Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Charles
Yesterday was messed up. First having to explain why the hell Zeke and I were hiding out in a closet and then spending the day with constant aches and pains from sleeping on a hard floor all night.
It wouldn’t have been nearly so bad if we’d been able to hook up while we were there, but given it was the dean who found us, I’m glad Zeke was smart about that. I doubt we would have been let off with a slap on the wrist if he’d suspected we’d spent the night having sex in his janitor closet.
I stagger out of bed and head for the bathroom.
Zeke’s hoodie is pulled tight around me, and the only time I’ve taken it off since he gave it to me was for classes and while I dealt with some of my frat duties.
Then I came right back to my room, stripped off for bed, and climbed into the hoodie instead.
I’m embarrassed by how many times I jerked off last night while wearing it.
In my defense, the smell of chlorine and his crisp body spray is so strong I couldn’t ignore it if I tried, and after spending the night before surrounded by that same scent, I was going out of my mind by the time I got home last night.
I had to touch myself.
Only I, umm, maybe didn’t have to be wearing his hoodie while I did it.
Or have to fall asleep in it.
That doesn’t stop me from hugging it tighter as I stumble into the bathroom and take aim for my morning leak.
I’m still half-asleep, hoodie lifted to my nose so I can bury my face in it, when I let go and …
there’s a weird echoing of the stream hitting something, and then warmth splashes over my legs.
“What the …”
I look down to see my piss hitting a clear barrier and flinging off in every direction.
Some motherfucker cling-wrapped the toilet.
I’m struggling to stop and hold the hoodie up and get away from the pee splatter, but I end up covered anyway. So are the walls. And the floor.
Fucking hell.
My teeth set on edge, and I snatch my phone from where I left it on the vanity.
I’m about a second away from hitting Zeke’s number when I pause.
There’s a ninety-nine percent chance the Sigmas did this—it’s exactly their idea of stupid fun—but we have been hit by other houses before, and on the very unlikely off chance it wasn’t the Sigmas, the last thing I want to do is call Zeke and have him picture me covered in my own urine.
I mentally gag at the thought.
Hell, even if it was them, I don’t want him picturing that anyway.
Talk about complete boner killer.
I struggle down a calming breath when all I want to do is give him a piece of my mind.
I am covered in piss, goddamn it, and those Sigmas are going to … to … get away with it.
The snarl comes from me before I can help it, and I grab a wad of toilet paper to start cleaning up the mess before I reluctantly take off the hoodie and jump in the shower.
Thankfully, my cock is done bugging me, so my morning shower is much faster than usual. I’m out and dressed and reluctantly folding the hoodie before I can stop and think about the fact that someone walked through my room last night. While I was sleeping.
In Zeke’s hoodie.
My head drops back, and I beg the universe that it was too dark for whoever it was to have made out anything.
Shit.
I run my hand through my hair and try to focus.
It doesn’t matter if someone saw. Unless it was Zeke, there’s no way anyone would be able to link this hoodie back to him.
Sure, he’s on the swim team, but so are many, many other students.
Yes. No reason for anyone to think Zeke and I are anything more than friends.
Especially considering I don’t think we’re even that.
I head out to the kitchen, where some of my brothers are bickering among themselves.
“What’s happening here?”
Lucas huffs. “Someone covered all the toilets in cling film and then glued the toilet paper together.”
“My bed was covered in water,” Sam adds.
“Don’t forget the maple syrup all over the front porch,” Bailey says, sounding completely unbothered. “Is that the full list?”
“It was your boyfriend,” Lucas throws at him. “You tell us.”
Bailey goes on eating his breakfast. “I’ve told you before, I’m not responsible for anything Chad does.”
“No, but it’d be nice if you gave us the heads-up.” I like Bailey, I do, but it frustrates me to tears that he lets Chad get away with whatever he wants. We’re a brotherhood; we’re supposed to come first.
“Bet you gave him your keys again,” Lucas snarls.
I hold up my hand. “There is no evidence Bailey has ever done that.”
“Then how does Doomsen keep getting inside?”
“Maybe the same way he used to.” Bailey doesn’t even bother looking at Lucas. “He was getting in here long before I came along.”
“I propose we pass the motion that Doomsen isn’t welcome in this house anymore. He’s been given free rein since they started dating. All in favor?” Lucas lifts his hand, and Sam shoots a look my way, like he’s not sure whether to vote or not.
“Put your hand down,” I say, moving to make some tea. Coffee too early makes me more of an anxious wreck than usual. “Do I need to remind you Bailey is the whole reason we won King of Thieves last month?”
“No, but—”
“Then relax. It was a prank. There’s no evidence it was them.”
“Ah, yeah there is.” Bailey’s grinning now.
