Chapter 11 #3
Having her help me to my room or get me water and put my clothes away is one thing, but asking her to take off my boots feels wrong. Like I’m debasing her after everything she’s done for me.
“So you’re just going to sleep in them?” She gives me another look that’s so reminiscent of my sister’s. “Or are you going to let me help you since you obviously need it?”
“Help me,” I mumble. “Thanks,” I add, injecting as much sincerity into my voice as I can while she kneels at my feet.
Her nimble fingers make quick work of the laces of my boots, and she carefully slips them off and tucks them against the wall so they’re out of the way.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asks, watching me carefully as I pull my phone out of my pocket and toss it on the bed.
“I’m fine,” I say for what feels like the hundredth time.
She gives me a dubious look but doesn’t say anything as she watches me hoist my feet back onto my bed and lean back against my headboard.
“Sorry if getting my ass kicked ruined your plans for the night,” I say when I’m settled.
She perches on the edge of the mattress next to me. “Honestly, it’s probably a good thing you did.”
I shoot her a confused look.
She lets out a soft laugh and shakes her head. “I was on my way to Rebel House when I saw you.”
“You were?”
She nods and lets out another laugh, this one as sardonic as her wry half-smile.
“Were you going to see Felix?” I ask.
I might not have ever spoken to Eden before, but it’s no secret that her best friend moved into Rebel House earlier this year, and as far as anyone knows, he’s the only non-member to ever live in one of the frats.
I don’t know all the details of the situation, but apparently there’s some obscure school rule about siblings, or stepsiblings in Felix’s case, being required to live together after a family tragedy, and he moved in with his stepbrother Killian, who happens to be Xave’s cousin.
I shove that thought away before it can go anywhere. Xave is the last person I want to think about right now, and I don’t need to be popping wood in front of Eden because I’m remembering how Xave’s dick felt in my mouth.
“Nope, I was going to the main house to see Jordan.” She chews on her lip for a few beats.
“But it’s a good thing you distracted me because that would have been a huge mistake.
” Her eyes widen in horror. “Not that I’m glad you got hurt,” she says quickly.
“Just that nothing good ever comes from asking Jordan for help.”
“Help? Are you okay?”
She smiles, some of her earlier sarcasm melting away as her expression softens. “Yeah. Mostly. I think.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask. “I know we don’t really know each other, but I’m a good listener. And you saved my ass, so it’s really the least I can do if you need someone to talk to.”
She looks at me for a few seconds, then drops her eyes as color floods her cheeks. “I kind of got in some trouble, and I had the crazy idea that maybe Jordan could help me.” She lifts her eyes to mine. “But involving him is probably the stupidest thing I could do, so it’s good I got distracted.”
I want to ask her what happened, but I don’t want to push her, especially after everything she’s done for me tonight.
“Do you have your phone?” I ask instead.
She gives me a weird look and digs it out of her purse.
“Do you want my number? Something tells me we could both use another friend.”
Her eyes widen in surprise, then she beams a big smile at me and unlocks her phone.
I tell her my number when she’s ready, and she sends me a quick text so I can program hers into my phone later.
“I should probably go,” she says reluctantly as she tucks her phone away. “People are going to talk if I’m in here too long.”
“Yeah, probably,” I agree.
I might not give a shit if her stepbrother gets pissed at me or if everyone at school starts gossiping about us, but I’m not the only one involved in the situation.
And I’m also not the one who’ll end up bearing the brunt of whatever drama this might cause.
I don’t want to make things harder for her than they already are.
“Thanks for everything,” I say as she stands up and smooths down the material of her jacket. “And I meant what I said about being friends.”
She smiles, her cheeks flushing soft pink. “I’d like that.” She pauses like she’s going to say something but just gives me a quick wave as she heads toward my door.
I watch as she leaves my room, then pick up my phone to add her number to my contacts when the door closes behind her.
When that’s done, I open one of my music apps and search through my playlists. It’s too quiet in my room, and I need some music to distract me.
When I’ve finally settled on one of my older playlists that I haven’t listened to in a while, I pull out a yellow bottle with half a dozen pills in it from my bedside table. Shaking one of them out, I put it on my tongue and wash it down with the rest of the water from the glass Eden brought me.
Then I lean back against my headboard and try to lose myself in the music as I wait for the Oxy to kick in and for the welcome haze that comes with it.