Chapter 12
Twelve
Liam
“Do you want us to come with you?” Ashton asks, glancing at Nova.
I grab my coat, yanking it on while I step into my winter boots. It’s fricking cold outside and I’m not sure how close I’ll be able to get if the campus is still on lockdown when I arrive.
“I’m coming,” Nova says and grabs her coat. “Just give me thirty seconds to lace up my boots.”
“I’m going to start the car, it’s cold out.” I head out into the brisk October air and shiver. Climbing into the front seat, I start the engine and glance at the gas gauge, making sure I have enough to get me to Great Falls.
I should make it there all right.
The car grumbles as it heats up. It’s louder in the cold, not that the vehicle is ever particularly quiet.
Luca hurries outside into the cold. He’s not wearing a coat or shoes for that matter.
What the hell is he doing?
He rushes over to my car and gestures for me to open the door.
“You’re coming like that?” I snap at him. Has he lost his mind?
“No.” He tosses me his car keys. “Take my vehicle. You don’t need to drive two hours and break down in that thing right now.”
Silently, I nod, shutting off the engine. Luca rushes back inside and I head over to Luca’s vehicle, starting the car without so much as entering it.
It’s a nice ride.
I suppose there are some perks to working for Dante. Another minute passes, and Nova is hurrying outside with Ashton right on her heel.
I climb into the driver’s side and Ashton sits next to me, with Nova in the back. “Do you know anything about your sister and the shooting?” Ashton asks.
We had the living room television displaying the “breaking news” for Great Falls.
“Just that she’s holed up in a bathroom at the student center,” I say. I put the car in drive and head out of the neighborhood. Handing Ashton my cell phone, I glance at him. “Can you hook me up to Bluetooth. I want to stay in contact with my sister.”
“Of course.”
I instruct the voice activated recognition software to send texts for me to Sophia.
Me: I’m on my way.
Sophia: Seriously? You’re coming here?
Me: Yes, and I’m bringing Ashton and Nova. Hope you’re ready for a big ass slumber party.
Sophia: My roommate will be super thrilled. Maybe you can shack up with your girlfriend.
At least Bristol isn’t a secret girl I’ve been keeping from my friends. But spending the night seems unlikely, with the three of us and having to be back on campus in the morning with classes.
Sophia: Shit. More gunshots.
My hands tighten around the steering wheel and my chest seizes. I find it difficult to breathe as I try to keep my focus on the road.
Ashton rests a hand on my arm. “Do you want to pull over and let me drive?”
I shake away the cobwebs and fog from my head. “No, I’ve got it.” I swallow back the bile and refocus my attention on the darkened road.
I send Sophia another speech-to-text message, hoping she’s okay.
Me: Don’t leave me hanging, sis.
Several seconds which stretch on like minutes pass before I receive another text from my twin.
Sophia: I’m still in the bathroom. Three gunshots and lots of screams.
“Shit,” I curse and glance at Ashton.
His frown looks forever etched to his features. “She’s hiding; she’ll be all right.”
I hope he’s right. I can’t imagine life without my sister in it. Guilt weighs heavily on me that we didn’t attend the same college. I should be there with her, protecting her.
I slam my fist against the steering wheel.
Sophia: It’s over. The police are going room to room.
I should be able to breathe, but I’m suffocating inside.
“She’s okay,” Ashton says, patting my shoulder. “When we get there, you can give her a hug and see for yourself that she’s fine.”
“Is she fine?” Nova asks, leaning forward from the backseat. “If it were me, I wouldn’t want to spend another minute on that campus.”
After the shooting on campus, classes at Great Falls are cancelled for the rest of the week. Sophia texts me where she is, and I jog over toward the student center, having to park several blocks away.
I pull her in for a hug, relieved that she’s safe. Tonight could have turned out so much worse for her, for everyone.
Her body is trembling, and I can’t tell if it’s the cold or the shock getting to her.
It takes her a minute, her voice catching in her throat. “Can I crash with you for the week?” she rasps.
“Of course. Let’s get out of the cold,” I say and lead her toward the parked vehicle.
Sophia climbs in back with Nova. “Can we grab my clothes and stuff back at the dorms?”
“Sure. Whatever you need, sis.”
I park in the campus lot outside of the dorms. There are two buildings, the one on the far right is her, the building on the left, Bristol’s.
Sophia heads to the building on the left. “Did you change dorms?” I point at the building where she used to live.
“Yeah, my roommate and I weren’t getting along last month. I managed to swap with another girl, so I’m on the eighth floor. Same building as your girlfriend.” Sophia heads inside for the elevator, and we all follow her.
Nova and Ashton are quiet, holding hands. They share a faint smile, and it makes my heart ache.
