“Can I use the bathroom?” I ask quietly.
Jax points behind his shoulder, his gaze tracking me as I walk past him.
I close the door and lean against it for a moment. The bathroom is small but it’s clean. Callum’s towels are navy blue and folded neatly on a rack.
I need to shower and get these thoughts out of my head.
The water runs hot, and I step under the spray, letting it wash over me. But my mind won’t settle.
I know what’s waiting for me when I go home.
My dad’s going to kick my ass for running away. For the lies about a boy. For making him look bad in front of Elle.
A part of me wishes I could lie for a boyfriend. That someone other than Zinnia would love me enough to want me around. But that’ll never happen. My dad would never let that happen. And I can’t imagine opening up to anyone. Especially not the three men outside this door who think they can protect me from my dad.
They can’t.
I know I’m going to go back eventually. Everything I own is there. My sister is there. I have to face him eventually.
Taking the night to let him cool off is probably enough.
But then I imagine seeing his face. The anger in his eyes. The disappointment.
I’m not ready.
Just one more day. One more night.
I’ll stay here and go back Monday after class. That’s manageable. That’s a good plan.
I reach for Callum’s body wash and almost smile. The thought of a hockey player shopping for body wash seems so mundane. So normal. It makes me feel lighter inside to imagine him in the store, wondering which soap to pick. I can see him grabbing each bottle and smelling them until he decided on this one. The thought calms me along with the scent.
When I step out of the shower, I wrap a towel around myself and open the door. Steam flows out with me.
When I walk across the hall, Jax is in the room.
“Oh,” I say quickly. Heat rushes to my face. “Let me just grab my things.”
“I’ll leave.” He moves toward the door.
“Jax?”
He turns to look at me. I automatically falter, blinking.
“What’s the Wi-Fi password?” I whisper.
He seems disappointed, as if I were about to ask him something else. He says, “I’ll tell Cal to share it.”
I nod, and he closes the door behind him.
I get dressed in sweatpants and a T-shirt and open my laptop on the bed. Callum shares the Wi-Fi password.
A notification pops up almost immediately.
Once I’m connected, texts flood in.
A few from Elle, but that’s not what makes my stomach drop.
Zinnia’s name is at the top of the thread.
