Ground Rules

Chapter Fourteen

Mazey

My phone dinged again,and I didn’t even attempt to hide my smile. Butterflies continued to flutter around my belly even with Cole all the way at his house instead of being trapped inside my dorm room.

Things between us had been totally unconventional, which fit us because our story was anything but. There were things holding me back from dropping that big D word—and no, I did not mean dick. I had no issues there when it came to him. I meant dating. Like, for starters, what about our families? What about his parents not approving of me at all? Or mine hating him? Or Kate? What was she going to say when I told her that Cole and I were making amends, and oh, I don’t know, that his dick had been in me more times in the last few weeks than I’d ever had at Stanford?

I sighed, pushing my book off my lap. When I pulled open my phone, I was half disappointed that it wasn’t Cole who had texted me back, but it was from a random number.

Can we talk now? About Ryan? I think I’m ready.

A second passed, and another text came through.

Oh, sorry. This is Caroline. I got a new number.

My fingers moved quickly over my screen as my heart beat harder.

Me: Absolutely. Tell me where and I can be right there. And everything can stay between us, if that’s what you want. No pressure.

Caroline: 46296 West 1st St. I’m on my way.

I pulled up the address on my maps app and didn’t recognize it. I nibbled on my lip for a second before getting up and grabbing my purse. I knew what it felt like to talk about something invasively personal to someone you didn’t know. If this random address was where Caroline felt the most comfortable talking, then so be it. This wasn’t about me any longer. This was about her and taking down the monster the school had put on a pedestal for his football achievements. Typical.

After following the directions on my phone for almost an hour, I pulled up to a place that made my stomach tighten. Why here? I looked out my windshield and both side windows. There wasn’t a single car in the parking lot, and the sign that read General Mercy Hospital was half shattered and yellowed from the sun. The building—or should I say, old hospital?—looked to be abandoned. There were broken windows, and the two sliding doors that led into the main part of the building were open with caution tape half hanging as it flapped in the wind.

Call me overly cautious, but my nerves spiked as I stepped out of my car and shut the door. I swallowed, feeling completely uneasy but also desperate in the same breath. What if Caroline came here because it was the only place she could think to be truly alone? I mean, I would have at least picked a quiet coffee shop or something instead of a random, empty hospital, but trauma and fear could make people do strange things. I gave her my word, and I was going to stick to it.

Except, I’d have 911 dialed on my phone… just in case.

I was likely being too vigilant, but after being caught in a shitty situation with a guy like Ryan, it made being careful worth it.

I sent Cole a quick text, telling him where I was and that I was meeting with Caroline, and then had 911 dialed on my phone before I started walking to the front doors.

Broken glass cracked beneath my shoes, and the dirt over the once shiny floor was slippery as I called out, “Caroline? I’m here.”

My fingers fumbled as I sent her a quick text before bringing up 911 again and keeping my finger hovering over the Call button.

“Caroline?” I yelled once more, walking farther into the hospital. It didn’t take me long to get to what appeared to be the lobby, and once I did, I froze.

“Mazey, Mazey, Mazey. Long time no see.”

Shit.

My phone shook in my hand as I locked onto Ryan’s pretentious posture and smug face smiling at me like a clown in a haunted house. Something twisted on the inside, and I fought the urge to run.

Ryan was blocking something with his wide stance. I could see a chair in between his legs, like he was guarding someone. Oh my God, did he have Caroline? What was this? Some horror film?

“So, you do remember me?” I asked, taking a step farther into the dirty lobby with scattered waiting chairs that I was pretty certain were now homes for rabid animals. My chin raised, and my shoulders straightened with my finger still hovering over the Call button.

Ryan threw his head back and laughed. Why was he so sweaty? There was a line of sweat that covered his gray t-shirt all the way from his neck to the bottom hem. His dark hair was wet around his face, and his eyes looked crazed. I’d seen him in his normal habitat, and right now, he looked so far from normal it was scary.

Then again, could you really be normal if you got off on date-raping girls?

He stepped forward, and I stepped back. “Of course I remember you. Did you and Cole seriously think that I didn’t know who you were? Jesus, you were the talk of senior year after you left.”

“You mean after you drugged and then sexually assaulted me?” Anger simmered, and my chest flared with heat.

He shrugged, looking half-pleased. “Semantics.”