Chasing Xander

by Lexi Lawton

  “So, telling people you got your ass kicked by a girl will make you cool?”

  “Oh no. It was a big hulk of a man. Real scary-looking dude.”

  “Whatever you say.”

  Before he could talk himself out of it, he lowered his head and kissed her cheek, his lips brushing the corner of her mouth. She let out a soft sigh, and he had to fight the urge to move a fraction of an inch to the right and kiss her fully on the mouth. “I really think it’s time for me to go.” His voice was hoarse and raspy.

  “I think that’s a good idea.” She nodded and moved away from him. “Thanks again for the pizza and video game.”

  “Anytime.” He gathered his stuff and opened the door. “Can I call you?”

  She tilted her head. “Anytime.”

  Grinning from ear to ear, he left her room, whistling as he made his way out of her building.

  Chapter Six

  “I thought college classes were supposed to be fun.” Kylie adjusted in her seat. That’s something no college recruiter ever told her: the chairs she’d be forced to sit in for more than an hour per lecture were extremely uncomfortable. “And I thought once we were out of high school we wouldn’t have to take these stupid math classes.”

  “Really? You seriously thought that?” Celeste rolled her eyes.

  “Okay, so maybe hoped is a better word.”

  Someone slid into the seat next to her, and she barely glanced to see who. But she wouldn’t miss those dimples anywhere. “Xander!” She twisted around and gave him a huge smile, the kind that screamed, I’m so happy to see you. Was she being too obvious? After the way he’d intentionally not kissed her last night, maybe he really wasn’t interested in her like that. “I didn’t know you were in this class.”

  “It’s not by choice, believe me.”

  She tilted her head and waited, but he didn’t elaborate. “How’s the face?” It was slightly purple, the signs of a bruise evident, but it wasn’t swollen.

  “Sore, but I’ll live.”

  Professor Jamison cleared his throat and glared at no one in particular. He had a terrible toupee and glasses four sizes too big for his head. He pushed his glasses up his nose, and they slid right back down.

  Kylie cupped her hand over her mouth and stifled her laugh. She didn’t know what was wrong with her today, but she had a wicked case of the giggles. Maybe because the sun was shining, the weather was warm, and it was her first day as an official college student.

  Celeste elbowed her, which only made Kylie laugh harder. “I wonder…” She drew a calming breath. “How many times, on average, does he push those glasses up his nose in a single seventy-five-minute lecture?”

  “Shh.” Celeste fought back a smile. “You’re going to get us into trouble.”

  Kylie shook her head. “Or, better yet, what do you think the ratio is for how many times he pushes them up only to have them slide back down?”

  Xander leaned over so he was shoulder to shoulder with her. “The answer is one to one.”

  Letting out an exasperated sigh, she turned to him. “Does no one get my dorky math humor?”

  He laughed. “Is that what that was?” He nudged her. “C’mon, you can do better than that.” His gaze dipped to her lips, then back up.

  She’d given him all the signals last night that she was okay with a kiss—more than okay—but he hadn’t done anything but kiss her cheek. “Well, by all means, if you think you can do better, dazzle me.” She crossed her arms.

  “All right. Last semester when they cranked up the AC in this room, it blew down on his head, and his toupee flopped around.” He made a hand gesture to mimic what happened. “He swatted at his head like there was a bug only he could see. It went on so long his students started taking bets on when he’d realize it was his rug.”

  She leaned closer to him and was immediately struck by his scent, a unique combination of soap and woodsy cologne, and it was the best thing she’d ever smelled. “Really? How long did it take?”

  He dipped his head so their faces were almost touching. “Six weeks.” Then he straightened and averted his gaze toward the front of the room.

  She stared at him a moment. “You’re such a bullshitter.”

  He raised a brow. “Am I?”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to point out how he talked a damn good game, but when it came right down to it, he wouldn’t make a move. The more she thought about last night, the heavier the self-doubt became. Why hadn’t he kissed her? Had her breath smelled bad? Had there been food in her teeth? Or maybe, once he’d gotten up close and personal, he decided he wasn’t all that attracted to her. She narrowed her eyes but didn’t say anything. Class progressed without any further talk, and she scribbled notes as fast as she could.

