“Dex?” Coyote mutters as he recognizes me. “What are you doing here?”
“I go to school here.” I laugh. “You know, like most college kids. I thought you knew I was going to school for a couple years.”
“Yeah, just didn’t know it was this school. Ironic, my sister’s at the same school. Hence my fuckin’ being in some frat house. Need to get her ass out of here,” he snarls, fury rolling off him as he scans the area.
Oh fuck. This isn’t good. “Man, look, you know she’s gonna be in a frat house. This is college, after all. Just let her live a little, you know?” I do my best to calm him down and let him see reason.
“Fuck that. She’s here to get her education. Not party it up and end up knocked up. Shit happens at places like this and I’m not about to have my baby sister fuckin’ raped or hurt by a frat fucker that can’t keep his dick in his pants.” This isn’t good. Coyote’s more wound up than I originally realized.
“She’s your sister. You know for a fact she’s not going to do something stupid like fuck a dude without a wrap on ‘em. Look, I don’t know your sister, but I’m sure she isn’t one of them dumb bimbos. How do you even know she’s here to begin with? There’s gotta be loads of other parties going on tonight too.”
“Her phone has a tracker in it that Nerd uses to keep up with where she’s at. Came up here to check on her, take her and her roommate, Ember, to dinner before their classes started tomorrow. Found them gone, called him. He gave me the location.” Coyote shrugs.
Oh fuck. I know what he just said. I look over and see Ember standing where she was a few minutes ago. “I actually met Ember. Want me to introduce you both?” If I can get him over to Ember, I might be able to buy Josh and Cara a few more minutes. Hell, maybe they’ll be down here by then. Josh was practically pawing at her like a bear.
“I know who Ember is. Shit, the fact she’s here at all is surprising. Her uncles are fuckin’ protective of her. Their heads would explode if they knew she was at a frat party. Once I find Cara, I’ll have to pull them both out of here and have a word with them about this shit,” he growls while his eyes lock on Ember.
Motherfucker. I’ve just made shit worse. “They’re grown women, Coy’. You can’t control them forever, you know?”
“Doesn’t matter. They’re both club princesses and are up here unprotected. Both clubs have enemies and them being here without protection is a disaster waiting to happen. Now, I gotta find my fuckin’ sister.” Coyote storms off toward the stairs, heading up to the bedrooms if I had to guess.
Goddammit. I have no other choice but to follow him, so I do. The man’s name might be Coyote, but he has the speed of a cheetah. By the time I catch up with him, he’s tearing through a doorway, threatening to kill ‘this fucker’.
I rush up behind him, grabbing him by the shoulder when I’m shoved against the wall so hard something pops in my back. “Brother, I can vouch for Josh. He’s not a bad dude. He’s my roomie.”
“Doesn’t fuckin’ matter if he’s the first president’s kid. Cara, get your ass outside fuckin’ now. I need to deal with this joker,” Coyote scolds. Cara’s face turns to a bright scarlet red from sheer embarrassment.
I can’t say I blame her. I’d never be subjected to the same shit chicks are, but damn, it’s intense.
I step in between Josh and Coyote. “I’ll deal with him and Josh won’t touch Cara ever again.”
“The hell?” Josh comments. Goddammit. Fuckin’ idiot.
I turn my head back and look at Josh. “Dude, if you touch her again, you’re signin’ your death certificate. Coyote will fuck you up.”
Josh shakes his head, obviously not pleased. Hell, he doesn’t have to follow through with it. He just needs to convince Coyote that he never wants to touch Cara again because he feels too threatened. Hell if I care who Cara fucks.
“Coyote, why did you have to come here?” Cara whines, still using the sheet to shield herself while she puts her clothes back on.
“You came here for a degree in psychology, not dick,” Coyote growls back to her.
Little did any of us realize a group of guys are hangin’ out in the hallway. At Coyote’s retort, they go ‘oooh’. Cara puckers her lip out and it starts to tremble and before we know it, she’s running out of the bedroom and probably the house. Jesus Christ. Coyote has really done it now.
Josh starts to run after her, but Coyote grabs him by the neck. “Don’t you dare.”
“He won’t touch her. He’s just leaving too,” I tell Coyote while looking at Josh. Josh nods in agreement, muttering under his breath how he’s had enough of this for the night.
“Want to go grab a beer or a bite to eat?” I suggest, never minding seeing Coyote, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for him to be around his sister right now. Especially with the way he just got her so upset.
“Yeah, sounds good. Better than going to deal with more of Cara’s drama now,” Coyote grinds out.
5
Ember
A loud commotion coming from the stairs draws everyone’s attention and voices can be heard over the music.
What in the world is going on?
It’s bad enough, I was ready to go and can’t find Cara. I’d seen Dex talking to some other girl after asking if it would be cool to come back and hang out with me. Hence my reason for being more than ready to leave. I already know I’m not very pretty and this goes to prove it even more.
I mean, seriously, she’s gorgeous compared to me, so why wouldn’t he want to talk to her.
Wanting to get out of there, I pull my phone out of my pocket. I start to pull up Cara’s number to let her know when all of a sudden, I see a flash of her blonde hair as she runs for the front door.
Okay, what the hell?
Running after her, I catch up to her on the sidewalk.
“Cara, are you okay?” I ask, grabbing her arm.
“No,” she sobs, turning to look at me, eyeliner already running down her face. Oh boy, this isn’t good.
“What happened?”
“Coyote showed up and decided to act like a big ape.” Yeah. Definitely not good, her brother coming up here. “Why does he have to keep acting like I’m some kid rather than an adult. I’ll be nineteen in two and a half months from now. I don’t need him constantly acting like the jerk he’s known to be.”
“I’m sorry, Cara, come on, let’s get out of here,” I suggest, thinking this might call for a trip to the ice cream shop on the other side of the campus.
“Thanks, Ember,” Cara whispers, her breath hitching as she tries to gain control of her emotions.
“No problem, that’s what friends are for.” Which if I admit, Cara has easily become my best friend with how close we’ve become since meeting our first day here.
“God, do you know because of him, my date to prom canceled on me for someone I thought was my friend. Coyote got his club brother Nerd to take me. How sad is that? It doesn’t help I’ve been in love with Nerd since like forever and to have him take me to a dance when he’d likely be doing anything else.” Yikes, I hadn’t officially met Coyote yet, but he knows who I am and he sounds just as bad as my uncles.