Page 25 of Call It What You Want
For fuck’s sake. What now?
“What’s up?”
“A black pickup has been circling the house. Third pass in the last hour, same route every time. Could be the feds. Could be Shadow and Ash. You want us to check it out?”
“Not without me,” I growl, raking a hand down my face. “If it’s nothing, I’ll see it for myself. If it’s something, I’m not letting anyone else deal with it first.”
I’m not taking any chances. Not with Ava in the house.
We end up circling campus for over an hour with nothing really to show for it. If it was someone canvassing, they’re either gone now or they were smart enough to dip before we could catch up to them.
“Keep an eye out,” I tell Andre, heading back into the house. “Let me know if you find anything.”
“Will do, Boss.”
Inside the house, I head to the living room in search of Lindsay. I need to pin her down, make sure every last detail for tomorrow’s ceremony is locked in.
When I walk in, Lindsay is on the floor, kneeling beside another chick, shoving her phone in her face and laughing at whatever is on the screen.
“Hey, Lindsay,” I say.
She snaps to attention when she hears my voice, rising and walking over. Her eyes are wide, and she looks nervous, like a kid about to be reprimanded. “Sorry, I didn’t see you walk in.”
“Is everything set for the ceremony?”
“Yes. I called the clerk’s office like you told me to, mentioned your name, and called in the favor.” She swallows. “I put the paperwork in the top drawer of the desk in the study.”
“Great, thanks,” I say.
As I head for the door, Lindsay stops me. “Hey, um, you told me to keep an eye out for that girl, Ava. I saw her leave with a group earlier.”
Pausing mid-step, I turn to face her. “You didn’t stop her?”
Lindsay takes a nervous step back. “I-I didn’t know I was supposed to?—”
I cut her off before she could rattle on about how sorry she is. I honestly don’t give a fuck. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t on her. Keeping Ava safe is on me. “Where is she?” I bite out.
Lindsay swallows. “Um, I think they went to a frat party across campus. Alpha Omega Pi.”
Fuck.
Lindsay’s shaky voice follows me out the door. “Jackson, I’m so sorry. Please, don’t be?—”
I don’t respond. I have a single thought—find Ava, drag her by the hair back to my bed, and fuck her so hard, and so deep, she won’t be capable of walking, let alone leaving.
I climb into my sports car and drive the short distance around campus to the frat house. It’s faster than walking. I park at the curb, kill the engine, and step out. Loud music pours out ofthe old Victorian house, the facade now warped and weathered from decades of fraternity abuse.
The front door is open, so I walk in and push through the crush of people, my gaze scanning for a pair of familiar green eyes.
The main floor is packed, bodies grinding against each other, red cups sloshing, someone doing a keg stand in the corner while people cheer. I move through the crowd like a shark through water, people parting instinctively when they recognize me. A few nod. Some call out greetings I don’t acknowledge.
I don’t see her.
I check the kitchen—more bodies, more noise. A girl tries to grab my arm and says something I don’t hear over the music. I shake her off and keep moving.
Living room. Nothing.
Back porch. Empty except for a couple making out against the railing.
