Page 334 of His Hungry Wolf

“Yeah. We should do this again.”

“Absolutely. Whatever weekend you’re in town.”

“Sure,” Quin said with a smile.

I wanted to hug him, but I didn’t think he was a hugging sort of guy. I wasn’t sure I was either. So, instead, we went our separate ways and I walked home.

Crossing back onto campus I checked my phone. Nero still hadn’t replied. Was it because he was on a plane? Was he just ignoring me?

The worst version of every scenario raced through my mind when I suddenly spun around. With the door to my dorm room feet in front of me, I thought I saw someone in my periphery. Evan Carter. I had been distracted, but thinking back on the last ten minutes, I remembered the feeling that someone had been following me.

With my heart racing, I checked the shadows. Was I just being paranoid? Why would he be here? Hadn’t Nero made clear what would happen if he ever came looking for me? And, with Nero slipping out of my life, what protection would I have if it was Evan?

Not finding anyone, I jogged to my building never taking my eyes off of the darkness behind me. When I was safely inside, I peered through the small glass in the door searching for him. Nothing moved.

Maybe I was going insane. Had the shaky connection between Nero and me triggered something? I thought I was over this? I thought I had worked past my Evan Carter nightmares.

“You okay?” Cory asked when I entered our dorm room.

“I don’t know.”

“What’s going on?” He said giving me his full attention.

I wasn’t sure what I should tell him.

“There’s a video of Nero getting a lap dance at a strip club.”

“Oh! Is that why he punched his friend?”

I stared at Cory and froze. My brain backfired processing what he said.

“Where did that come from? I didn’t say he punched a friend. Did you mean Evan? Evan wasn’t his friend.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I asked that. Sorry.”

Cory looked away panicked. He scanned the room and then got up as if he were about to run out.

“Wait. Stop! Why did you ask that question?”

Cory slowed and then looked at me.

“I got confused, I guess. I must have mixed up the two stories,” he said nervously. And then, as if changing the topic, he added, “What an asshole! You’re the most handsome guy I know. He’s an idiot for doing anything at a strip club. He doesn’t deserve you.”

I did not know what was going on with Cory. He was definitely acting weird again. It felt like he was lying. But why and about what?

Not having the energy to think about it, I let it go. Thinking about my situation, again tears filled my eyes.

“I think I might be losing him,” I admitted.

“Oh, Kendall,” Cory said wrapping his arms around me.

“What is it about me that no one can love?” I asked.

Having asked the question that had haunted me for so long, I couldn’t pretend any longer. I melted into tears. As Cory gripped me tighter, I put my head on his shoulder.

Cory didn’t let me go the entire night. Falling asleep, I even dreamed of him. In the dream I was telling him about Nero’s hometown and everyone I met there. But it was less like I was telling him and more like the images were slipping out of me and I was trying to explain them.

That was the dream I was having when I woke up. Once I was awake, Cory woke up too. He quickly pulled away.