Deliverance (The Maverick Defense #1) (37 page)

I shrugged. “I travel light.”

Elena’s dark brown eyes narrowed as if she was trying to work me out. After a couple of seconds, her features softened. She smiled and said, “Well, we look about the same size. Mi casa es su casa. You can borrow my stuff whenever, chica.”

My body sagged with relief. I had been dreading this part—the questions, the getting-to-know-you awkwardness, but Elena made it easy. And if I didn’t have issues with people touching me, I would have hugged her right there and then.

“So, where are you from?” Elena emptied a box out and started hanging dresses onto hangers in her wardrobe as I rolled out the desk chair from my side of the l-shaped room and sank into it.

“Born and raised Floridian.”

“Ahh, a fellow sun sister. Muy bueno. I’m beginning to think that I made a mistake moving to the wet side.”

I smiled. Elena was like a breath of fresh air and her hint of a Spanish accent made her voice sing, but surprisingly, it didn’t irritate me. Instead, its melodic quality calmed me.

“I’m from Santa Fe; we get our fair share of rain, but we also get plenty of sun.” Holding out her caramel-skinned arms in front of her, she added, “I’ll end up three shades lighter after four years here.”

I couldn’t help the small laugh escaping my lips. “They must get
some
sun here.”

“Chica, did you not read the climate information? Chastity Falls, Oregon is one of the wettest places on the planet. And with the blanket of firs out there, even if the sun did find its way out, we’d never see it.”

“It is a little creepy, isn’t it?”

She wiggled her eyebrows. “Just be sure never to go down to the woods alone. You don’t know what’s lurking.” Her heart-shaped lips broke into a grin. “Anyway, what time shall we head over to the party tonight?”

My brow furrowed to match the tension radiating through my body. “What party?”

Elena clicked her tongue. “The one at Fallen House. Please tell me you know what I’m talking about?”

I slouched back and closed my eyes, spinning the chair. “Yeah, about that, I’m not really big into partying.”

Elena’s head whipped up. “Please tell me that you’re joking? This is college, chica,
college
.”

She was right. It was college… my fresh start. I had to move on with my life.
Needed
to move on. It was time. Wasn’t it?

I hesitated, and then said, “Of course, I’m joking. You should see your face.”

It was a lie, something that I had become good at over the last year. Too good.

Elena clutched at her heart. “Gracias a Dios. You had me worried there. If there’s one thing you come to CFA for, it’s the parties.”

It is?
I had picked it because it was the furthest point away from my old life. The life that I was trying to forget. I had given anything else little thought. Chastity Falls had a great English program, and it was small, hidden… and far, far away from Fort Pierce, Florida.

* * *

I had survived my first day at CFA. Elena talked me into checking out the orientation activities at Kingman Gym and Carver Hall, and we both returned to McGinley with bags full of coupons for the two stores in town, the local theatre—which apparently only had two screens— the college cafe, and handfuls of tiny samples of washing detergent and strips of condoms. I had tried to refuse them when the student holding the huge bucket thrust a handful at me.
Like I’ll ever need them.

But I wasn’t so sure that I would survive the party.

My single duffle bag only contained a few items of clothing, and according to Elena, didn’t feature anything ‘party worthy’, so she had talked me into borrowing a knee-length, scoop neck black dress. The downside was it only had three-quarter sleeves, so I discreetly added some chunky bracelets to my right wrist.

Elena gave me the once-over, her eyes widening. “You scrub up good, chica. Have you seen Chastity Fallen House yet?”

I applied some pale pink gloss to my lips, the only piece of make-up that survived my ‘fresh start’ wardrobe, and made a fishy face. “Nope.” I popped the
p
. “What is it with that place? It’s all I’ve heard about today. Am I missing something?”

She laughed, tucking her cell into a small bag hanging over her shoulder. “Chica, did you read
any
of the welcome pack? Chastity Fallen are like gods around these parts.”

My forehead creased. “Am I supposed to know what in the hell you’re talking about?”

Elena pulled out the campus brochure from the top drawer in the desk on her side of the room. “Read it.” She thrust it into my hands.

My eyes scanned over the words. “Chastity Falls Academy is home to Chastity Fallen, one of the most successful college football teams in NCAA Division Two since the early nineteen-forties…” my voice trailed off, and I placed the brochure back on Elena’s desk and shrugged. “So?”

