Page 101 of Mad As Hell

Linc tilted his head as he studied her. “Bex, we’ve always been assholes.”

“Not to me,” she snapped. She ran a hand through her dark hair. “You know what? I think I’ll walk back to my dorm. I’m not in a partying mood.”

“Bex,” I protested. The stadium was still part of the Pacific Cross grounds, but the dorms were a good two-mile walk, and it was getting dark.

She stepped away before I could grab her hand. “Seriously, Maddie. I have a headache, and I just want to go to bed.”

“I’ll come with you,” I told her, wanting to be a supportive friend. If that meant forgoing a night in Ryan’s bed with a lot more orgasms…

Damn.

“You’re going to Ryan’s house tomorrow anyway,” she reminded me. “I’m good. I want to be alone.”

“Text me later? I mean it, if you need me…”

“I know.” She hugged me quickly before stepping back.

“We’ll drop you off on our way,” Ash told her.

She frowned at him. “It’s not on your way.” It wasn’t; their frat house was in the opposite direction.

“Then we’ll make it on our way.” Ash shook his head. “No way are you walking home alone in the dark, Bex. We’ll drive you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“It wasn’t an offer,” he said with a thin smile. “You can either get in the car on your own, or I’ll have Linc throw you in the backseat.”

“And they say chivalry’s dead,” she deadpanned.

“So, are we kidnapping you or what?” Linc asked, rubbing his hands together and looking at her expectantly.

I pointed a finger at him. “You’re way too excited about the idea of kidnapping my best friend.”

He shrugged. “It’s been a while since we’ve kidnapped anyone.”

I stared at him as Ash slapped the back of his head.

Linc yelped and rubbed his scalp. “I was kidding.”

Somehow I didn’t think he was.

“Can we go?” Bex snapped. “My headache is getting worse.”

“I can rub your head in the car if you want,” Linc offered.

“And I can cut your balls off with a rusty spoon if you want,” Bex returned.

Linc froze. “Somehow threatening, sassy Bex is even hotter than quiet, timid Bex.”

“Dude, shut the fuck up,” Ash groaned, pushing him toward the door. “Maddie, we’ll see you at the house, deal?”

I nodded and watched them leave as I shook my head. When the door swung shut, I glanced around.

Now I was the only one left. Everyone else had already headed out, so I sat back down and pulled out my phone. I killed time waiting for Ryan by playing a mindless game where I shot dozens of tiny balls at bricks to break them apart. I’d crushed eleven levels before the door between this room and the locker room opened once again.

Glancing up, I saw Ryan was standing there, watching me with hungry eyes. I turned off my phone and set it aside.

“Everyone else leave?” he asked in a low, rumbling voice that made my insides tumble.

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