I don’t know why I said it, but I leaned down and whispered, “This isn’t who I am, Lexi. I’m not the cold, unfeeling dick you think I am. I just wanted you to know that about me.”

Sighing deep, I pulled out my cell and sent a text to Axel:

Me: Frat house drug raid tonight. ‘H’ product found. Dean knows it’s the Heighters. He’s looking for me to question. I’m hiding out. This shit needs sorting ASAP! Can’t jeopardize football.

Axel replied immediately:

Axel: On it. Did that bitch say something to the dean? Do I need to shut her the hell up? We gotta tie up ALL loose ends.

What felt like panic worked its way up my throat as I read Axel’s text and looked down at Lexi. She was innocent in this mess, but I knew Axel wouldn’t let this go. Looking at her sleep, so tiny, I had the urge to protect her. She reminded me of Mamma—dragged into a shit situation through no fault of her own.

I ran my thumb over the glass of the screen and quickly typed:

Me: She said nothing. I made sure of it. This shit’s on you not being discreet. Sort it. Quick.

I turned off my cell. I couldn’t be f**ked to deal with Axel right now. I was seething. Dropping my head to the cold wooden floor, I looked across at Lexi’s pixie face—all dark and gothic, but underneath all the war paint, she seemed terrified. Of what, I had no clue, but she was fighting some inner demon. I recognized the symptoms.

Closing my eyes, I tried to relax.

Within minutes, I was out.

I woke to the sun streaming through the skylight, Lexi still beside me. During the night, she’d turned over, her fingers touching the tips of mine. It was the first time I’d actually spent a full night with a chick. Don’t get me wrong. I’d f**ked a few groupies along the way, but nothing serious, nothing to make them think they could sleep beside me in bed afterward.

It felt strange.

Pulling back my hand from hers, Lexi began to stir. Her eyes opened slowly and fixed on me, the confused expression on her face showing she was trying to make out how she got here, next to me.

Without speaking, I moved off the floor to check the coast was clear outside. Scouring the grounds through the curtains, all was quiet. Looking at the clock above the open fireplace, it read ten a.m. Campus PD’d be gone for at least an hour. They changed shifts at nine thirty, and patrolling didn’t recommence until way after eleven. Freshman year I learned pretty damn quick to study their schedules—old habits die hard.

I felt Lexi before I saw her, and when I turned around, I knew she’d be right behind me. Our eyes met, and I nearly laughed. All her black makeup was smudged down her face, but her eyes were once again bright with curiosity.

“We free to leave yet?” she asked nervously.

“We’re good,” I replied, but neither of us moved from our place by the window, like we didn’t wanna go back to whatever was waiting for us outside that door. Our f**ked-up realities on the other side of that thin piece of wood.

But we had to face it, didn’t we? We couldn’t stay in the quiet solace of the summerhouse forever. Life moved on, and our issues were here to stay.

“Lexi?” She lifted her head, indicating for me to continue speaking. “You need to stay away from me.”

Lexi’s face paled and she paused in her breathing. “Okay. If that’s what you want.” She went to turn away, and I held her shoulder before ripping my hand back to my side. She hadn’t wanted me to touch her. I’d forgotten about this fact.

“My brother’s asking questions about you. It isn’t safe if we talk, if we’re even around each other. If you see me around campus, walk by without a word, and I’ll do the same. The Heighters are suspecting you’ve talked about them to the dean—”

“I haven’t! I swear! I didn’t say a thing—” She interrupted, freaking right out, and I stopped her protest with a hand lifted in the air.

“I know. I told them that. But you need to be careful. My brother ain’t the one who’ll come after you to keep you quiet, and you don’t wanna meet the sadistic motherfucker who will.” I watched her swallow hard and knew my warning had hit home. “Stay low key, keep the hell outta the quad at night, and if you’re asked any more questions by the dean about the coke, keep your mouth shut. No one knows you know anything but me and Axel. I’ll make sure it stays that way.”

Lexi nodded apprehensively and, moving to the coffee table, picked up her purse. I watched her go, her tight top and short black tutu skirt showcasing her slender limbs.

Christ! I couldn’t like this chick. She was too much of a liability.

Just as Lexi reached the door, a question came to mind. For some reason I just needed to know the answer to it.

“Hey, Lexi?”

She turned to face me. “Yeah?”

“Why the war paint?” I gestured to her made-up face.

Adopting a stony expression, she simply replied, “Why the tattoos?” She pointed back at my inked arms and neck.

We both said nothing and stared at one another for what could have been an eternity. I could see in her eyes that the dark makeup was her shield. Just like my tattoos were mine, but neither of us were gonna admit to it.

Lexi sighed and laid her hand on her chest over her heart. “We all have secrets, Austin. Some people’s are bigger than others, that’s all. Wouldn’t you agree?”

My lack of response said it all.

Yeah. Yeah, I f**kin’ would.