“
So
? Chica, Chastity Falls lives, breathes, and dies football… the sooner you get on board with that, the better.” She tapped my butt and opened the door.

We exited the room into chaos. Half-naked girls shrieking with excitement sauntered up and down the hallway, talking and laughing about the ‘best party of the year’. I was too busy trying to figure out how a party could be the best party of the year before the year had even started to notice when Elena stopped to talk to three leggy blondes dressed in some kind of matching ensemble.

“… Ana… Savanah? Hellllo, chica. Earth to Ana.” Elena stared at me, an incredulous expression on her face.

“What, hmm, sorry. Hi.”

Blonde one stepped forward and smiled. The whiteness of her teeth next to her overzealous fake tan almost blinded me. “I’m Talia, and this is Cassie and Lydia.” She nodded over her shoulder toward the other two girls, and they smiled.

“Hi. I’m Ana.”

“My roommate and mi mejor amiga for the next four years,” Elena sang with a huge grin on her face.

“Cool. Well, we are in rooms four and five b. We should totally go together tonight. I heard this year’s party is going to be even bigger than last year, now that Braiden is here…”

I tuned out, my mind drifting back to the last time I was ready to go to a party, sixteen months ago.
Don’t go there; don’t go there, JUST DON’T,
my conscience pleaded.

“
He’s a Donohue. There are no rules for him. Just wait and see; this year is going to rock
.”
Talia flicked her hair off her shoulder and rearranged her cleavage, which was already spilling out of her skimpy, sparkly tank.

“The rain’s let up. Let’s make a run for it,” a girl called from downstairs. Elena, Talia, and the other two girls cheered, excitement twinkling in their eyes. I rolled mine toward the ceiling, wondering what in the hell I was getting myself into. But before I could make an excuse to stay behind, Elena intertwined her hand with mine. The close contact made me wince, but thankfully, she didn’t notice.

“Our first party, chica. This year is going to be amazing.”

I forced a smile, something that I figured I would be doing a lot now.
May as well get used to it.

Ten minutes later, I was trying to figure out how I ever missed Chastity Fallen House. It. Was. Huge. By far, the biggest building on campus. Situated on the opposite side of the campus from McGinley Hall, it was a giant colonial-looking mansion, complete with alabaster pillars and a first-floor wraparound balcony above the porch. Two hidden spotlights shone up onto the plaque hanging above the double door. Straining my eyes, I could just make out the CFA crest.

What I didn’t miss were the crowds of people. Everywhere. This definitely wasn’t just a freshmen party.

Elena squeezed my hand and whistled through her teeth. “Dios Mio.” I wracked my brain trying to do the translation…
My God
—she wasn’t wrong.

“Freshmen, this side,” shouted a dark-haired hulk of a guy dressed in a white, black, and green football jersey. And like obeying minions, we joined the queue. The whole thing seemed a little ridiculous just to get into a party. A party meant for freshmen. For us.

“I wonder what it’s like inside. There are all kinds of myths about this place, you know.”

Elena was dressed in tight fitting pants and a barely-there tank with a see-through blouse over the top. She looked every bit a Mediterranean model, even if she was talking nonsense. “Please,” I groaned. “Don’t tell me that you believe the scare stories they feed to freshmen?”

“I know someone who graduated here a few years ago. He said that some weird shit goes on in this college… this town.”

My head shook with laughter. “Elena, you’re kidding me, right?”

She didn’t get a chance to answer. The dark-haired guy beckoned us forward, and his eyes gave us the once-over, lingering slightly on Elena’s chest. I noticed her wink at him. “Boyfriends?”

“Excuse me?” The words had rushed out of my mouth before I realized, the defensive edge to my voice obvious.

He smirked, his hungry eyes fixed on me. “Do. You. Have. Boyfriends?”

Elena opened her mouth as if to say something, but I cut her off, feeling my whole body tense. “What in the hell has that-”

He stared at me blankly, unaffected by my imminent meltdown. “Just answer the question. Yes or no.”

Elena nudged me, shooting me a confused glare, and said, “Me? No.” She glared at me and I threw my hands up in defeat, trying to stifle the panic clawing its way up through me. “Fine. No.”