The elevator passes over the sixth floor, Bristol’s floor.
I inhale sharply and try not to get distracted, which I’m failing miserably at. I want to reach out, push the button for the sixth floor, and go check on her.
But we’re here for my sister.
“Thanks for driving out here tonight,” Sophia says as the elevator doors open and we step out onto the eighth floor.
All the floors look the same. The slight differences are noticeable in the way doors are decorated, but the overall appearance is similar.
Sophia unlocks her dorm room and steps inside. Her roommate yanks her into a hug. “Thank God you’re okay.” She breathes a sigh of relief. “I heard the shooting was at the Holmes Student Center.”
“I managed to hide in the bathroom,” Sophia says, her voice quivering. “I’m going to spend the rest of the week with my brother.”
She untangles from her roommate’s embrace and grabs a bag from the closet, packing her clothes.
I stand out in the hallway with Ashton. Her dorm room isn’t that big, and with the lockdown over, there’s a bit of commotion on campus.
“I’m going to check on Bristol,” I say, glancing at my phone. I haven’t texted her since I told her I was leaving the house. I’m not sure if she even wants to see me.
“Sure, we’ll wait here.” Ashton smiles and pats my back.
I head for the elevator and down to the sixth floor. In no time, I’m standing in front of Bristol’s door, knocking.
I’m met with silence.
“Bristol, it’s me, Liam.”
The lock clicks, and she opens the door, staring at me with wide blue eyes. Her breathing is raspy, her lips parting as she tries to catch her breath. “Is Sophia okay?”
I nod. “Yeah, we’re just grabbing her clothes and things. She’s going to stay with us for the week.”
“Oh.” Her lips purse and she forces a smile. “That’s good. I’m glad she has somewhere to stay.”
I glance past her at her mattress and her duffel bag on her bed. “You’re packed. Where are you heading?” I ask.
“I thought I might go stay with my parents for the week.” Her eyes are glassy, and I pull her into my embrace.
Whatever happened earlier this evening, she still seems distraught over it.
“I don’t want us to fight,” she mumbles against my chest.
Me, either. I don’t point out to her that the fighting was all directed at me. I have no reason to fight with her. I run my hands through her hair, pushing the dark tresses out of her eyes. “I’d rather you stay with me.” My voice is hardly above a whisper.
Bristol pulls back slightly, glancing up at me, her gaze on my lips for a long second before meeting my stare. “I don’t mind staying with my par—”
“You’re staying with me,” I cut her off, my voice firm. “Unless you’re breaking up with me, I’m taking you home, to my home.”
She huffs under her breath but buries her face in my chest, her arms wrapping around my waist. “No, I’m not breaking up with you.”
“Good, because that would be foolish, firebreather.” I lay a kiss to the top of her head and grab her duffel from her bed. “Do you have any schoolwork you need to bring?” I ask.
She points at her bookbag, and I grab that as well.
“You don’t have to carry everything, Liam.”
“Sure I do, it’s part of my boyfriend duties.” I crack a grin and take her hand, leading her out of her room and to the elevator. I need to head back up to get Sophia and the others.
“Boyfriend duties,” she repeats with a soft breath. “Is there like, a list or something I should know about?”
I lean in and drop a quick kiss on her cheek. “Nope. There is zero chance I’m letting on to what they are. I’d rather surprise you.” I wrap my arm around her waist, tugging her to me.
“I wasn’t sure I’d see you tonight,” Bristol whispers and chews her bottom lip.
I didn’t think she wanted to see me tonight, based on our conversation earlier, but I keep my mouth shut. That was before the campus shooting.
The elevator doors open and we head out onto the eighth floor. Ashton is standing in the hallway. He pokes his head into Sophia’s dorm room. “You two ready?”
Ashton grabs my sister’s bag and Nova’s hand, the three of them heading in my direction.
“You’re okay.” Bristol breathes a sigh of relief when she finally lays eyes on Sophia.
“My brother didn’t tell you I was fine?” Sophia smacks my chest.
“I told her!” I hold my arms up. “I’m not a monster.”
We head down to the car, and Ashton lets Bristol sit up front, while he and I drop all their bags into the trunk.
The backseat is a bit crammed with Nova in the center, but she’s quiet, taking Ashton’s hand as he climbs in beside her.
I have to move Zeke’s car seat and I shove that in the trunk before Sophia climbs in behind me.
“Nice car.” Bristol glances around, taking it all in, smirking. “Whose car did you steal?”
“I borrowed Luca’s.”
Ashton leans forward from the backseat. “Maybe you should steal it. This car is so much nicer than your piece of crap on wheels.”