Page 56 of Surge

"What is it?"

I shut my eyes. "I need to calm down."

I took a few deep breaths and then continued to the aquatic center where the swim team was holding practice.

"What are you going to do?" Ivy was struggling to keep up with me. I told her that wearing wedges wasn't a good choice in footwear. I don't even know how she managed to make it to some of her classes on time. A few were across the campus from each other.

"Confront them." I flung open one of the doors and marched inside. I was still angry, but my stabby feelings had passed, at least for the time being. "Embarrass them."

"Girl, I don't know if it's you that will be embarrassing them." Ivy pulled me to a stop once we were inside the facility. The pool area was only being used by the women's swim team. "They are getting worse. I don't want you to get hurt anymore."

I turned to face her. "My mom is missing and they are tormenting me. What do you want me to do? Just lay down and take it?" I shook my head. "They have souls, Ivy, I've seen it. I just need to make them see that I'm not going to break."

I headed across the facility to the doors leading to the weight room. "You've kind of got the whole angry chick vibe going on right now."

I snorted and pulled open the door. "I have a reason."

"Holy hotness." Ivy's eyes widened as we came to a stop in the doorway.

Most of the guys were shirtless and sweaty. Had I not been pissed off and on a mission, I would have appreciated the view. My eyes were set on finding three assholes that were probably just as shirtless and sweaty.

It was as if I was beckoned by them because I found them clear across the room in the squat racks without skipping a beat. There were some stares as I crossed the room, but most of the swim team was focused on their workouts, or pretending to be.

"Where's my car?" I put my hands on my hips and stood right in the middle of the squat platform.

Morgan had just come out of a squat and walked forward to rack his weight. He wiped his brow with his forearm and I watched him in the mirror.

"Your car?" Blake added a plate on one side of the bar. "What do you mean?"

"My car is missing from the parking lot. Where is it?" I clenched my fists at my sides and reminded myself that I was a calm and collected individual.

"We don't know what you're talking about. Are you high?" Jax stepped up to the bar and settled it on his back. "You shouldn't be standing there."

I moved to the side as he backed up and started squatting. I didn't know much about squatting, but it looked like it was a lot of weight.

"Maybe I should be asking you that same question. You are the ones taking secret pills."

Jax cursed, and the bar rolled from his back and hit the floor. I backed up a step right into Morgan, who had somehow, in my distracted state, moved right behind me. The heat radiated off his body but sent chills across my skin.

"What are you talking about?" Jax stepped closer and Morgan grabbed my arms, holding me in place.

I looked down at his sweaty chest and gulped. He was too hot for his own good. Maybe I was experiencing something similar to Stockholm syndrome because they were hot.

"The pills in your bag." I lifted my eyes from his chest and looked between him and Blake.

"You've gone crazy." Jax and Blake lifted the bar to re-rack it. "You aren't allowed in here when the team is working out."

"My car. Where is it?"

"We didn't do anything to your car, Riley. We aren't stupid." Blake laughed. "I take that back. We're a little stupid when it comes to you."

Jax hit him across the chest. "Morgan, get her ass out of here before someone drops a weight on her foot."

I opened my mouth to say something back, but Morgan was already moving me toward the back exit like I was some kind of livestock being herded. Ivy jogged across the room and took my hand, leading me the rest of the way out of the building.

"They're lying," I said through clenched teeth.

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