Page 50 of Corrupt Me

I tugged the soft, snuggly material over my head, slipping my arms into the oversized sleeves. “I don’t want to talk about him. Can I borrow your car?”

“Always,” she said without hesitation. “Do you want me to go with you?”

I didn’t mean to worry her but shook my head. This was something I had to do on my own. “Just make sure the asshole doesn’t follow me.”

She went to fish her keys out of her bag. “Will you be home tonight? I need to know if I should start a search party if you’re not in bed when I wake up.”

“I’ll be home, but it will be late,” I assured, grabbing a hair tie from my nightstand and securing it around my wrist. I intended to drive to UF, confront Preston, lay into him for lying to me, for making me feel guilty about our relationship, and a million other things, and then dip.

In theory, it sounded simple, but I wasn’t stupid enough to think it would be. I’d thought I’d been in love with Preston, and boyfriend or not, he’d been a part of my life for so damn long. I wasn’t sure how I would feel afterward once the truth was exposed, and we had to face what our relationship grew into—what it would become.

“Be careful. Drive safe,” Sam said. “Call me if you want to talk. It doesn’t matter when, and if you don’t call me, you better believe I will be knocking on your door to get the scoop. I want detailed details.” She handed me her keys.

My fingers clasped them. “Thank you, Sam. For everything, but mostly for being my best friend and wingman with no questions asked.”

“Give Preston hell.” She didn’t know what the youngest Malone had done yet, but she knew if I was this upset it was bad. Or perhaps, Sam already had an inkling. She never thought Preston was good enough for me.

“I plan on it,” I vowed.

It wasa three-hour drive to the University of Florida where Preston attended school. I made it in two and a half hours, not because I drove like a speed demon but due to little traffic on the road. It seemed like the rest of the world had somewhere important to be. Everyone but me.

My dark, intrusive thoughts crept in, the ones that made me question myself, who I was, and if I liked the person I was. Some days I couldn’t understand how my mother had done what she did.

And others…I feared I understood a little too well.

The doctors had diagnosed my mother years ago with bipolar disorder, going from extreme highs and lows. I grew up thinking my mother’s mood swings were normal. Only after seeing Anna and spending so much time at the Malones’ house did I realize my mom wasn’t well.

I shook my head, and my fingers tightened on the steering wheel as I fought to shift those thoughts from my mind, not wanting to tumble down a rabbit hole.

Anger was easier to hold on to, and I wanted the fire in my blood versus the sharp cold of sadness.

There was no hope for Preston and me after this. Things were truly over between us. He wanted to talk. We’d talk. The lies ended tonight.

I spotted his car as I pulled into the parking lot and took it as a good sign. He was at least on campus. Locking Sam’s car, I entered his dorm building with a group of girls walking in who paid me little attention, assuming I lived there. Timing was everything, and fate lined up for me tonight.

I snuck into the elevator, taking five flights up to the top floor where Preston’s dorm was located. Each glowing button that climbed higher caused my heart rate to double. The heavy doors parted, and I wiped my sweaty palms over my jeans, roaming down the hall. I glanced at the unit numbers until I spotted 513. Preston’s dorm.

My eyes stayed glued to the brass numbers as if I couldn’t believe I stood outside his room. A scratch mark ran down the three.

I lifted my hand, fingers curled into a fist, yet I stopped just short of tapping on the door. Now that I was outside his room, I didn’t know what I would say. I’d wanted to scream before, to rage. Those feelings still resided within me, but the drive had leveled me out some.

Regardless, I had to do this.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, I knocked on Preston’s dorm.

It was late, but the hour didn’t concern me. What if Preston wasn’t in his room? He could be at a party. Or…I thought about the pictures…with another girl.

I’d hunt him down if need be. I wasn’t leaving this campus until we had the showdown I’d driven three hours for.

After the third rap of my knuckles, shuffling came from the other side of the door, barely audible over what had to be the TV. Someone giggled, and my spine stiffened.

That was the TV, right?

I had my hand in the air, about to pound again, when the door flew open, and Preston blinked at me. Confusion and then surprise flashed over his eyes. “Ev? What are you doing here?” He had one hand on the door, the other on the frame. Darkness spilled out into the hall from the room past him, only a flickering of light from the TV flipping through frames.

I frowned at the only boyfriend I’d ever had.Ex-boyfriend, I scolded. “We need to talk. Can I come in?”

“Uh, now is not a good time.” In no world had I imagined Preston would turn me away, and yet…

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