back, wishing I could burrow into him. Even though the situation was still precarious, there was a sense of calm that washed through me with Drew close by. He’d keep me safe—there wasn’t an ounce of me that doubted it.
“Time for you to go,” Drew said, his voice harsh and steady. Usually Drew’s voice was like warm honey, but now it sounded like a block of ice: cold and unbending.
I heard TJ laugh over the music and knew that he’d moved closer to Drew. “Oh yeah? You gonna make me, tough guy?”
The thought of Drew getting into a fight because of me scared me even more than what had happened when I’d been dancing with TJ. I fisted my hands in the back of Drew’s shirt, afraid that if I didn’t hang on to him, we’d get separated.
“You really wanna do this?” Drew asked as he took a step forward, pulling me along with him. “Because I don’t have a hell of a lot to lose. Can the same be said for you?” Drew’s tone was scarily calm, a hint of danger underneath. It was the sound of someone who knew how to handle himself and was likely not someone to trifle with.
TJ must have sensed the same thing, because when I released Drew’s shirt so I could peek through the gap between Drew’s arm and his ribs, I saw TJ take a step back.
“Whatever, man. I’m just looking to get laid. And she’s not hot enough to be worth the drama.”
I felt Drew’s body tense. He took a step toward TJ, but I grabbed at his shirt again and he stopped immediately.
TJ walked away smirking, and Drew stood in front of me until he was out of sight. Then he turned and put his arms gently on my biceps.
“Are you okay?” he asked, the smooth honey back in his voice, though it was sprinkled with concern. His thumbs rubbed soothing circles on my skin as he looked me over.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” My voice was shaky. I looked around. “Where’s everybody else?”
“They went downstairs a little bit ago. Too crowded at the bar up here.”
I looked up into his eyes. “You didn’t go?”
He shook his head.
Our gazes stayed locked on each other’s, as if we were trying to see all the things neither of us was comfortable saying.
“Why?” I asked.
He took a deep breath and then released it harshly. “I promised Taylor I’d keep an eye on you.”
I felt my body sag with disappointment. I looked down at the floor. “Oh. Yeah, she’s good like that.”
Drew released my arms, and I glanced back at him.
He dragged a hand through his hair. “We should probably get the hell out of here.”
“Yeah.” I began walking, knowing he was close behind me, the sensation still comforting even though he hadn’t said what I’d wanted to hear.
Once we were off the dance floor, in a spot that was slightly quieter as we neared the steps that would lead us downstairs, he called my name.
I turned to find him looking tense as hell, his hands fisted at his sides.
“What?” I asked, wondering if he saw TJ lurking around somewhere. The thought caused me to instinctively step closer to Drew, seeking the safety of his proximity.
I didn’t realize how close I’d gotten until his arms wrapped around my shoulders, and I sagged into the hug he was giving me.
His cheek grazed my ear as he said, “I didn’t…I didn’t like seeing his hands on you. So…so I stayed. Not because Taylor asked me to but because I just…I had to.”
I squeezed him tighter, not entirely sure what his words meant—if it was a brotherly protectiveness or a romantic possessiveness behind them—but right now, I didn’t care. I’d needed him, and he’d been there, just like he’d been since we’d met.
There’d be time to figure everything else out later.
Chapter Nineteen
S O P H I A
On the way out of the bar, Drew stopped to let the rest of our group know we were headed out. I figured Taylor would want to hang there for a while, but when I saw the state she was in, I didn’t plan on giving her much of a choice.
She’d either had about five too many drinks while I was upstairs, or someone had laced one with a drug that made her giggle uncontrollably while trying to speak in a fictional language she insisted was real.
“You’re coming with us,” I told her.
“Ratcha Borey Unosis,” she replied.
“I’m assuming that means you’d love