The guy laughed, grabbed my hand, and stamped it with a green heart. I snatched it back and observed the tiny print. “What the-”

“Ana,” Elena scolded, pulling me into the house. “Seriously, what is your problem? The guy looked ready to tell us to turn around.”

“Me? What’s it to him if we have boyfriends or not, and what’s with these hideous stamps?” I rubbed at the ink stain but it didn’t budge.

“Oh, these.” Talia joined us. “They’re freshmen tags. You know, like green for single, red for unavailable… orange for persuade me and we’ll see.” She laughed.

“Are you serious?” I asked in disbelief.

“Yeah. It’s just a bit of fun… helps to make getting to know one another a little easier, if you know what I’m saying.” She smirked and I had to suppress my urge to get into it with her.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Elena added. “Saves all that ‘oh and by the way, I’ve got a girlfriend’ after you’ve already fucked.”

Deep down I knew that I was probably overreacting, but I couldn’t prevent the tut of disapproval that escaped my lips. “You’re all mad. It’s objectifying women, making them prizes to be won. It’s disgusting.”

“Chill, chica. The guys have stamps, too.”

“Oh, well, that makes it all better then. I’m going to find a drink and take a look around. I’ll catch you guys in a bit.”

Elena’s expression faltered. “Hey, come on, Ana, it’s just a freshmen prank. It doesn’t mean anything. We can still enjoy the party. Please.” Her almond-shaped eyes pleaded with me, but I was too close to losing it to hang around.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll cool off and find you guys later. Have fun!” I didn’t wait to hear her pleas.

Winding my way through the crowd of unfamiliar faces, I moved deeper into the house. My heart hammered in my chest as the claws of the looming anxiety attack started to drag me under. I moved on autopilot, my body knowing it needed to air and space, and quickly. I almost flung myself through the door leading out onto a huge decked area, ignoring the guys lined up doing body shots off a girl’s bare stomach as she lay on the counter shrieking with excitement.

Slumping against the wall, I clamped my eyes shut, focusing on evening my breathing.
Ten, nine, eight, seven… Count, Ana, just like Dr. Simmonds showed you.
My heart began to return to a normal pace, slowly calming my whole body.
Dammit.
The guy at the door had totally caught me off guard.
Boyfriend
. The word filled my heart with such overwhelming sadness that it had almost knocked me to the floor. But I needed to get a grip, be better prepared for this kind of situation. It was college, for Christ’s sake.
College, Ana
. People were bound to want to know that kind of stuff. History. Past relationships. I just hadn’t expected to hear
that
question. Not yet.

As I waited for my body to reach some level of normalcy, my eyes scanned the yard, darting from the half-naked girls draped over bare
-
chested guys in the huge hot tub on one side of the deck to a couple making out against the wall on the other. My eyes almost bugged out when I realized the guy’s hand was tucked up her skirt, as she arched into him. Feeling my cheeks heat with embarrassment, I dropped my gaze, but curiosity got the better of me and I scanned the yard again. Couples were making out all over the place, some girls were kissing each other while guys watched, and some guys were sharing one girl. More than one couple were at second base and one couple was almost hitting a home run…on a sun chair. I had walked straight into an alcohol-fueled orgy.

Feeling uncomfortable, I hurried back inside the house to find Elena and announce my immediate departure. I tried to remember the route back. When we had first entered the house, the door had opened into a huge reception area with two curved staircases leading up to the first-floor balcony. I had made out hallways, shooting off in each direction, to what I assumed were bedrooms. The snippets of conversation that I had overheard on the walk over informed me the football team, better known as Chastity Fallen, all lived here. All thirty-six of them, and from what I witnessed on the deck, it seemed the team lived up to their name.

Certain I was heading in the right direction, I rounded the corner of the dimly lit hallway and bumped face first into a wall of abs. “Ahhh, shit.”

“Watch it, beautiful,” a deep voice said.

Cupping a hand to my nose, I craned my neck to see the guy now blocking my path. “Sorry.” My voice came out small. It was his eyes. Although I couldn’t quite make out his face, they were as cold as ice and looking straight at me.

“I’m sure you can make it up to me?” He eyed the stamp on my hand, a cocky smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. I brought my hand down, thrusting it behind my back and feeling panic rising in my chest. “Hmm, I don’t think so.”