Of course. My eyes try to drift closed like they think if I go back to sleep, I can avoid what the rest of the day has in store for me. “Okay, I’ll bite. What is it?”
“Might want to look outside.”
I take my time making the tea, like I’m hoping this evidence will disappear. It doesn’t. And when I get to the front living area and look out the wide window, I see exactly what Bailey’s talking about.
The entire front lawn has been carved up with the Sigma Beta Psi lettering, the dark dirt standing out against the stubborn, lingering snowfall.
I sip my drink, wondering what I’m supposed to do about this.
Technically, I should be going to the dean about destruction of property—hell, maybe even break and enter—but despite our rivalry, I don’t actually want to get them in trouble.
This is the kind of thing that’s going to be noticed, the kind of thing that will draw attention to the rumors and make people believe them.
As much as I argued the point with Zeke, I’m still strongly on the side of disbelieving it was any of his brothers, though it’s hard to say why.
Maybe it’s because of Zeke; maybe it’s because no matter how idiotic those clowns are, I know that deep down, they’re not harmful.
Or maybe I’m a moron with hearts in his eyes.
Either way, I lift my phone to snap a picture and hunt down Bailey.
He’s already back in his room, door open, as he collects what he needs for today. I knock lightly.
“Hey,” he says. “No idea if it was Chad, yes I still have my keys, no, I didn’t know about it. That all?”
My lips twitch. He might be prickly, but I generally like him. “One more thing.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Grab a shovel. We need to hide the evidence.”
That gets his attention. Bailey looks up sharply and eyes me. “Why?”
Eesh. He wasn’t supposed to question me on this. “Do you want Chad to get in trouble?”
Bailey shrugs. “Obviously not, but he’s a big boy. He doesn’t need me to protect him.”
I glance both ways along the hall before stepping into his room and closing the door.
Bailey straightens. “I don’t know your deal, man, but I’m taken.”
Dear lord. I open the Dirt and search for the post before handing it over to Bailey.
Thankfully, there’s nothing new since I last checked, but what’s there is enough to have Bailey’s expression pull tight.
“What the fuck is that shit?”
“That shit is why we need to cover up those giant goddamn letters on our lawn. I’m not talking about protecting them from a slap on the wrist when I say they’ll get into shit. I’m talking about actual trouble, the kind that comes with breaking the law.”
“Fine, I’ll help,” Bailey says, handing my phone back as he passes me. “But hurry. I suddenly have plans to knock some shit into a certain lovable fool.”
We don’t talk about much while we work, but I warn Bailey against mentioning the post to anyone in the house.
It hasn’t hit the gossip channels yet, and I want it to stay that way.
I love the other Kappas, but all it takes is one of them telling a friend and that friend telling another friend …
the fewer people who know about the existence of these posts, the better.
The better for all of us is the lie I tell myself, but I know why I’m trying to keep things quiet. Because I want to protect Zeke, even if he’ll never know.
I’m not good at working with my hands, and Bailey isn’t either, because it takes us way too long to cover up the damage done. Every one of our brothers who leaves the house has confusion written on their faces, but I turn my back and try to ignore it.
If they ask me later, I’ll say I didn’t want anything to do with Sigma house around here. Most of the guys are biased enough against our rivals that they won’t question it.
Lucas shows his face when we’re almost done, along with a handful of our pledges, and they get to work scrubbing the porch.
As soon as we’re done, Bailey doesn’t even bother going back inside; he just tosses his shovel on the lawn and stomps down the street.
I’d hate to be Chad Doomsen right now.
I move on to helping Lucas, and by the time the maple syrup is gone, I’m desperately in need of another shower. The dirt, sticky syrup, and prickle of sweat has left me feeling gross.
There are only a few minutes until I need to leave for class, so I take the fastest shower in history and get dressed, sorely tempted to put Zeke’s hoodie back on and crawl into bed.
My phone sounds, and I’m about to turn it off and ignore it when I realize it’s the ringtone and not a message.
And it’s Bailey calling.
“Hello …” I answer wearily.
“Hey, you got a second?”
“Not really. I—”
“Let me rephrase. You’ll want to free up a second. Come meet me at Sigma house.”
“Is this a trap? Do I need to remind you that it’s brotherh—”
“Chuck?”
I almost swallow my tongue at Zeke’s sudden voice.
“Not a trap. Just get down here.” He pauses. “Please?”
“Yes, of course. I’ll be right there.” Why do I have to sound so fucking enthusiastic?
I hang up and go for the door, my gaze snagging on the hoodie.
Now would be the perfect time to return it.
But I should double-check I didn’t piss on it, so it’s only polite I hang on to it a little longer.
For Zeke.
Just in case.