Page 83 of Pin-up Girl

My room. I was in my room. The clock said it was two in the morning.

“Sylvie, listen to me.”

Who was that? Peter, right?

A hand rested on my thigh and Brodie and Clint sat up on either side of me. “What the fuck?” Clint muttered.

The three of us had fallen asleep cuddling. This was one of the last things I expected us to wake up to.

“I’m tired of listening. Get out.” Sylvie’s voice was loud enough that the neighbor probably heard it.

What was going on out there?

Clint was already on his feet, grabbing my shirt and capris and tossing them at me, then pulling on his pants. Brodie dressed quickly too.

“Fucking bitch, I’m trying to explain.”

Fury raced through my veins at the sound of Peter calling my sister names, and I barely finished pulling on my clothes as I stormed out of my bedroom.

Sure enough, the unhappy couple was standing in my living room, both wearing looks of fury.

Peter’s voice softened when he saw us. “I was just?—”

Brodie angled himself so he was between Peter and Sylvie.

Clint grabbed Peter by the arm. “You heard her. Get the fuck out.” He used his full body to shoulder Peter toward the exit, and had him on the landing, the door closed behind him, before Peter could open his mouth.

Peter hammered on the other side of the door with his fist. “Sylvie, talk to me,” he shouted.

I looked at my sister, and she crossed her arms. Her jaw was clenched and her face pinched.

The pounding stopped, leaving a ringing in my ears. “What was that?”

“I got tired of his shit,” Sylvie said.

Kind of a shitty time for that, but at least it happened? I didn’t believe it was over. Why did everything go quiet?

There was another knock, but this one was not so intense. “Aubrey?”

That was Rohde. I forced my feet to move one in front of the other, and peered through the peephole.

Sure enough, our uniformed friend was out there. Alone. I opened the door cautiously.

“He’s gone,” Rohde said. “Bryan called us when the noise started, and the other on-call deputy is hauling him down to a cell.”

Bryan was Brooke’s son, and had rented the apartment next door after Adam and Deacon moved in with Brooke. “Peter went willingly?” I was surprised.

Rohde nodded. “Shut right up when he saw us.” He looked past me to Sylvie. “Guys like that will only be compliant for so long.”

She huffed and her scowl deepened.

Rohde nodded at Clint and Brodie. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Clint’s tone was clipped.

Brodie gave a terse nod in return.

“Are you good? Do you need anything?” Rohde gave me his attention again.

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