“You want me to pack these up for you?” I motioned to the DVD’s.
He shook his head. “Nah, you watch em’”
“No need to come back,” Neco said.
My belly did a loop-de-loop.
Jude looked at his friend, and a grin curled up the corner of his mouth. “I don’t mind. I shouldn’t be long.”
“You should probably check on Josh,” Neco said to me.
I hustled out of there as fast as I could. I needed a minute away from Neco, a minute to clear my damn head. I checked Josh, who was still fast asleep. Jude had definitely worn him out with all the horsey rides and play wrestling. I quickly used the bathroom and headed back out.
Neco was standing at the kitchen counter, head tilted back, drinking a glass of water. How could a man look so sexy just drinking? But he did. Every swallow drew the eye to his strong neck. The way his Adam’s apple slid up and down made me want to go over and press my lips to it.
He turned to me. “You wanna finish the movie?”
I didn’t really, but I wasn’t sure what the alternative was. I had a sneaking suspicion it involved him and me pressed up close in Josh’s tiny twin bed again. So, I said, “Sure.” And took my seat again.
Neco walked back into the living room, but instead of taking the seat he had before, he sat down beside me—close—legs spread so his thigh was pressed against mine.
“Is . . .” My voice sounded weird. I cleared my throat. “Is Jude coming back?”
Neco didn’t look at me, kept his eyes on the TV and shook his head.
I started the movie back up and we stayed quiet after that. His leg stayed pressed against mine the whole time, too.
When the credits finally started rolling, I got to my feet as fast as I was able. “I’m ah . . . I’m just going to grab a shower and hit the sheets.”
He didn’t say anything, just stared at me with those crazy, sexy, beautiful green eyes that were currently heavy lidded and intense. My belly squirmed.
“There’s spare blankets and stuff in the cupboard by the bathroom,” I said, then I got the hell out of there and didn’t look back. Grabbing what I needed, I locked myself in the bathroom. I could hear Neco moving around in the apartment when I turned on the shower—I assumed getting a blanket and setting himself up on the couch.
When I walked out a short time later, the lights were out, all except for a lamp by the couch. I didn’t look too closely. The last thing I needed before bed was another eyeful of his bare chest, or . . . whatever he’d decided to sleep in . . . or not in. Tiptoeing down the hall, I peeked into Hunter and Lulu’s room one more time. Josh looked utterly peaceful. I smiled and opened the door to “my” room . . . and halted in the doorway.
Neco stood by the window, phone in hand, texting, by the looks of it. Streetlights washed him and his bare chest in a multitude of colors. He didn’t have his jeans on this time, just a pair of boxer briefs. Very snug boxer briefs that hid nothing. His head twisted on his strong neck to look at me, eyes traveling the length of me. I was in a ratty pair of old shorts and a tank that was kind of stretched out, no bra. His eyes lingered on my breasts and my nipples tightened again.
“What are you doing in here?” Jesus, I suddenly sounded like Minnie Mouse.
His head tilted to the side slightly. “We’re hitting the sheets, right?” The man looked like a panther ready to pounce.
“I thought you’d . . . the couch . . .”
He just shook his head. “I’m sleeping in here with you.”
That was it, no explanation, like it was no biggie. To him that may be the case, to me however . . . “I um . . . I don’t think . . .”
“Get into bed, Ruby.”
“Maybe I could . . .” I motioned to the door, saying without words that I’d take the couch.
He moved then, long strides eating up the space between us. “It’s just us,” he murmured. “Neco and Ruby.” He tucked my hair behind my ear. “I’ve slept with you more than not, babe.”
My pulse started picking up speed and I licked my suddenly dry lips. Maybe. But until last night, I hadn’t slept in the same bed as him for a lot of damn years.
“Climb in,” he said.
I stood there for several seconds, trying to decide what to do. If I said no, I was making a big deal out of something he obviously didn’t think was an issue. If I said yes, I was going to have to spend an entire night pressed up against him in that tiny bed.
Dammit. I climbed into bed, slid off my glasses, and put them on the bedside table.
