Freak (Hillcrest University #2)

by Candace Wondrak

  Holy heck. I needed to stop that train of thought right now, otherwise things would for sure get complicated once Declan was released.

  Will ended up pulling out a shirt and a pair of jeans, going into the kitchenette area to change. Not the bathroom, probably because he didn’t want to see the floor that was still a little pink from the blood. I didn’t blame him. I would only go in that bathroom when I needed to. No spending hours on makeup in front of the mirror, not that I was ever that sort of girl.

  I kept my eyes fixated on the floor. The kitchenette was directly across from the bathroom, so most of it was cut off from my vision, but with my peripherals, I saw him. Will took off his pants first—that was cut off by the freestanding cabinets separating the rest of the dorm room from the kitchenette. But his shirt? That much I was able to see.

  Definitely more muscular than Declan. I got a good view of his chest, how his arms flexed when he lifted the shirt over his head and tugged it down. A chiseled chest, along with a six-pack of abs that were definitely drool-worthy. My inner high school self was going nuts. Abs had always been super sexy to me for some reason. Maybe it was because they were difficult to get, meaning whoever had them had the willpower to do it.

  By the time he was done changing, I was outright ogling, not even bothering to use my peripherals anymore, and Will looked over, meeting my eyes. I instantly looked away, feeling a slight blush creep up my cheeks.

  Way to go, Ash. Way to look like a creeper.

  Will did not address it as he tossed his bloodied clothes in the wastebasket. When he walked around the kitchenette area, I was able to fully see just how snug Declan’s clothes were on him—and boy, were they taut. The jeans hugged every bit of his legs, especially his ass. And the shirt? The shirt’s fabric stretched over his chest, just as tight along his shoulders.

  Would it be inappropriate if I asked him if I could touch him?

  Duh, Ash. Yes, it would be inappropriate. Why would you even think that?

  “See anything you like?” Will asked, and my mouth nearly dropped open. He picked up Declan’s phone and charger, putting them in his back pocket, along with his own phone. When he noticed my aghast expression, he grinned. “I was teasing you, Ash.”

  “Good,” I said, talking too fast, “because I wasn’t staring at you. I was just wondering what I was going to eat. It feels like I haven’t eaten in days.” Or at least a full day, considering Travis had me most of yesterday…which Will did not know.

  God, I sounded like an idiot. So stupid, because hot guys never affected me this much before. Had to be because I wanted sex.

  Will’s gaze bored into me, the intensity of it making me want to look away. But I didn’t; I held his stare, even though it was hard. “I was going to pick up some food for Declan. You want to tag along? I can bring you here after.”

  I was nodding before I realized what I was doing.

  Together we left the room, and I followed him to his car parked outside. It was just a normal car, a black SUV, nothing fancy like Sawyer’s sports car. Will darted before me, opening the passenger’s side door for me like some kind of gentleman. I believed he was more of a gentleman than Sawyer could ever be, but that was neither here nor there.

  I shouldn’t be thinking of Sawyer right now. Who knew what that bastard was getting up to? Our date probably meant nothing to him, which was fine because it meant nothing to me, too. What I did for him while we ate, seeing how long he’d last just to test whether he was a man or a boy…I should forget that part, definitely. Sawyer’s dick was not something that should ever dominate my mind.

  As Will got in the driver’s seat, I noticed a ticket sitting on the dashboard. He must’ve noticed where my eyes were, for he quickly grabbed it and shoved it in the center console. “From last night,” he said.

  Right. Because he’d driven here, then rode in the back of the ambulance to the hospital, then taken an Uber from the hospital to the dorm with me. It was only then he probably picked up his car, and by then it was definitely ticket time, especially if he parked somewhere he shouldn’t have.

  “Your family has enough money to pay for it, I assume,” I spoke dryly, clicking my seatbelt. “Although, I will admit, I did not expect you to have a car like this. I would’ve figured flashier. You know, show the money. Make everyone else jealous.” I was rambling now, and as Will pulled us into the road, I couldn’t help but sink in my seat a little. Why the hell couldn’t I just shut up?

