The Billionaire Boys Club (Billionaire Romance Series Book 1) (19 page)

Around an hour and a half into the concert, Kelsey’s mind switched from worrying about Dylan to noticing that Ryan Perkins had joined Tyler and Zachary in the club. She looked away and refocused on the band, who were performing their latest hits.
 

Two hours and fifteen minutes after it had begun, the concert was over. Jessica had taken tons of selfies with Kelsey and pictures of the band. She looked so excited when Kelsey looked at her.
 

“They were awesome!” Jessica enthused.
 

“They were,” Kelsey agreed. It had been one of the best concerts she had attended.
 

“Where’s Dylan?” Jessica said. Kelsey shook her head.
 

“I don’t know. He left a while ago.”
 

“He didn’t come back?”
 

“No,” Kelsey replied.
 

“Let’s go look for him,” Jessica said. “Don’t worry, Kels,” she said calmly.

But Kelsey couldn’t help worrying a little bit. Dylan had been acting so strangely tonight, and she had never seen him drink so much. Even in college. The two girls looked around the club for a few minutes, then they decided to check outside.
 

“There,” Jessica said, pointing. Dylan was standing a few doors down from the club, with a few people Kelsey recognized from the law school. He was throwing up in a doorway. They walked over to him.

“Dylan, are you okay?” Kelsey asked.
 

Dylan looked up at her with blurry eyes. “Fine,” he said, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.
 

One of the students laughed. “You’re drunk out of your mind, Dylan,” he said.

“I’m fine,” Dylan said, standing up, a bit wobbly.

“Dylan, we’ll drive you home,” Kelsey said.
 

Dylan shook his head. “No. These guys are going to an afterparty. I’m going with them.”
 

“Dylan, I really think you’d better go back,” Jessica said.
 

“Forget it!” Dylan said, loudly. “I’m staying.”
 

“OK,” Kelsey said. “Give me your keys.” She held out her hand.
 

“Kels, I’m fine to drive.”
 

“No, you’re not,” Jessica said.
 

“Yes, I am,” Dylan replied aggressively.

“Are you okay?” Kelsey heard Tyler’s voice behind her.
 

“Dylan won’t give Kelsey his keys,” Jessica replied.
 

“Give her the keys, Dylan,” Tyler said to him.

“I’m staying,” Dylan replied.
 

“It doesn’t matter. You can’t drive like this. Give Kelsey the keys,” Tyler said, as the other law students milled around, waiting for Dylan.
 

“No,” Dylan said. Kelsey reached for his pocket, but missed as Dylan swayed. Dylan turned to leave.
 

Tyler walked in front of Dylan, put one hand on his chest, and used the other to take Dylan’s keys out of his pocket.
 

“Hey!” Dylan said angrily. “Give those back.” Tyler ignored him. He turned to Kelsey and Jessica.
 

“Do you need a ride back to school?” he asked them.

“What about Dylan?” Kelsey asked as Dylan walked away, heading for the afterparty. Tyler glanced over his shoulder at him.
 

“He’ll sleep it off somewhere. At least he can’t drive. Do you want a ride up? Or are you going to drive Dylan’s car?” Tyler handed Kelsey the keys.
 

“I’ll drive,” Kelsey said, shivering.
 

“Wait here,” Tyler said. He ran back into the club and returned with his fleece jacket. He handed it to Kelsey.
 

“Put it on. You can give it back whenever,” he said.
 

Kelsey gratefully put the jacket on. “Thanks,” she said.
 

“Any time,” Tyler replied. “See you.” And he walked back over to the door of the club, where Ryan and Zachary were standing and talking. Jessica and Kelsey headed back to the car. Kelsey started it up and cranked the heat. They drove out of the lot, and started the drive back to campus.

“That was unpleasant. What’s gotten into Dylan?” Jessica said, warming her hands on the dash.

“I’ve never seen him like that,” Kelsey said, worry in her voice.
 

“And you went to university with him.”
 

“Exactly. That’s where you’re supposed to be drunk and stupid,” Kelsey said with an edge in her voice.
 

“Do you think this is a trend? Or just a one-off?” Jessica asked.

“I don’t know, but I guess I’m starting to believe Matthew.”

