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looked up the hill toward campus, thinking I would take the shortcut through the Hillside Apartments and past the science and engineering buildings to Greek Row.
    Dakota read my mind. "Seriously, Morgan? Shit. You're going to walk right through rape alley?"
    "You're exaggerating."
    "It isn't safe."
    I held my keychain pepper spray up. "I'm prepared. What are you going to do? Offer to drive me home?" I laughed.
    "You're a cruel bitch, Morgs." He actually smiled, which caught me off guard. He took my arm. "I'm not letting you make a fool or a murderer out of me again. I'm walking you home."
    I could have shaken his arm off. But I didn't. His firm grip felt good and protective. I didn't know why I suddenly felt I needed protecting. And I didn't know why I was reacting to Dakota when we'd never really been more than fuck buddies in times of great need.  
    "You got me good in there with your gag order." His breath made puffs of white in the clear night air.
    "So you caught that, did you?" I was glad he was smart enough to recognize my stealth move. "You haven't bragged about it already, have you?"
    He looked straight ahead, unreadable. "No. You?"
    "Why would I admit to it?" I looked straight ahead, too, fighting the wounded feelings I didn't understand. "Good. Then no one else ever needs to know."
    "Except the other nineteen people in the room," he said drily.
    "If they squeal, they'll get their asses kicked to jail. Kind of delicious, isn't it? The best drama of the night and they can't talk about it." I walked at a brisk pace, but he had no trouble keeping up.
    We reached a red light. I hit the walk button with a force that surprised me.
    "You're pissed at me," he said.
    The light turned green. He held me back as I took a step forward. "Morgan, what did you expect?"
    "A text to see how I was doing would have been nice." I couldn't believe the words slipped out. Had I really been sitting around waiting for him to text me? Crap.
    He frowned. "Fuck. You probably wanted flowers."
    "I was in the hospital overnight."
    "I had my own shit to deal with." He swung me around so I faced him. He looked like I'd verbally slapped him. "Shit, I'm sorry. That was harsh."
    I stared at him. "I'm the villain," I said. "Do you know what it's been like around the house? Seth is the only one who understands, and everyone glares at me whenever I talk to him. Like I'm corrupting him or something."
    "Maybe if you didn't try to scare the shit out of everyone they would work up a little sympathy for you. You're scary when you want to be, Morgan. You can lie to me if you want, but you can't lie to yourself. You've been bitchier than normal, especially to Alexis."
    "What do you care?" My breath caught. "I forgot who I was talking to. You would take her side. You're a fool, Dak."
    "She's your little. You could take pity and show some sympathy."
    I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Be as sympathetic as you want. You're not going to win her back." I took a deep breath. "Grow a pair. You were being two-timed."
    He just stared at me until the silence was painful.
    "Seems like we could have come to each other's aid. Two villains are stronger than one. At least we'd have each other to talk to." I laughed, but it was at myself. My love for Zach may have died, but the embarrassment lingered.
    Dakota stared at me like he was trying to determine whether he could trust me. I liked that he didn't offer me platitudes. "You think we should stick together?" He sounded almost amazed.
    I shrugged. "As two wounded parties, why not?"
    He was quiet a moment. The light changed and the traffic streamed by.  
    He held my gaze. "It's nine o'clock on a Friday night. Do you really want to go home?"
    "What makes you think I'm going home?" I looked him in the eye.
    He grinned. "Can it, Morgan. What kind of a fool do you think I am? You can't afford to be caught drinking. Which means partying is out. At least until this damn class is over tomorrow. And unless I miss my guess, you're