  “There’s a study group that will meet in the library once or twice a week. I highly recommend you utilize it.” Professor Jamison pushed his glasses back up his nose again. “For our next meeting, please read pages twenty-seven to forty-three and work on the problems at the end of the chapter.” He dismissed the class with a wave of his hand.

  Kylie shoved her textbook into her backpack, then stood, waiting for Celeste. “I don’t have another class until this afternoon, so I thought I’d go brave the bookstore line.”

  “You’re such a badass.” Celeste stood and flung her backpack over her shoulder.

  “Shut up,” she teased. She turned around to leave and ran face-first into Xander’s chest. He was solid, unmovable.

  “Now you’re resorting to throwing yourself at me?” He smirked.

  A frenzy of butterflies filled her stomach. “Yeah, you wish.” She stepped back and smoothed her hands down her hair.

  “On that note…I do have another class.” Celeste looked back and forth between them. “You two try to stay out of trouble, huh?”

  “I’ll see you later,” Kylie said.

  “Bye.” Celeste left with a wave.

  “So, where are you headed?” Xander asked.

  “The bookstore. Exciting, right?”

  He put his hand on her lower back and escorted her out of the building and into the warm Florida sun. Having grown up in Ohio, where the weather was fickle, she would never get used to the constant heat around here.

  “What about you? Where are you headed?” she asked.

  Before he could respond, Finn rushed over and grabbed Xander in an awkward hug.

  Xander laughed and shoved him away. “Get off me.”

  “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Brad’s asking to see you,” Finn said.

  Xander’s smile faded. “About what?”

  His entire demeanor changed at the mention of Brad. That was odd. Who was Brad, and why did Xander seem to dislike him? “It’s okay,” Kylie said. “You go do your thing. I need to get to the bookstore, anyway, and then I have another class.”

  He nodded. “Can I call you later?”

  She smiled. “If you’re lucky, you’ll get to see me later, too.” She winked, then spun on her heel and walked away. She headed toward the bookstore, the smile never wavering—until her phone rang. “No way,” she mumbled, her eyes widening at the name on the screen. Her stomach dropped, and her vision blurred. She blinked, praying she hadn’t read the name right. She swiped a trembling finger across the screen. “Hello?”

  “Hey there, baby girl! How’s college?”

  She slowed her steps, then stopped completely. Her head spun, and everything around her faded into the background. Her father hadn’t called her “baby girl” in well over ten years. Hell, he hadn’t even called her at all in well over a year. “It’s fine. Why are you calling me? I thought you were in jail.”

  “I was. Got bailed out.”

  “What?” she shouted, garnering concerned looks from passersby. She took a deep breath. “Sheriff Rick said there wasn’t going to be any bail this time.” Her tone was harsh, and a fleeting wave of guilt washed over her. She was going to have to call Rick and find out what was going on.

/>   “Rick’s a dirty, lying pig.” His words were slurred, and it sounded like he spat.

  Gross. Kylie rubbed her forehead. “What do you want?”

  “Where’s the spare key to the house?”

  Her heart stopped. “You mean Nammy Joyce’s house?” She had to swallow back the urge to throw up. “It’s with me.”

  “Motherfucking sonofabitch, rotten, ungrateful… You and my backstabbing mother have been conspiring against me forever. I should’ve—”

  “Dad!” His language didn’t shock her; he always became mean and belligerent when he drank. But he’d never gone out of his way to call her to do it. “You know you’re not allowed in that house.”

  “I ain’t got nowhere else to go.”

  An image of her father, drunk and sleeping on the street, rushed through her mind. That pesky guilt gnawed at her again. “Where were you staying before? Go back there.”

  “Can’t. That situation didn’t work out so well.” He belched.