  Will glanced at me, his hazel stare heavy. “I don’t like using my family’s money. Everything I do, everything I get out of life, I want to be the one to get it. It’s my life. I want to fight for my piece of pie like everyone else.”

  I chuckled. I didn’t think I knew a poor person who would deny money if they had it, just to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. The fact was people today were usually stuck in the same walk of life they were born into. There was no American Dream anymore. No white picket fences. Hell, the other people in my generation would be lucky to own a house before they were thirty.

  “Having money would make life so much easier though,” I muttered, watching as the scenery flew by. We were heading away from campus and to a breakfast diner, where I assumed we’d order some food to bring it to Declan. Even though I hadn’t eaten in what felt like forever, I wasn’t too hungry.

  “Some things, sure,” Will said. “But other things…money just makes it worse. When money is involved, you get the greed. You don’t know what a person is capable of until you’ve seen them deal with money. When you look at someone and see the money sign flashing in their eyes, it’s…” He quieted. “You grow up learning not to trust anyone.”

  I never knew how badly money could fuck people up. Made sense, I guess, but still. “Your dad?”

  “When you grow up surrounded by inground pools and mansions, it’s hard to realize what the real world is like.” Will apparently refused to say anything about his dad, and I didn’t know why. Dean Briggs seemed like a decent enough guy. Kind and warm, just like Declan. Maybe it was his mother who had the dollar signs flashing in her eyes. “It’s why I try my best not to use my family’s money. I got a job once I started school, bought this girl myself.” He rubbed the dashboard lovingly, almost like he was petting a beloved dog.

  “Does she have a name?” I asked, wondering why all men called their cars women. Was it because they rode them? …sex joke, because I’m eternally horny, lady blue balls and all that.

  We were at a red light, and Will turned his face to me, grinning a boyish grin. “If I told you that, I’d have to kill you.” Spoken with such seriousness, I couldn’t help but laugh. He joined in, and within a few minutes, we pulled into a parking lot.

  I got out, stretching the non-splinted arm as I gazed up at the blue sky. “I’ve never owned a car,” I said. “I had jobs, but I gave most of my money to my mom, to help with the bills.” We walked to the front door of the diner, and Will held it open for me, again being a gentleman. He better be careful, otherwise I might start to get used to this kind of treatment, and none of the guys at Hillcrest would ever be able to stand in Will’s shadow.

  “It was that bad?” Will asked, sounding genuinely curious about where I’d come from, what I’d lived through.

  Oh, if only he knew.

  I nodded, biting my lower lip, not wanting to talk about it anymore. I shouldn’t have brought it up. These rich guys never realized how bad it was for other people, but still. I didn’t want to be a charity case, even if that was the only reason I was attending Hillcrest University.

  When the hostess came over and asked if we wanted a seat, Will said, “We’d actually like to order to go.” He gave her a charming, dimpled smile before grabbing a menu and starting to rattle off the things he wanted, and she did her best to write it all down and keep up. I was no expert on breakfast foods, but it sounded like a lot. After a while, Will looked at me. “What’ll you have?”

  I shrugged. “Surprise me,” I said. Any food at
this point would be better than nothing.

  Will turned his smile on me, and I had to look away. “And another order of the French toast. Thank you.” He gave the hostess back the menu, and she told us it’d be about a half-hour wait. Will started walking to a nearby booth, asking, “Can we get some coffee while we wait?”

  “Sure,” the hostess said, practically bouncing on her feet as she went to grab two cups and the coffee container. She was a pretty woman, younger than thirty, and she was a bit rosier when she left than when we came in.

  Hmm. Maybe I wasn’t exaggerating when it came to Will’s attractiveness. Maybe it wasn’t just my horny side showing herself.

  When the hostess came back, she barely glanced at me as she set the mugs down before us and poured us two cups of coffee. The smile she gave Will before sauntering off was a killer; I bet it had ensnared many men before.

