“Go ahead girls.” I wave them off. “It’s late, and I have to study.”
It wasn’t all a lie. It is late, but I don’t have even a shred of homework to do. When I reach my bag, I send out a quick text to Tuck and then head back to the dorms. When I get to the parking lot, I hear someone call my name…or at least I think I heard something.
“Blue.”
Turning around, I see the black beanie first and then his dark eyes. It’s something I haven’t seen in months, and I nearly fall down in a melting puddle of goo. I try to speak, but everything catches in my throat.
He takes three long strides and is in touching distance. All it would take is one stretch of an arm and I’d have him on me. Instead I arch an eyebrow and force myself to employ all defensive tactics.
“I need you tonight.”
Those four words are probably the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard. I tilt my head and stare at him, unable to speak.
“I need you and want you. Please.”
“What happens after tonight?” My voice is steady and serious.
“Blue, you know I can’t.”
“Tuck Jones, then you don’t need me tonight. Go round up one of the other blonde bitches who love to hang all over you.”
I turn to stomp off, but he wraps his hand around my upper arm, dragging me back toward him. My back slams into his hard chest as he bends down and whispers in my ear.
“I’m sorry I can’t give more.”
Everything inside me boils with rage, and I feel another one of those hissy fits coming on, but this time my brain is in the game and I know it’s useless. Jerking my arm from his grasp, I square up and stare him down.
“Don’t ever touch me again, Tuck.”
“It’s over?”
His question actually causes me to giggle, which turns into a loud laughter.
“It never started, and that was your choice, Tuck, not mine.”
My voice is laced with hostility and passion, a dangerous combination to have lingering around this man. In the next moment he pulls me into his chest, and my body easily falls into the force called Tuck.
“Just give me one night.”
My forehead flops down on his chest, and I bang it lightly there and know it would be so easy to give in to him and let him take me. He might even give me more, all of him, and make me feel on top of the world for one single night, but then the days of agony will follow.
I push away from him. “I deserve better.”
Pain sparks in his eyes and they grow darker, if that’s even possible.
“I deserve all of you, Tuck, and that’s what I mean by better.”
This time when I walk away he doesn’t stop me, and I don’t hesitate as my feet pound on the sidewalk, furthering the distance between us. My phone dings in my pocket, and I can’t curb my curiosity.
You’re right. You deserve better and it’s not me. Sorry.
The fucking guy doesn’t get it. I want him…all of him. I type out a quick text back to him.
I WANT YOU. ALL OF YOU. AND YOU CAN’T GIVE THAT.
I hold down the button until my phone powers off, then walk quickly back to the dorms. And just like I predicted, I need to release steam, and my body aches with the desire to run. Without hesitation, I throw on my workout gear from this morning. Yes, gross, but I’m beyond the point of caring. Tuck’s scent still lingers on me and is enough to push me over the edge of crazy town. I need a release, and not one involving him.
Within minutes, I’m on the trail, pounding it hard and with purpose. The music from my ear buds screams into my ears and begins to drown out my other senses that are still reeling from all things Tuck. The more he fades, the more pissed off I get, the harder and faster I run.
The two-mile marker comes up into view, and I decide on the longer loop that leads around the back side of the campus. It’s a beautiful view in the day, with large palm trees lining the path and gorgeous flowerbeds all up and down it. It’s the furthest away from the campus and the place where I feel the freest. I let the night air fill my lungs and then let it all out, allowing bits of pent-up stress to leave as well.
The last bit of moonlight is shadowed behind the row of trees as my eyes focus on the trail ahead. Sweat beads form and roll down my forehead and then onto the front of my shirt, and I just push myself harder. In the next moment, I feel a hand on my shoulder and don’t jump and scream like my first stunt in front of Tuck.
I simply turn my head to see my hooded prince who’s cast a love spell on my entire soul. When my eyes connect with his, I flinch, but it’s too late. Brown eyes stare back at me…and they’re not Tuck’s. The man’s face is masked, and before I can react, he sends my body spiraling in one swift movement to the ground. My arms shield my face the best they can, but do nothing when my face smacks into the asphalt of the running trail. The skin from my elbows pulls away as they rub against the hard surface, and my hands scramble to grip the trail to pull myself up and run away from my attacker.
My feet find the pavement, and I spring forward and try to run again, but something catches my ankle. The skin is sliced away from my kneecaps as I fight, but I feel the tug of the back of my hair and then my face is slammed into the pavement, and everything goes black.
Chapter 16 Tuck
“Blue?”
Her phone has dialed me twice and there’s only been rustling on the other end. Fuck, she’s never even dialed this number and now twice in a night. Our living room is way too loud with all of our teammates loitering and celebrating.
“Sophie, follow me.”
My deep voice shuts the entire living room up, and Sophie moves without question. I know panic paints my face and is evident in my voice, but I know something is fucking wrong.
“What, Tuck?”
Lane’s on her ass and I signal them to shut the door.
“Blue has called me twice now and I don’t think it’s on purpose. Something is wrong.”
“What? How?”
Sophie’s words are cut off as my phone interrupts our conversation with another call from Blue. I quickly answer and turn on the speakerphone.
“Blue,” I roar into the phone.
The next sounds I hear are far worse than my most vicious nightmares—Blue is screaming for help. Sophie throws her hands to her mouth and screams Blue’s name. Lane grabs her, trying to silence her. After a few seconds that feel like hours, it’s clear Blue has no idea she’s dialed my number.
“She has to be running.” I tuck my phone to my ear and bolt out the door without thinking. “Lane, help now.”
I catch Noah’s attention and nod to him as well, and they both follow. Lane takes off in his truck as Sophie fumbles with his phone.
“What the hell is going on?”
I can’t answer him, but hear Lane’s. Blue’s phone goes dead again.
“Her call ended.”
“Someone call the fucking cops,” Noah roars. “I don’t have my phone.”
I keep mine gripped in my hands in case it rings again.
“Fucking Sophie, call the cops.” Noah’s hand slams into the back of the passenger seat.
“I got it. I got it.” Sophie whirls around to face me. “She’s on the running trail.”
I snag the phone from her hands. “What the fuck is this?”
“Find My iPhone. We are on the same iTunes account. Just go. That’s where her phone is.”
The truck lurches to a stop in the dorm parking lot, and I take off, watching the location of her phone and mine. It only takes a few moments to realize where she is. Fuck, the furthest place she could possibly be.
My thighs burn as I run faster than I’ve ever run in my life. I don’t hear her screams the closer I get, and that nearly freezes my whole body. Hot pink sneakers lie in the middle of the path and her long, white legs come into view. Blue’s body is twisted with her blonde hair covering her face.
“Blue.”