  Kylie squared her shoulders. Her father was a grown man who didn’t need his daughter’s help. He may pretend he did, but doing so would only cause her more trouble in the end. “I’m sorry, Dad, but you know I can’t help you.”

  “You can help me, you just don’t wanna. You’re gonna pay for this, Kylie. I promise you that.”

  She ended the call before he could say anything further. He’d never kept a single promise he’d made to her, and she had no reason to believe he’d keep that one. Still, she didn’t trust him. She dialed Sheriff Rick.

  “Hey there, Kylie. How’s it going?”

  “Not so good.” She explained the call with her father.

  Rick sighed heavily. “I meant to call you first thing this morning and warn you, but we had some things come up. I’m sorry. I have no idea why the judge gave him bail.”

  She didn’t understand, either, but that was the least of her concerns at the moment. “He wants the spare house key. I have it with me, but we both know that won’t stop him. I’m afraid he’ll try to break into Nammy Joyce’s house.” Technically, it was Kylie’s house now that Nammy Joyce was in an assisted living facility, but in her mind and heart, it would always belong to her grandmother.

  “I’ll send a patrol car over that way, have him make periodic checks on the place.”

  “Thank you.” The weight she’d had on her shoulders a few moments ago dissipated.

  “No problem. If he gives you any more trouble, let me know.”

  “I will.” But for the first time ever, he couldn’t hurt her. Not really. That was one of the main reasons she’d chosen a college so far away from home. She ended the call, slid her phone into her pocket, and continued toward the bookstore.

  Chapter Seven

  “You have got the shittiest timing, dude.” Xander glanced over his shoulder, but Kylie was already gone. He sighed.

  Finn laughed. “Relax. She said you’ll see her later.” He stopped and crossed his arms over his chest, giving him a disapproving frown. “This is serious, Xander. Brad is pissed, and if you blow him off for some girl—”

  “She’s not some girl,” he said, surprising himself with the emotion behind his words. But it was true. Kylie was different.

  Finn lifted a brow. “We can’t be late.”

  Sighing, Xander ran his hand through his hair. “Shit.” He didn’t want to go to this meeting.

  “Look, we’ll meet with Brad and then hit the gym, okay?”

  “Fine, let’s get this the fuck over with.”

  The walk from campus to Greek Row was quick this time of day, and upon arriving at the frat house, Xander and Finn went straight to the den, which served as a study room and an office for official fraternity business.

  “Close the door,” Brad instructed from where he sat behind a large, regal-looking desk.

  What a pompous ass. Xander closed the door, then took the seat next to Finn. He sat ramrod straight, back and shoulders taut. “You summoned me?”

  “You’re on academic probation.” Brad folded his arms on the desk and leaned forward.

  Fuck. “Yup.” He clutched the arms of the chair and squeezed, hoping to alleviate some of the tension. When his father found out he flunked three classes last term, Dad laid down the law: Xander was to retake those classes and pass everything from now to graduation. If he didn’t, his trust fund would be dissolved and disbursed between his two brothers, Tanner and Ryder. That threat was all he needed to realize how serious his father was.

  “You realize being on academic probation also puts you in jeopardy with us here at the fraternity.” Brad frowned as if he were truly upset by this news. Yeah, right.

  “Yeah, I know.” He flexed his fingers.

  “We had a private meeting the other night.” Brad leaned back. “To discuss what to do. The last brother who was put on academic probation was kicked out of the house.”

  His heart stopped, and he swallowed hard. If he got kicked out of RAT house, where would he go? His best friends lived in this house. These guys were his extended family, and he couldn’t imagine not living here with them. His entire social life was this fraternity. Not to mention, it was this house and these guys who had welcomed him when he needed it the most. They’d protected him and helped rebuild his reputation after the disastrous Trisha incident.

  He narrowed his eyes and glared at Brad before slicing a look in Finn’s direction. The fact that Finn was sitting there silently, not offering a word on Xander’s behalf, pissed him off. What kind of fucked-up bullshit was this? His ears burned hot, and he clenched his teeth so hard, his jaw ached.