Neco dumped his phone beside them and climbed in beside me. This time I was against the wall, which meant I had no escape. He turned into me, draped his arm over my waist, and pulled me back, so I was plastered against his chest. My ass was cradling his groin. I lay there, eyes as wide as a possum, staring at the wall.
My mind raced, trying to work out what in the hell was going on here. It kept coming back to one thing, the one thing I knew it couldn’t be.
Neco did not want me, no way.
Not like that . . .
I dragged in a rough breath through my nose.
Holy freaking shit. The man is hard.
I froze. “Um . . . Neco?”
“Go to sleep,” he growled close to my ear.
Okay, so he was hard. So what? That erection wasn’t for me. No way. He was a guy, and he currently had his dick pressed up against my ass. Of course it was going to get hard. Exchange my ass for someone else’s ass and the same thing would have happened, right? It was just a natural reaction, nothing to see here.
I tried to move forward, to give him some space, but his hold on me tightened. What the fuck?
A slow, needy ache began to build steadily between my legs. I squirmed again, trying to give him space. He didn’t let me budge.
“Sleep,” he said again, all rough and deep.
I shivered. Jesus. Like that was going to happen.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Ruby
I walked out of the bedroom and into the living room. Neco was standing at the breakfast bar with Hunter. Zeke was there, too. They were deep in conversation. Neco was propped against the counter, feet bare, mug of coffee in one hand. The expression on his face was serious, eyes intense. They slid to me as soon as I hit the room. The intensity changed slightly, in a way that had tingles shooting up my spine, making me scalp tingle. Last night was the fifth night he’d slept with me. Every night he just . . . kept showing up. Lulu had been suspiciously quiet on the subject. Well, at least she hadn’t been grilling me about it. This morning, though, I’d woken up to find him gone. I was ashamed to admit how fast I’d jumped out of bed and rushed out here.
The realization that I was starting to need him, to expect to find him beside me, wrapped around me when I woke, was a shock to the system. I was also angry with myself for being so damn needy. Jesus, I couldn’t do this to myself anymore. Last night had to be the last time. I was slipping . . .
Who was I kidding, I’d already slipped.
Shit.
So much for being strong.
His pale eyes did their usual top to toe, then his lips compressed into a hard line and he pushed away from the counter and strode toward me.
He stopped in front of me and I tilted my head back to meet his darkened gaze. “What’s going on? Do you have news about Scott?” So far Scott was still MIA. No one had seen or heard from him, and getting information out of Neco or Hunter . . . or any of the guys, for that matter, was like pulling teeth. I hated being kept in the dark. Especially since it involved me.
He shook his head and surprised me by giving me something. “Nothing yet. Zeke stopped by Jimmy Mason’s, doesn’t look like Scott’s been there.”
Jimmy was Scott’s best friend, the only one I knew of, which is what I’d told Neco. Dammit. I wanted this over with already. “I can’t think of anywhere else he’d be.”
“We’ll find him.” Neco’s eyes dropped to my chest and he froze for a second before
his eyes darted back to mine. “Go get dressed, Ruby.”
His words startled me. I frowned up at him. “What?”
“Get dressed,” he repeated.
I looked down. I was in my ratty shorts and baggy tank. I looked scruffy, but I didn’t get what the big deal was. “What’s the problem?” I asked. He was crowding me now, forcing me to take several steps back.
“I can see your tits clear though that tank.” He moved a little closer, so close I could feel the heat radiating off him. “You may as well be standing there fucking topless.”
Heat crawled up my neck. “Oh.”
“Yeah.” His intense gaze intensified further and he lifted his hand, fingers sliding over the bare skin of my shoulder, causing goose bumps to break out along my arms. “I don’t want anyone seeing you like this but me.”
What the . . . what?
I didn’t exactly want to flash my tits to everyone either, still I found myself pushing for him to give me more. “Why?”
“Why do you think?”
I swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. “I have no idea, that’s why I’m asking.”
