“What about Cort?”
Bash burst through the doors into the chilly night—or early morning. Whatever. A car he’d scheduled was already waiting for him. He hurried towards it, his breath steaming around him.
“They think he’ll live,” Adonis said quietly. “He was shot in the shoulder.”
“What thefuckhappened?”
“I’m not sure yet. He said something about getting shot by Pizza. Whatever the fuck that means. There’s a search for the shooter. Campus is on lockdown. But there are cameras at the Rink, and I doubt it’ll be long before they get an ID. And if they don’t, I hope Cort can tell them.”
“Get me to Bellford University as fast as you can,” Bash said to the driver of his car. “I will personally pay you an extra one thousand dollars if you ignore every speed limit.”
The driver stepped on the gas.
Bash leaned his head against the window, holding the phone close to his ear. “Adonis,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I should’ve been there. You shouldn’t have had to find him.”
“It’s not your fault. Not at all.”
“But, it is. I blame myself. I was—Iam—Cort’s mentor. I knew something was wrong. Iknewhe was mixed up in something bad. I should’ve done something about it.”
“Don’t blame yourself.”
“But I do. I should’ve been here. I could’ve been here. I chose to leave, and I could’ve chosen to stay.”
“Your fatherdied, Bash. You didn’t have a choice not to be here.” Adonis’s voice was gentle. “It’s really not your fault.”
Bash sighed. “Thank you, Adonis. I’m sorry about so many things. I’m sorry for—for saying that we couldn’t be together.”
“Let’s not talk about this over the phone.”
“I have so much to say.”
“And I want to listen. But not on the phone. I want to see you.”
Bash closed his eyes. “I want to see you, too.”
“I’ll be here.”
“And I’ll be there soon,” Bash whispered.
Chapter 30
Adonis
At two in the morning, a text went out to all students and faculty at Bellford University, informing them that the unnamed gunman had been found and the search was over. Lockdown was lifted on campus, and everyone could sleep easily, though few did.
Rumors were already circulating on campus. Few people knew what actually happened, but somehow word had already gotten out that Adonis Costa had been the one to find the student who’d been shot. Somehow, that rumor got twisted somewhere along the way, and Adonis started receiving text messages asking if he was okay. People seemed to thinkhewas the one who’d been shot.
Finally, he turned his phone off.
He didn’t have the energy to respond to these messages right now.
He waited in his apartment, knowing that Bash would be there soon now that the lockdown was lifted.
He didn’t have to wait long.
There was a knock on Adonis’s apartment door, and he hurried from his couch to unlock it.
Bash stood outside, his cheeks flushed and his hair messy. He wore a black sweatshirt, a long black coat, and black sweatpants.