  But Will didn’t seem too affected. He only thanked her, and the moment she walked off, he started pouring creamer and sugar in his cup, so much so that the coffee turned a light brown color.

  “Would you like some coffee with that sugar?” I asked him when he was on his fifth sugar packet. I didn’t think I’d ever seen someone dump that much sugar in their coffee. Then again, I wasn’t much of a coffee drinker myself. I’d make an exception today, due to the fact that I’d gotten no sleep last night.

  Will grinned, flashing a set of perfect pearly whites. “I’m bad, I know, but I find the taste of strong, black coffee disgusting.” His fingers hooked through the handle of the mug and brought it to his lips. I watched them part slowly before taking a small sip.

  I grabbed my own cup. “This stuff?” I said, taking my own sip, watching as he widened his eyes in shock.

  “How are you not gagging right now?” he asked, completely serious.

  I laughed. “I don’t know. I mean, it’s not the best taste in the world, but…” I shook my head, leaning back in the booth. “I’m not a huge coffee drinker anyway. I prefer pop.”

  “Pop, huh?” Will ran a hand through his hair. At least I wasn’t the only greasy one here. We both needed to take a shower as soon as humanly possible. “What’s your favorite food?” I couldn’t tell if he was just being nice, trying to keep up the conversation, or if he really wanted to know.

  Either way, I said without a second thought: “Chicken nuggets.”

  He was in the process of taking another sip of his coffee, and he nearly spat it out. “Chicken nuggets?” he echoed, his dark brows lifting. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Not even a little,” I said. “My favorite are the ones from McDonald’s.”

  “You’ve heard all the news stories about what gets found in their nuggets, right?”

  “Have I been living under a rock for my whole life? Of course I’ve heard the stories, I’ve even seen pictures.” I shrugged once. “Sometimes I think about them when I’m eating the nuggets, but you know what? I don’t care. That shit’s good, and nobody is going to convince me otherwise. I would eat those chicken nuggets every day if I could. It’s a good thing McDonald’s isn’t on the meal plan, otherwise I’d gain a hundred pounds each semester I’m here.”

  The corners of Will’s eyes crinkled. “I’ve never met someone as enthusiastic about chicken nuggets before.”

  I ran a finger around the rim of my coffee mug, my splinted hand resting in my lap. “That’s because you’ve never met someone like me,” I spoke without a second thought. Way to sound overconfident. As if I was the most special snowflake ever to roam this side of the States.

  I wasn’t. I wasn’t special, not really. I liked to think I was, but there were other girls out there like me.

  Still, Will said, “No, I haven’t.”

  Meeting his hazel stare, I felt something in my lower gut warm. For a moment, neither of us said anything. Hell, at this point, I wasn’t quite sure what to say. Were we bonding? Did people bond this fast? It was hard to say, because Declan had held me at an arm’s length for so long, not wanting to get close to me. Will, on the other hand, seemed to have no problem with it.

  I had to be careful around him. I might start to like him a bit more than I should if I wasn’t careful. How fucked up would me crushing on Will make everything? I’d rather not find out.

  I took another sip of the coffee, not knowing what else to say. I thought with Will here, things would be easier, at least for a while, at least until Will left and I was faced with dealing with Travis, but the opposite was true.

  Things were only growing more complicated, and my feelings, my heart? The most complicated thing of all.

  Chapter Seven – Ash

  After getting our food and paying—and by paying, I meant Will fronting the check, because hello, poor—we drove to the hospital. The food smelled delicious, I had to admit. The bags sat on my lap, full of Styrofoam containers. Will parked in one of the hospital’s many parking lots, hurrying around the side of the car to help me out and grab the bags off my lap.

  We headed inside, passing the front desk as we went straight to Declan’s room. I didn’t think it was visiting hours, but again, having money meant you could toss out a lot of the rules that everyone else had to follow.

  Since Will’s hands were full, I was the one who opened the door to his room and stepped inside first. When my eyes landed on him in the bed, I temporarily forgot where we were. When I saw that he was awake and conscious, I couldn’t help but do what I did next.