  “But Finn here”—Brad inclined his head toward Finn—“made quite the compelling argument on your behalf.”

  Some of the fight and anger left Xander, but he was still on edge, unsure how this little meeting would end. He eased back in his chair and took a few deep breaths, waiting for Brad to continue.

  “We have certain standards here at Rho Alpha Theta, and one of the things we pride ourselves on is our cumulative GPA and our commitment to public service,” Brad said.

  Xander resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He swore Brad had the frat’s statistics memorized, as often as he spewed them out. Yeah, the frat as a whole was smart and had the fifth highest GPA on Greek Row, but if they were going to be totally honest, RAT was known for its parties. And for the brothers’ sexual escapades. If a woman wanted to get laid right, all she needed was a RAT man. Stupid-ass saying, but there was pure truth behind it, and it was one of the reasons he’d joined. That, and after Trisha had spread all those awful lies about him, it was the only frat who would give him a bid.

  “Finn assured us that you’d get back on track,” Brad continued.

  He nodded and cleared his throat. Sweat dampened the back of his neck, and he rolled his shoulders to ease some of the tightness. “Yeah. My dad’s already been on my case about my grades. I know it’s a problem.” A problem caused by too much partying and not enough studying. He shifted in the chair and tried to relax his posture, but his muscles were wound too tightly. “I’m planning to join some study groups, and I’m looking for a tutor as well.” He ground his teeth. It was embarrassing enough he’d flunked a few classes last semester, but to now have to sit in front of douchebag Brad and beg not to be thrown out of RAT house? Fucking humiliating. He released his hold on the armrests and balled his hands into fists on his lap.

  Brad pursed his lips. “Good. As your mentor, Finn has volunteered to keep you on track and make sure you’re doing what you need to be doing. As a result, the brothers have all agreed to give you a chance to prove you can get back in good academic standing. But”—Brad pointed at him—“this is your only chance. Mess up even once, and you’re out.”

  “Yes, sir.” He wanted to smack that superior look from Brad’s face.

  “We’ve also decided that if you miss a single class or assignment, you’ll be barred from attending official RAT functions, including house parties, until a more formal punishment can
be decided.”

  He had to fight back the urge to say something that would not only get him kicked out of the frat right then and there but would probably get his ass kicked up and down Greek Row. “Is that all?” he bit out.

  “For now.” Brad smirked.

  Xander snatched his backpack off the floor and stormed out of the room. He’d been left to hang in there. Anger filled his veins, and he muttered a string of curses. These guys were supposed to be his brothers, his friends. How could they meet behind his back and decide his fate without ever hearing his side of things?

  “Hey, Xander!” Finn jogged after him. “Wait up. I know this blows, but Brad’s offer is fair.” He fell into step beside Xander. “If he had his way, he would’ve kicked you out. I did you a favor.”

  Xander grunted. “Did me a favor? You didn’t even fucking speak up in there!” He stabbed his finger toward Brad’s closed door.

  “Hey, I’m not the enemy here.”

  “Shit.” Xander blew out a breath. “I know you’re not. I’m sorry. Brad just pisses me off so much. This whole situation is so fucked up, and I felt blindsided in there. Neither of you even gave me the chance to explain.” Not that there was an explanation. He’d fucked up, plain and simple. And whether he liked it or not, he needed to change his ways. He had to buckle down and get his grades back up, and if that meant missing a few parties, then that’s exactly what he had to do. This semester was going to suck balls.

  Finn crossed his arms. “All right, fine. Then tell me your side of the story now.”

  “I messed up.” He frowned. That wasn’t much of a story. It was more like a confession. “I got caught up in all the parties and the girls, and I lost sight of what was important.”

  “Exactly. And do you think telling Brad any of that would have helped your case?” Finn shook his head. “No. It would’ve given him all the ammunition he needed to kick you out, and there wouldn’t have been a damn thing anyone could’ve done about it.”

  “Shit.”

  “This is a rotten situation all around, but keep your head down and do what needs to be done. A few months of hard work and everything will be back to normal.”