Page 327 of Rock Me All Night
Drew stares into her eyes. "You're bluffing."
"Try me." Kara pulls him into the hotel room and motions for me to follow. "Couch is clean. I swear."
The room is a suite, with a bedroom and a separate coffee nook. I move into the latter and plant on the couch.
Drew sits next to me. "What happened?"
I take a deep breath. I can't explain that Bradley moved in next door. There's no telling what Drew will do. "I have an issue with one of my neighbors. He's really... difficult. I can figure it out. I just need a few days to think."
Drew stares back at me. "If someone is giving you trouble, I'll talk to them. Take care of it."
No. Drew takes care of things with his fists. "It's nothing. Just that I can't deal with it right now. I'm applying for this job at a studio in the city. It's mostly boudoir, people who want sexy photos of themselves to boost their confidence or as gifts for their partners."
Drew raises a brow. "Not a bad gig."
It's an awesome gig, at the best studio in Northern California. But I still need ten photos, ten sensual photos of a model in various states of undress, if I want to apply. I need a new model ASAP but there's no way I'm asking my brother or his girlfriend to pose in lingerie.
I look back to Drew. "It's a great opportunity. And the application is due at noon. So..."
"So?" He stares back at me. "Is that supposed to convince me to drop it?"
"Until noon. Please." I cross my fingers. There's almost no chance this will work.
Kara steps into the room with two glasses of water. She hands one to me and the other to Drew.
He gets up and plants a kiss on her lips. "Give us a minute, baby. This is kinda personal."
She stares back at him. I know that look. It's thedo I trust Drew not to threaten violencelook. Answer must be yes, because she nods and takes her turn kissing him.
Kara looks to me. "I'll wait in the other room. I have to catch up on my Russian literature."
They're happy. Functional. I never thought either of us would have anything like that.
Drew runs his hand through his hair. "Wil, tell me the truth. I know you didn't hop on a bus for five hours because your neighbor plays metal until three a.m." He leans closer. "I'm not seventeen anymore. I'm not going to jump straight to violence."
"Is there an intermediary step now?"
He leans back, not at all amused. "You still don't trust me."
"The last time I needed your help, you..." I pull my arms over my chest, unable to do anything but remember how thoroughly panic swallowed me whole that night. "What if he'd had a knife or a gun? You'd be dead right now."
Drew scoffs like he believes he could take a knife and/or gun-wielding guy with fifty pounds on him. Drew is no slouch, physically. But Bradley is a football player. He's taller, bigger, meaner.
"Do you have any idea how scared I was that something was going to happen to you?" I hug myself tighter. "It would have been all my fault."
"No, it would have been my fault. I knew what I was risking. And I knew I could take him." He looks me in the eyes. "What's wrong with protecting the people you love? The world would be a better place if Bradley was dead." The name is poison on his lips. "Shoulda killed him when I had the chance."
"You're not convincing me that you're capable of settling things without resorting to violence," I say.
Drew nods. He must see my point. "I'm sorry I scared you back then. You had enough to deal with. Whatever it is that's wrong, I'll help. The answer doesn't have to be murder. Doesn't even have to be aggravated assault."
Maybe. I want to tell him. I really do. But there's something about the intensity of his expression. I can't trust him not to get himself hurt.
Drew's voice drops. "Is it Bradley?"
I say nothing.
"Don't you have a restraining order?"