“Yeah. Me too,” Jessica said.
 

“It’s late. We’ll talk to him in the morning,” Kelsey said.

But when they arrived for a very late brunch in the dining hall the next day, Dylan was nowhere to be seen. Kelsey decided not to wake him if he was still asleep, so she didn’t knock on his door. However, she did walk the few paces over to Tyler’s and knock on his. Tyler opened the door, wearing a long sleeved t-shirt and sweatpants.

“Hi,” Kelsey said, handing Tyler his fleece. “Thanks for last night.”
 

“I’m glad to see you got home safely. How’s Dylan?” he said, taking the jacket.

“Asleep, I guess. I haven’t seen him yet,” Kelsey replied.
 

Tyler nodded thoughtfully. “Does he usually drink like that?” he asked.

“Never,” Kelsey replied.
 

“Maybe he should talk to counseling services,” Tyler commented.

“Maybe,” Kelsey agreed.
 

Tyler surveyed her worried face. “Don’t worry, princess. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
 

Kelsey frowned. “Don’t call me princess.’
Tyler smiled. “Sorry, Miss North.”
 

Kelsey smiled back. “Thanks again ,Tyler.”
 

“You’re welcome. I’ll send you a copy of the final memo for Legal Writing this evening.”
 

“Thanks.” Kelsey said, and she walked back to her room.
 

Dylan was at dinner that evening. He looked very tired, but greeted Kelsey and Jessica as usual when they sat with him.

“What happened last night?” Jessica said.

“Tyler Olsen stole my car keys,” Dylan said, taking a bite of mashed potatoes.
 

“Seriously, Dylan,” Kelsey said.

“What?”
 

“How much did you drink?” Jessica asked.
 

“Not enough,” Dylan replied.
 

“Dylan, you were wasted,” Jessica said in exasperation.

“It was a party,” Dylan replied, stirring his peas.

“And that’s a reason not to be able to stand up?” Jessica retorted.

“I was standing, Jessica,” Dylan replied.

“Dylan, we’re just worried about you,” Kelsey said.
 

“I’m fine,” Dylan said.

“I mean, there’s a counseling service at the health center,” Kelsey added.
 

“I’m fine, Kelsey. There’s nothing wrong.”
 

Kelsey bit her lip and Jessica frowned.
 

“So we just ignore what happened last night?” Jessica finally said.
 

“Nothing happened last night. Look, did you guys sit over here to eat or to nag me?” Dylan asked.
 

“Eat,” Jessica replied. She took a spoonful of peas and glared at Dylan.
 

“Then do that,” Dylan said. Kelsey frowned and started to eat her own dinner.

“What’s going on with him?” Jessica asked as they walked back to their dorm after dinner. Dylan had eaten quickly and left fifteen minutes earlier.
 

“Stress?” Kelsey said.

“We’re all stressed,” Jessica said dismissively.
 

“Yeah,” Kelsey replied. “I don’t know. It’s a different Dylan than I’m used to.”
 

“I hope he gets it together soon,” Jessica said. “I’m really starting to worry.”
 

“Me too,” Kelsey said.
 

Dylan was in a better mood on Monday in Civil Procedure, although class wasn’t any better. When Kelsey sat next to Tyler, Zach and Ryan in Torts, she belatedly wondered if Ryan had asked Tactec founder and billionaire Lisa Olsen to do his first-year Legal Writing homework for him. The thought made her smile. It seemed exactly the sort of thing that Ryan would have the nerve to ask.

Ashley joined them for dinner that evening.
 

“Matthew is out with the boys tonight,” she said. “His friend from high school is getting married next weekend, and they’re planning the bachelor party.”
 

“Sounds like fun,” Dylan commented.
 

“We should have a girls’ night sometime,” Ashley said. “You can come too, Dylan.”
 

“Get my nails done? I think I’ll pass,” he replied.

“No, silly. We just go out and have fun,” Ashley said. “Although we could go to the spa,” she added thoughtfully.

“Did you enjoy the concert on Saturday?” Kelsey asked Ashley.

“No. Matthew did though. It’s not my kind of music,” Ashley sniffed.
 

