Page 14 of Big & Burly Rockstar

Chapter 7

Elli

I tell him everything. How, when the first email arrived, I thought it was a bad joke. It seemed like something my sister would find amusing. And then the envelope arrived, with pictures of me going shopping, meeting friends. Pictures of me changing in my bedroom. I tell him how I went to the police, how they said they couldn’t do anything because whoever it was hadn’t harmed me.

Up until that point he listens in silence, his handsome face grave, but now his eyes flash with anger. “They just sent you home?” he asks, his nostrils flaring.

I shrug. “Yeah. They had no choice.” At first, I was as angry as he was. But now—now I just feel defeated.

He grips his beer bottle so tight his knuckles whiten. “I can’t fucking believe it. So the fucker has to knife you before they can do anything?”

I nod, smiling sadly.

“That’s fucked up,” he growls before taking a large slug of beer. “What did your family say?”

I wince at the memory. “My parents always thought I had an over-active imagination. So they, uh, they thought I was being dramatic,” I say quietly.

Dev goes completely still, staring at me with his mouth pressed into a thin, angry line. He takes in a shuddering breath. “Fuck. Them.” Another deep breath. “I—fuck. I don’t even know what to say. I’ll have Stan bring your laptop over to this tech guy I know. See if he can figure out who’s behind the e-mail address.”

Hearing the rage in his voice on my behalf makes me feel… Not happy. Happy isn’t the right word, but—less lonely. Like maybe there’s someone who’s on my side.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive them,” I admit. “I still love them, but—” I shake my head. You’re not pretty enough for someone to go to all that trouble, Elli. It’s a prank. Get over it. That’s what my sister said. My dad laughed and my mom told both of them to be quiet. But she didn’t contradict her, either.

To my horror, tears well up in my eyes. The pain feels as fresh as it did that day. I dab at my eyes. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to get all emotional.”

“Sorry? You’re sorry?” Dev shakes his head and grabs my hand tightly in his. “Princess, you have nothing to be sorry for. Not a single damn thing, okay? I’m sorry your family made you feel so alone with this shit. I’m sorry that asshole is stalking you. You have every reason to cry. You don’t have to be strong.”

I open my mouth to answer. Instead, I burst into noisy tears. Dev doesn’t look embarrassed or afraid of my tears. Wordlessly, he pulls me onto his lap, his strong arms circling around my back, and he holds me.

I bury my face in his chest and cry like I haven’t since I was a little girl, sobbing so hard I can hardly draw breath, allowing myself to be carried away by the wave of grief and anger sweeping through me. All the while, Dev rubs soothing circles over my back. Holding me. Grounding me. I feel safe in his arms. And until now, I didn’t realize just how much I longed to feel safe.

Slowly, my breathing calms down and my tears dry up. Still, Dev holds me, and I don’t want him to let go. I breathe in his scent, savor the heat of his body against mine.

“Better?” he asks. I can feel his chest vibrating against my cheek.

“Better.”

“Good.” He presses a kiss to the top of my head and the swooping sensation in my stomach makes me feel lightheaded. “Is there anything else I can do?”

I know what I want to ask, but just thinking it makes my cheeks heat.

“Elli?”

“Uh, so, it’s totally cool if you don’t want to. I won’t be mad. But…”

“Spit it out, princess,” he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice.

“Can I—would you mind if I stayed with you tonight? I just don’t want to be alone.”

His breath catches. After a brief pause, he brushes another kiss to my head. “Of course I’ll stay with you.”

Devon

I’m lying on my bed, waiting for Elli to be done in the bathroom. It’s been a while since I’ve shared a bed with someone. Even longer since I shared a bed with someone and didn’t have sex with them. I want to have sex with Elli. I think I wanted it the moment I laid eyes on her, even if I didn’t want to admit it then. But I can’t, at least not today.

My heart clenches at the memory of her sobbing against my chest. I’d do anything to help her. Anything.

“What’s got you looking so grumpy?”

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