“Screw off, Logan.”
Some of the women broke out in laughter. One mother clapped, but Sam went back to her room. She was safe. That was all I was worried about. She had to be safe.
“Let’s go.” I headed for the stairs.
Logan waited until we were closer to the vehicle before he asked, “You didn’t see anything unusual up there?”
I knew what he was referring to. Climbing into my vehicle, I waited for him to get into the passenger side before I pulled out of the parking lot. “No. I checked every room. Did you?”
He nodded. “All chicks. I didn’t see anyone with a picture of Park Sebastian in their room.” He paused and then said, “Sam’s going to be pissed if she realizes we were up there, canvassing her floormates.”
I didn’t care. “We needed to make sure she would be safe.”
“The back door locks, so no one can get through that way.”
I nodded. “I asked around. A front-desk clerk is always on duty, so no one can sneak her in and out that way.”
“Sam might be safe there, maybe safer than if she lived with us. There are lots of witnesses, you know.”
“That’s my thinking.”
That was the entire reason for heading up with her to the room. Helping her move everything up was the other reason, but the main one was to scope everything out—her resident advisor, her neighbors. The place was an all-girls dorm, but I wouldn’t put it past Sebastian to get some girl to help spy on Sam.
Logan was right. Both of us had been in and out of the rooms. We took turns, one slipping in as the other distracted whoever was helping the girl move in or hurrying inside if a room was left empty for some reason. Everything we saw didn’t show any connections to Sebastian, but that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be any.
Logan sighed. “You should just hire security.”
“I already did.”
“Serious?”
I gave him a look. “You’re not weirded out by that?”
“Fuck no. Sebastian’s crazy and an egomaniac. He’ll do anything to hurt Sam because that means hurting you. I’m glad you already got security on her.”
“He starts tomorrow.”
“Are you going to tell her?”
I gave him a look.
Logan grinned at me. “I idolize you and your deceitful, dark ways. Hey,” Logan tapped my arm, “pull into that parking lot. The bookstore’s over there.”
“The bookstore?” But I did as he’d asked, and as we got out of the Escalade and headed for the store, I said, “I’m not telling Sam to lie to her. I’m not telling her because she’d hate having a shadow.”
A group of students were standing in front of the doors. Some were smoking. Others had bags of their textbooks and were talking. A few more were standing there, looking through their books. Logan and I bypassed them, heading inside, but as we were going in, Nate was coming out.
“Hey!” A big grin came from him. We stepped back outside with him and he finished zipping up his backpack. Shrugging it on, he looked between Logan and me. “What are you guys doing here? Wait. The store. I got it.” He cringed. “Don’t roast me.”
Logan and I shared a look. I had no intention, I never did, but with Logan, one never knew. When he kept quiet, Nate and I shared a look instead. That surprised both of us.
“What?” Logan must’ve noticed the look. “Sam just tore my ass in half. I’m not going to start pounding on someone else.”
A few of the girls closest to the door whipped around, watching us and Nate burst out laughing.
I frowned at Logan. “You had to use those specific words when you were talking about my girlfriend?”
Logan smirked. “She’s my future stepsister too, you know.”
All of the girls on the left side of the door looked over, hearing that last statement. Ignoring the attention, I asked, “You’re done getting your books?”
“Yeah.” Nate was waiting, watching me.
I rolled my eyes. I’d get Logan back later at the house.
“Let us get our books and head to the house. Is it too early to start partying?” Logan moved forward but stopped short.
Looking over his shoulder inside of the door, I saw the reason, and a chill filled the air. Park Sebastian and three of his friends were coming from the basement door that led into the bookstore. The tension dramatically went up. My jaw clenched. I wanted to go for him, but Nate saw Sebastian the same time I did. Nate’s hand clamped down on my shoulder, as if anchoring me in place. Logan was in front of me. I didn’t know if he was going to hold me back or lunge for the dickhead himself.
If this was going to happen, I glanced over my shoulders—there were witnesses here. I wanted it to be done where there were none so I went inside. Logan and Nate followed behind.
“Look who it is. The current stars for Fraternity Assholes: Where Are They Now?” Logan said.
I shared a look with Nate. I hadn’t realized how thankful I was for having my brother with us until that instant. As if sensing my thoughts, Logan moved to the side, and I stepped next to him. We were shoulder-to-shoulder, gazing down at Sebastian and three of his friends. Judging from the hostility on their faces, I figured they were fraternity exes as well.
Park Sebastian.
My eyes roamed over him. He looked like the same preppy dick that he’d been last year. His hair was gelled and combed to the side. Polo shirt. Khaki cargo shorts. A bag of books in one hand and a flask in the other.