reached out and grabbed my hand.
“Tell us everything that happened,” Ava demanded, and I went through it, telling them what he had said.
“What a dick. You’re okay though?” Quinn asked me.
“Yeah, although I am a bit nervous,” I admitted as I looked at them both.
“Hopefully, we don’t see him again,” Ava said as she hugged me to her.
“Yeah, I hope so,” I agreed, but I looked at Quinn, and she grimaced. “Will he be very upset?”
“You left before you were supposed to?” Quinn said carefully, which wasn’t exactly a reprimand, but it had a slight accusatory tone. I knew now that I deserved.
“I thought he was overreacting, and the whole locker thing from last night, I didn’t want another football player . . .”
Quinn nodded as Ava dropped her head on my shoulder. “We’ll protect you,” Ava promised. “There’s three of them and three of us; it’s a level playing field.”
I loved her with all my heart, but as I met Quinn’s skeptical stare, she knew as well as I did that the playing field was anything but level.