His thumb brushed my wrist. “A lot of things have changed, Ruby.”
My heart started pounding. “How?”
“I think you know,” he said, voice dipped lower.
Nope. Not at all. Because he couldn’t mean what I was starting to think he meant. No way. My brain refused to even contemplate it.
My head was still tilted back, staring up at him, and he did not break eye contact, not once, green peepers boring into mine. It was kind of freaking me out.
“Nec,” Hunter called, breaking whatever the hell this was.
I took a step back. “I’ll just go and um . . . get dressed then.”
His eyes dipped to my chest then back up. “You do that.”
I spun around and speed-walked back to the bedroom, feeling his eyes on me the whole way.
After everyone left, I talked Lulu into going to lunch. I’d been cooped up in this apartment for days. I was close to climbing the walls or tearing my damn hair out. We went to one of our favorite cafes and I ordered coffee and a giant piece of carrot cake. Lulu got a coffee as well, but went for the chocolate cake instead.
“I can’t believe we were allowed out on our own,” I said around a mouthful of cake, rolling my eyes.
Lulu chuckled. “You’re disgusting.”
“Never said I was a lady.”
“No one would mistake either of us for that.” She took a sip of her coffee. “And we’re not alone. Zeke’s here.”
I looked around, but didn’t see him anywhere. Not a surprise. Even though we didn’t have a visual on him, you could bet he had us in his sights. “All this is a little extreme, don’t you think?”
Lulu put down her fork. “You were beaten so bad you were in hospital for three days, Ruby. And the guy who put you there hasn’t been found.” She shook her head. “You know it’s not.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Look, I know it can be stifling, but it’s for the best. Just until we know Scott’s off the street.”
Lulu had gone through a lot a short time ago. Only her situation had been way worse, and she’d had more than just one drug-addled idiot to worry about. Honestly, I didn’t think Scott would come after me again. “Whatever happened with him that night was a one-off, I’m sure of it. He’s never tried to hurt me before. Honestly, I’ve put it down to a psychotic episode brought on by all the drugs he’s been doing. He probably doesn’t even remember doing it, let alone expend the energy to come after me again.”
Lulu took another sip of her coffee. “You’re probably right. Still, no reason to take chances, not until we know exactly what’s going on.”
“I guess. I just want things to get back to normal. I want to start my job with Harry and put all this behind me.”
We both ate some more cake, then Lulu smirked at me. “So, does Neco hog the covers?”
I shook my head. “I have no idea what he thinks he’s doing, I just know it has to stop.”
“Stop?” She looked taken back. “I thought he’d finally pulled his head out of his ass and you two were together?”
The center of my chest started to ache. “We’re not together.” Or were we? I was so confused.
I don’t want anyone seeing you like this but me.
At first I thought he was trying to take us back to that place when we’d been best friends, always there for each other—but what friend said something like that?
She leaned in. “Has he kissed you?”
I shook my head. Those kisses before I was hurt didn’t count. He’d made it clear they didn’t. And he hadn’t tried to kiss me again. So, despite what he said this morning, I wasn’t going to fool myself it meant something . . . more. He was an intense guy, always had been. It was more than likely just him being overprotective again. “No.”
“Has he copped a feel?”
I nearly spat out my coffee. “No! He hasn’t done anything. It’s like he thinks I’m the same scared, defenseless kid who used to climb in his bed all those years ago. What he’s feeling right now is guilt, nothing more.” I wasn’t counting the boners digging into my ass every night. I was sticking with my theory of “he’s a guy and I had an ass that just so happened to be squished against his dick.” It had nothing to do with me, and that included the morning wood. That was just biology, not lust. The fact he didn’t seem to be the least bit embarrassed about it just confirmed it. Not to mention he’d never once tried to do anything about it . . . or should I say, with it.
Lulu looked disappointed. She wasn’t the only one. “Maybe he’s working up to it,” she said hopefully.
I shook my head. “What’s between me and Neco is complicated, yes. But I don’t think he sees me as anything more than a sister.” That had to be it. And more than likely the reason he hadn’t kissed me again. Maybe when he had, that’s exactly how it felt. Like kissing his sister.
