Page 17 of Redeeming the Villain

Blair crouches down in front of her, giving her gentle pets. “Oh no,” she mocks. “That would behorrible,” she says sarcastically.

She stands up, and we walk out of the room together, falling into the flow of traffic down the hallway toward the exit.

“I’m so glad you’re going to be in this class with me. I was worried I would be stuck with people I didn’t get along with,” I sigh.

“Me too!” She opens one of the big arch doors, and sunlight flickers through. “What other classes do you have?”

She pulls her phone out, and a huge smile takes over her face. “I have to go, but send me a picture of your schedule! We should grab coffee sometime!”

“Yeah.” I nod as she starts backpedaling. “I’d love to. Have a good day!”

“You too!” she calls back to me as her pace increases.

She turns away and takes off in the opposite direction as me, picking up speed. It takes me less than a second to see exactly what she’s rushing toward—or rather … who.

As she reaches the beast of a guy wearing a Legends hockey T-shirt, I finally place where I saw her before, and my stomach sinks.

A perfect storm from the universe.

I’ve finally found someone who I think may actually be a good friend, and of course she has to be dating one of Malik’s teammates.

Why couldn’t she have been in the Anti-Hockey Club? That would have made this so much easier. But, no, she has to be in the same circle as the one person I’m desperately avoiding.

Exhaling, I turn the opposite way to head back to my room. Sunny walks beside me as we follow the path I’ve committed to memory. Maybe I should take her on a scenic trail back to our place instead of the straight route. She would probably love it.

“A quick one. And then home,” I tell her.

Guiding her down a new route, I let her sniff and explore as much as she likes, letting her set the pace.

Her collar jingles against her harness, reminding me that I need to order her a new service vest since she was averynaughty girl and chewed hers up a couple of days ago. Something she hasneverdone. I have no clue why, all of a sudden, she decided it had to go, but there’s not much I can do about it now.

I know she isn’t marked as a service dog right now, which is technically against campus policy. But I have her card on me, so in the worst case, if someone stops me, I can show them that. But to be honest, I’m sure my last name is the only proof I need to halt any questioning.

Entering the walking roundabout with a vine-covered gazebo in the center, we drift right with the flow of foot traffic. As we pull right to turn on the first break of solid green hedges, I stop in my tracks, sighing at the sight.

You have got to be kidding me.

I think the universe is starting to have too much fun, messing with my life.

“Fucking hell,” he mutters, his jaw locking and arms crossing over his chest as he stops in the middle of the walkway.

Malik Ravenwell is five feet from me, with four of his hockey players at his side. But I can’t look away from Malik’s unique purple glare.

Surprisingly, he doesn’t snap at me or plow through me, as expected. His anger at me is ever present, as always, but his lips are sealed shut.

Interesting.

I wonder why. It’s not like he’s had a change of heart toward me.

Maybe he doesn’t want his friends to know he was such a piece of shit in high school. Does that mean that I have the high ground for once?

His friends, noticing our obvious staredown, look from me to Malik, back and forth, waiting for one of us to make a move.

But instead, one of his friends does.

With dark brown hair and dark blue eyes, the two friends look vaguely similar, and I can’t help but wonder if they’re brothers. But to be honest, I don’t care. I just want to get away from them. And even farther away from Malik.

“Excuse me,” I mutter with annoyance in my voice, stepping to the side.

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