Page 19 of Chasing Xander
Gross.Kylie rubbed her forehead. “What do you want?”
“Where’s the spare key to the house?”
Her heart stopped. “You mean Nammy Joyce’s house?” She had to swallow back the urge to throw up. “It’s with me.”
“Motherfucking sonofabitch, rotten, ungrateful… You and my backstabbing mother have been conspiring against me forever. I should’ve—”
“Dad!” His language didn’t shock her; he always became mean and belligerent when he drank. But he’d never gone out of his way to call her to do it. “You know you’re not allowed in that house.”
“I ain’t got nowhere else to go.”
An image of her father, drunk and sleeping on the street, rushed through her mind. That pesky guilt gnawed at her again. “Where were you staying before? Go back there.”
“Can’t. That situation didn’t work out so well.” He belched.
Kylie squared her shoulders. Her father was a grown man who didn’t need his daughter’s help. He may pretend he did, but doing so would only cause her more trouble in the end. “I’m sorry, Dad, but you know I can’t help you.”
“Youcanhelp me, you just don’t wanna. You’re gonna pay for this, Kylie. I promise you that.”
She ended the call before he could say anything further. He’d never kept a single promise he’d made to her, and she had no reason to believe he’d keep that one. Still, she didn’t trust him. She dialed Sheriff Rick.
“Hey there, Kylie. How’s it going?”
“Not so good.” She explained the call with her father.
Rick sighed heavily. “I meant to call you first thing this morning and warn you, but we had some things come up. I’m sorry. I have no idea why the judge gave him bail.”
She didn’t understand, either, but that was the least of her concerns at the moment. “He wants the spare house key. I have it with me, but we both know that won’t stop him. I’m afraid he’ll try to break into Nammy Joyce’s house.” Technically, it was Kylie’s house now that Nammy Joyce was in an assisted living facility, but in her mind and heart, it would always belong to her grandmother.
“I’ll send a patrol car over that way, have him make periodic checks on the place.”
“Thank you.” The weight she’d had on her shoulders a few moments ago dissipated.
“No problem. If he gives you any more trouble, let me know.”
“I will.” But for the first time ever, he couldn’t hurt her. Not really. That was one of the main reasons she’d chosen a college so far away from home. She ended the call, slid her phone into her pocket, and continued toward the bookstore.
Chapter Seven
“You have got the shittiest timing, dude.” Xander glanced over his shoulder, but Kylie was already gone. He sighed.
Finn laughed. “Relax. She said you’ll see her later.” He stopped and crossed his arms over his chest, giving him a disapproving frown. “This is serious, Xander. Brad is pissed, and if you blow him off for some girl—”
“She’s not some girl,” he said, surprising himself with the emotion behind his words. But it was true. Kylie was different.
Finn lifted a brow. “We can’t be late.”
Sighing, Xander ran his hand through his hair. “Shit.” He didn’t want to go to this meeting.
“Look, we’ll meet with Brad and then hit the gym, okay?”
“Fine, let’s get this the fuck over with.”
The walk from campus to Greek Row was quick this time of day, and upon arriving at the frat house, Xander and Finn went straight to the den, which served as a study room and an office for official fraternity business.
“Close the door,” Brad instructed from where he sat behind a large, regal-looking desk.
What a pompous ass.Xander closed the door, then took the seat next to Finn. He sat ramrod straight, back and shoulders taut. “You summoned me?”
