Getting out, I rested my arms on the top of the car. “What’s going on?”
“We’re here,” she said simply. She tossed a hand in the direction of the guardrail, a sign posted there.
Bay Cove University.
I saw the sign, but I saw no campus. My mouth twitched. “We’re here?”
I circulated my gaze. Outside of the school sign, there was nothing but beach, then of course, the road to our right.
Cleo propped her fists tight on her adventure shorts. “Campus starts here. The marine biology students do their work out here by the beach.”
“So why the fuck are we here?”
She wasn’t listening to me, and before I knew it, she was opening the truck.
I followed her with my gaze and my eyes expanded when she took out my bag…
And tossed it in the street.
It literally flew like she’d gone for a shot put medal at the Olympics, and shooting off her car, I dashed into the street after it.
Traffic didn’t see me, a Beamer honking and skidding. This was followed by a minivan, dance moms clearly on one hundred in this place when the woman threw her finger out the window and tossed me the bird.
I gave it right back, holding my other hand out for traffic like a cop. I heard horns and my heart in my goddamn ears, but eventually, I was able to work my way into the middle of the street. Traffic had gratefully slowed, then moved around me, and getting my bag handle, I dragged it back.
I ran while horns sounded and people tossed obscenities my way and only stopped to catch my breath after I got my bag out of the street.
Huffing, I grabbed my knees, my head jerking up just in time to see. Cleo was already back in her car.
And she was pulling away.
No, pulling was an understatement, wheels spinning as she darted off the side of the road. Her old station wagon went into overdrive, and I saw nothing but the butt of it as she merged into traffic.
A buzz in my pocket, I ripped my phone out of my jeans in a fury, and heat crept up my neck at the sight of a text.
I got you to campus. Enjoy the rest of your year.
We’d exchanged numbers at the club, but I hadn’t even programmed her name into my phone. She hadn’t been worth it and still wasn’t.
I grinned, not even bothering to text her back. I’d see her again and soon. So stepsis wanted to play, huh?
Funny, how she actually thought she was in the goddamn game.
Chapter Eight
Cleo
My ears rang by the time I’d arrived at Bay Cove’s main campus. Nestled off the shore, palm trees and students lined its winding paths, and I released a harsh breath.
Don’t go back. Don’t go back. Don’t go back.
I already had—twice, the last of which I’d gone all the way to where I’d dropped Jax off only to find him not there. He’d either hitchhiked, caught a ride share, or something else.
Either way, he was on the move.
One hundred percent, my stepbrother would be pissed. Three hundred percent, I’d be fried if he managed to get a hold of me.
I never did things like that. I never lost my temper so bad that I’d just been cruel and left someone on their own like that. He simply brought out the worst in me, but between him joking about putting things in my mouth and promising I’d come back to him in any type of capacity, I’d lost my mind. He had to be joking if he thought I’d ever touch him again, let alone have sex with him. He was disgusting and filthy and just…