“Where are you going for Thanksgiving?” Jessica asked. “It’s coming up.”
 

“Well…” Ashley said, “I’m sort of hoping that Matthew will ask me to join him.”
 

“Getting serious?” Jessica said.
 

“I certainly hope so,” Ashley replied, smiling. “Where are all of you going?”

“Kelsey’s,” Jessica said.
 

“You too, Dylan?” Ashley asked.

“Me, too,” Dylan replied.
 

“If you don’t get an invite from Matthew, you’re welcome to join us,” Kelsey said graciously.
 

“Thanks, but if he doesn’t invite me, I’ll just head back to Texas and have dinner with my family,” Ashley replied. “Let him wonder what I’m up to back home.”
 

In the middle of Torts on Wednesday, Ryan passed his smartphone to Zachary. Zachary glanced at it, then slid it to Tyler. Kelsey looked down. On the smartphone was a selfie of Ashley, completely naked, standing in a mirror. Tyler glared at Ryan and slid the phone back. Ryan shook his head, and looked back up at the professor.
 

When Kelsey and Jessica returned to their floor after lunch, they could hear a blazing fight coming from Ashley’s room. They walked into their room and shut the door, but the argument streamed through the thin walls.

“I didn’t send it to you for you to pass it around campus!” Ashley shouted. It sounded as if she was in tears.
 

“What kind of girl takes a photo of her naked body like that?” Matthew retorted, very loudly.
 

“Who knows how many people have seen it?” Ashley cried.

“You sent it. What did you expect?”
 

“I sent it to you. For you,” Ashley said.

“If I want to see porn, I’ll get on the internet. How am I supposed to go out with someone who thinks that’s appropriate? What do you think my friends think of you?”
“They wouldn’t think anything if you hadn’t sent it around!” Ashley screamed.
 

“You’re just a tart,” Matthew said. “I don’t want to see you again.” The girls heard him open the door, slam it and stomp down the hall. Ashley began to wail.
 

“Do you think we should do something?” Jessica said to Kelsey.
 

“Poor Ash. Let’s go over,” Kelsey replied.
 

 
They left their room and knocked on Ashley’s door. They could hear her crying.
 

“Ashley, it’s Jess and Kels,” Jessica said. But Ashley didn’t respond. Kelsey and Jessica stood outside for a moment, but Ashley didn’t come to the door. Kelsey knocked again, but nothing happened. After waiting for a few minutes, they walked back into their room.
 

“That sucks,” Jessica said. She picked up her casebook.
 

“I saw the photo,” Kelsey said, picking up her own.
 

Jessica looked at her quizzically for a moment, then said, “Of course, you sit next to his friends. I’m surprised I didn’t see it.”
 

“I can’t believe he sent it around,” Kelsey said.
 

“He’s such a jerk. We told her.”
 

“I wonder who’s seen it.”
 

“Are you kidding? I’m sure jerk number two, Brandon, put it online,” Jess said.
 

“Wow,” Kelsey said.
 

“Never take nude selfies,” Jessica said. “I wonder if she can sue.”
 

“Sue who? She gave it to Matthew, and she’s not underage,”
 
Kelsey replied.
 

“Poor girl. I hope she’s okay,” Jessica said.
 

The crying from next door slowly subsided. They heard Ashley’s door open, then close about an hour later.
 

At lunch the next day, Dylan asked Kelsey if she had seen Ashley.
 

“She wasn’t in Property today,” he said.
 

“Did you hear about the photo?” Jessica asked.

“I got a copy,” Dylan replied. “My legal writing partner forwarded it to me.”
 

Kelsey shook her head sadly. “We should check on her,” she said.
 

“Let’s go now,” Jessica said. “I’m done.”
 
The trio left the dining hall and walked to the dorm. A moving van was outside.
 

“You don’t think…” Jessica said.
 

“Come on,” Kelsey said. They ran into the dormitory, and up to their floor. Ashley’s door was open and a man in overalls was taking a box out.
 

“Is Ashley here?” Jessica asked him.

“We were just called to move someone out,” the man said, walking past them. Jessica, Kelsey and Dylan peeked in the room, but the only people in the room were packing the last few things in the room into brown moving boxes.