  I rushed him, threw my arms around his neck and hugged him as best as I could, considering he was on a bed and I was standing beside him. His musky scent filled my nostrils, and I breathed him in, focusing on his scent and not the sterile hospital sheets over his body.

  “Careful with him,” Will warned, and I pulled off of Declan enough to see that he was wincing.

  He was wincing, in pain, from my hug, and he refused to say anything. I’d knocked into his injured arm without knowing. I wanted to hug him again, but I settled for placing my good hand on his shoulder. Declan’s dark, chocolatey brown eyes met mine, and my heart did a little flip.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked, hating that he was here.

  “Better than I was last night,” Declan said, speaking softly. The way his stare held mine, I never wanted to look away. My hand on his shoulder squeezed, and even though there was only a foot between our heads, it felt like miles. I wanted to close the distance, to lean into him, feel his arms around me.

  Fuck. Who the hell was I trying to kid? I already had it bad.

  “We brought breakfast,” Will spoke, breaking into our serious stare down.

  I pulled off of Declan, coughing as I looked away, but Declan’s uninjured hand shot out, grabbing mine. “How are you?” he asked, a crease of worry between his brows.

  My hand. He meant my hand.

  I kept telling that to myself, but all I could focus on was the way his fingers gripped mine, how soft but strong his grip was. It was hard to do anything but lose myself in his dark stare. “I’m okay,” I finally said, pulling myself out of his grasp when it loosened. Touching Declan would only lead to thoughts I shouldn’t have, so it was best not to do any touching, I think.

  Declan glanced to the door, which Will closed after coming in. “What happened?”

  “I fell,” I said, the lie tasting sour on my tongue. I hated lying to him, to his brother, not to mention the whole staff of this hospital, but it was all I could do. Travis had to be taken down, but with his money, he’d just get off if I reported him. No, he had to be taken down in a different way. A way his money couldn’t save him from.

  “Because of me,” Declan muttered, hurt flashing across his face. He sat up, propping himself up as he stared at me, guilt drawn across every feature. “Ash, I didn’t—”

  “Shh,” Will told him. “Let’s eat, okay?”

  Declan thought I fell because of what happened to him, because of me slipping in his blood or something? Great. Now I felt even worse, knowing he blamed himself for this,
too. Just what I needed. But it wasn’t like I could tell him the truth, at least not yet. And Sabrina’s diary…that would have to wait for a while, too. For now, it still rested in my backpack, near my desk.

  Will passed out the food, and the plastic silverware, telling me to grab the seat near the bed. He pulled in another chair from the hallway, situating himself at the foot of the bed, his food on his lap.

  We ate in silence for a while. The French toast was good, but they were no chicken nuggets.

  “I’m going to see if I can get you out of here later today,” Will spoke after swallowing a bite of his omelet. “I’ll tell them I’m going to take a week off school so I can watch over you.”

  “Will,” Declan started, glancing at me, as if he was embarrassed at his older brother’s antics. Personally, I thought Will was being sweet.

  “No buts,” Will said, and that was that. “And I am going to take a week off. If someone tried to get to you, they’ll have to go through me if they want to try again.” The way he shoved his fork into his hash browns, like he was imagining the hash browns being whoever had hurt Declan, made me smile.

  And then I realized what he was saying. “You mean live with us for a week?” Somehow, that…well, I felt like that could make things way more complicated. When Will nodded, I said, “If someone’s after him, they’ll just wait until you’re gone and try again.”

  Will’s kind stare turned icy, but Declan was nodding along with me. “She’s right,” Declan said.

  “Then we’re telling Dad—”

  “No,” Declan cut in, clearly not wanting to tell Dean Briggs anything, for whatever reason. Okay, so I guess I wasn’t giving the Dean a call about what happened last night.

  “Then I’m staying with you,” Will stated, shrugging. “One or the other, Declan. Plus, if I’m there while you guys are out, and I catch someone trying to break in or leaving stuff on your door—”