“I don’t know if I believe that,” she muttered then finished off her drink.
I shrugged and quickly changed the subject. “So, is Josh with Sara today?”
Lulu smiled, eyes so warm and filled with love that I felt a pang of jealousy. “Yep. They adore each other.” She chuckled. “He has his aunt wrapped around his little finger.”
“You have such a great family,” I said before I could school my words.
She dipped her chin. “I’m lucky.”
“You deserve it, this amazing life you have now.” Lulu had been through awful things, things no young girl or woman ever should. If anyone deserved happiness, it was her.
She squeezed my hand. “I want the same for you.”
I forced a smile. “I know you do. I can’t imagine it though,” I said truthfully.
Her soft smile slipped. “Ruby, when we’re told enough we don’t deserve something, we start to believe it.” She gave my hand another squeeze. “You don’t talk about it much, but Hunter’s said a few things about your stepmother . . . and what he has said was bad.”
I didn’t talk to anyone about my childhood accept Neco. I knew he’d shared with his best friend, and I knew Hunter and the other guys had seen and heard things when we lived on that street. Usually, I would deflect, change the subject, but Lulu was different. She’d shared so much with me, I wanted to give some of that back to her. Show her how much I valued her as a friend.
My fingers tightened around my coffee cup. “My stepmother was abusive. She genuinely hated me. I don’t know why, to this day I don’t know why. She was just a cruel, selfish, ugly person. She called me names every day, enjoyed humiliating me. She’d sometimes go away, and lock me out of the house.” A lump expanded in my throat. “When I was eleven, her and one of her boyfriends force-fed me vodka and got me drunk purely for their own entertainment. She would deny me food until I was sick with hunger, or . . .
Lulu’s hand tightened around mine. “My God, Ruby . . . I’m so sorry you went through that . . .”
; I’d been rambling, the floodgates of my nightmare life pouring from me. I quickly shook my head. “I’m okay,” I said. “I survived.”
“Where is she now?”
“I don’t know. When I left, I never looked back.”
Lulu held my eyes. “You’re the strongest woman I know, Ruby Styles.”
I squeezed her hand back. “Ditto.”
We finished our cake after that, talking about lighter things. She understood like no one else that’s what I needed. Another reason I loved her so much.
We finally left and were heading down the street, back toward the apartment when the sound of squealing tires followed by the ear-splitting screech of metal against metal filled the air. I jerked back when Scott’s car slam to a halt in front of us, the side of it all fucked up from the cars he’d just sideswiped. He jumped out instantly, running at me, and I shoved Lulu behind my back.
Scott’s eyes were wide, darting all over the place as he grabbed my wrist and jerked me forward. “Let’s go, quickly. It’s not safe.”
I yanked my arm out of his hold. “What the hell’s going on, Scott?” Weirdly, all the fear I’d had vanished. My roommate was scared and paranoid, and despite the beating he’d given me, I didn’t think he really wanted to hurt me.
His eyes locked with mine. “Please, Ruby, we have to go . . .”
I heard the sound of boots pounding on the pavement and spun around. Zeke was barreling down on us. Scott spotted him and cursed, then reluctantly letting me go, dived back into his car and tore off down the street before Zeke could get to him.
I stared after Scott. What the hell was that? Zeke rounded us up and bundled us into his SUV before I knew what was happening, then he was driving, phone to his ear, talking to Van.
I sat there stunned through the whole thing. Lulu held my hand and I felt hers trembling in mine. Scott had freaked her out. She’d been through more than enough already.
I couldn’t take much more of this, of hiding, of sitting around waiting for someone else to save me, to work out what in the hell was going on.
I wasn’t afraid anymore. I was pissed the hell off.
Zeke took us to the agency. Lulu and I were sitting on the couch in Van’s office when Neco and Hunter walked in. And dear God, the look on Hunter’s face. He looked ready to tear shit apart. That look was because of me, because of my shit.
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