Page 150 of Mad As Hell

Why would my sister have hidden a key inside an air vent?

Knowing I was running out of time, I tucked the key into my bra before I wedged the grate back into place and climbed down, careful to arrange the purses that I’d moved. Once I was sure they looked just as they had when I entered, I spun to turn off the light and ran to the bathroom on the other side of the bedroom.

I’d just closed the door to the bathroom when the door to the bedroom opened. I quickly flushed the toilet and turned on the water to wash my hands, my heart pounding.

Locating the stash of tampons under the sink, I grabbed the box and purposefully looked down as I exited the bathroom.

I looked up, not surprised to see Gary on the other side. I lifted my brows as I held the purple and pink cardboard box in my fingers. I smiled curiously at Gary. “Everything okay?”

“Seems to be,” he murmured, eyeing my box and then dismissing it.

“Okay then,” I said, still smiling. “I’ll text you if I learn anything, okay?”

He nodded and watched me leave the room. I held my breath until I was down the stairs, out the front door, and safely tucked inside the car. Then I let out a slow, shaky exhale and resisted every urge to pull the key out of my bra.

I started to open my purse to text Ryan, but almost immediately changed my mind. I wouldn’t have put it past Gary to have had one of his goons bug my phone while I was inside so he could make sure I was actually doing his bidding.

Instead, I closed my eyes and laid back against the headrest while I tried to get my heart to stop racing.

CHAPTER 39

MADDIE

Going toe-to-toe with Gary had caused a massive adrenaline surge, and as we rolled to a stop outside my dorm two hours later, I was exhausted and trembling. I didn’t bother speaking to the driver as I exited the car. Once inside the elevator in the girls’ dormitory, I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes until it arrived at the top floor.

I pulled my keys out of my small purse and unlocked my door. I’d barely made it over the threshold before a hand pressed across my mouth and I was dragged into the living room as the door was kicked shut behind me.

“Shh,” a soft, familiar voice breathed against my ear.

Instantly, I melted against Ryan’s chest until he turned me around in his arms. He dropped his hand and made a shushing motion across his lips. Ash, standing at his side, reached for my purse and pulled out my phone before running a wand across it.

Looked like I wasn’t the only one paranoid about Gary planting a listening device on my stuff.

“It’s clean,” Ash finally announced, giving Ryan a firm nod.

I whirled around. “How did you beat me back here? I thought you were following me.”

Ryan smirked, his hand sliding up to cradle my face. “Court followed you back. I took my car and passed you a few miles miles from the exit to PC.” He jerked a head at Ash. “We needed to make sure you didn’t say anything in case Gary bugged your phone or something.”

“Oh,” I managed, my heart still pounding from the surprise of him grabbing me and Gary being freaking Gary.

Ryan wasted no time, stepping forward and hauling me back into his arms. “Are you okay?”

The shaking that I’d been able to mostly control came back in full force as soon as my cheek rested against his chest. I couldn’t even lift my arms to wrap them around him.

“Jesus,” he swore, pulling back to look me in the eye. Whatever he saw made his jaw clench as a hand slid up to cradle my face. “Baby, what happened?”

“I can get Bex,” Ash offered.

I shook my head. “No, I’m okay. I think. It's just… Holy shit. I think I might’ve messed up.”

“Messed up how?” Ryan asked, urgency in his voice even as he ran his hands up and down my arms like he was checking for injuries.

“Gary knows that you know who I am,” I muttered, raking a hand through my hair.

Ryan’s eyes narrowed. “How?”

I shrugged. “He put it together? You always call me Maddie, we became close so fast, and you forgave me pretty quickly after the engagement party. You even went out of your way to get Dean kicked out. I mean, I think he had suspicions before, but when he confronted me, I couldn’t lie about it.”

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