by Faith Gibson
The cop – Rocky couldn’t remember his name – said he’d look into it. He and Finley stepped out into the hallway where Rocky couldn’t hear them. The reality of the last twenty-four hours came rushing back. Rocky wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. But mostly, she wanted to find Blake Stansbury and rip his eyes right out of his head and shove them up his ass.
Vivian squeezed her hand, getting Rocky’s attention. “Stop it,” Vivian chastised. “Whatever is going through your head, let it go. Now that Finley and his friends know about Blake, you’ll be safe.”
“How do you know? Other than being your friend, I’m nothing to Finley or the cop except a former junkie.”
“Former is the operative word here, Rocky girl. I have faith they will prove Blake did this to you. Right now, it’s your word against his, but Finley is determined to make Blake pay.”
“Why?” Rocky wanted to believe there were good men in the world, but men like Blake gave them all a bad name as far as she was concerned.
“I’m not questioning why; I’m just glad he is. When he saw you passed out on the couch in your office, Finley was upset. So was Urijah, the one I met a few weeks ago who I said puts Thor to shame. I’ve never seen someone so angry on behalf of someone they barely know, but let me tell you, Urijah was pissed. I didn’t like him much after our first meeting, but now, he’s sliding over into the okay column.”
“Was he the big blond who was carrying me, or did I dream that?”
“That was him. And there was another blond with them. I don’t know what it is about Finley and his friends, but there’s not one in the bunch I wouldn’t let eat crackers in my bed.”
“I was thinking the same thing. Not the cracker part, but how they all have this alpha thing going on. It’s like they all were bred from the same gene pool. I usually prefer men with dark hair, but Finley’s hot,” Rocky whispered in case he was listening.
“That he is. Now, why don’t you try to get some rest?”
“I will, but you need to go on home.”
Vivian shook her head. “I’m not leaving you here alone.”
“Rocky’s right. It’s late, and you need to go get some rest. I’ll be here until the doctor says she can go home,” Finley said when he came back into the room.
Rocky didn’t know Finley all that well, but the more he was around, the more she liked him, even though she didn’t understand why he was there for her. “You both can go home and get some rest. I’ll be fine.”
“No way. I’m not leaving you alone where that motherfucker can get his hands on you. I’ll be posted outside in the hallway. Nobody you don’t want in here gets in,” Finley declared, his arms folded over his massive chest.
Vivian cocked an eyebrow. Rocky knew that look. Vivian was getting turned on at the he-man behavior. Rocky wasn’t turned on, but she could appreciate a guy who acted like a real man. Not since her father was alive had she witnessed a man go on the defensive for a woman. It softened her stance against men.
Well, not all men.
Vivian agreed to go home and told Rocky she’d come see her the next day.
True to his word, Finley guarded the door all night. The only one to come in the room other than nurses had been Dr. Mercato, and seeing him dressed in street clothes, Rocky had a feeling he was only there to see her. After explaining how he had detoxed her system, the doctor signed the release papers, and Rocky was more than ready to get out of there. She was not ready to go home, though.
“I need to call someone to come get me since my car is still at the beach,” Rocky told the doctor.
“I’m driving you,” Finley stated like there was no argument to be made on her part. “If you don’t feel up to driving your car, I can have a friend retrieve your vehicle and bring it to you. Also, if you insist on going home, there will be someone watching your place. You won’t know they’re around, so you won’t feel crowded, but I do want you to feel safe until we can get Stansbury behind bars where he belongs.”
Rocky realized her mouth was hanging open, so she closed it, but she was still taken aback at the way Finley was commanding control over her life. No, not her life, but her safety. “My purse is in my car, but I have no idea where my keys are.” Right before she passed out, Blake had returned to the room in the basement and pulled Rocky’s phone out of her pocket, smashing it to pieces.
“Your keys are in your office at the bar. Bridget locked them in your desk.”
“I probably need to stop by the business office on the way out. They don’t have my insurance information.”
“All of that’s been taken care of. Now, I’m going to step outside so you can get dressed. If you need help, I’ll gather one of the nurses to come assist you.”
Vivian must have taken care of the paperwork. She didn’t have Rocky’s insurance info, but she did know most everything else the hospital would’ve needed to know. “Thank you, Finley. If you’ll get me home, I can see to getting my car.”
Finley merely nodded and stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind him. Wow. No wonder Vivian had latched on to the man. He was a keeper – for Vivian. Rocky slid off the bed and walked to the closet where her clothes had been stashed. She’d been up a couple of times during the night to pee, so she knew she was able to dress herself. Once she’d changed clothes, Rocky brushed her teeth using the flimsy hospital issue toothbrush, and she combed out the tangles as best she could with her fingers. Her face had been streaked with make-up, but she’d removed it the first time she glanced at herself in the mirror during one of her bathroom outings the night before. When she was back in the room, she called for Finley. “I’m ready.”
When Finley came back into the room, he was accompanied by a nurse pushing a wheelchair. Rocky knew it was hospital procedure to roll all patients to the front door, so she sat down without making a fuss. Neither she nor Finley talked while the nurse pushed the chair. When they reached the front door, a black SUV was waiting for them. Finley opened the passenger door and helped Rocky get in. The man who’d been driving inclined his head to Finley before striding off across the parking lot.
Once Finley was seated, he put the vehicle in drive and pulled away from the curb. “Are you hungry? I know you haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.”
Rocky still felt a little queasy, but she was hungry and knew it was better to have something on her stomach. “I can fix something when I get home.” What she really wanted was a cigarette. She knew they were bad for her, but it was a habit she’d taken up when she was under the influence. It was a weak replacement for when she needed a fix but couldn’t get her hands on one.
Finley glanced at her sideways but didn’t respond. He turned the radio on, keeping the volume low. “Do you want to tell me about Blake?” he asked, keeping his eyes on the road.
Rocky sighed. She didn’t like to talk about the dark days, especially to someone like Finley. He’d probably think she deserved what she got for being so stupid.
“I won’t judge you, Rocky. I’ve done some less than stellar things in my life. I just want to know who and what we’re up against.”
Rocky turned in the seat to face Finley. “We? Why are you so willing to help me?”
“I don’t like men like Stansbury. He gives the rest of us a bad name. Besides, you’re friends with Vivian, so I consider you my friend as well.”
“But you don’t know me.”
“Then help me change that. I know Vivian invited you over to Sinclair’s, but you had prior business to tend to. If you had been free, you and I would have gotten to know each other on a whole other level already. Since that didn’t happen, I’d like to get to know you as a friend.”
Rocky hadn’t thought about that. He was right. If she hadn’t gone to meet Joel, she would know all about the man sitting next to her, at least in the physical sense. “Take me to breakfast, and I’ll tell you what you want to know.” She wasn’t ready to go home to an empty apartment, and if the man wanted to get to know her, she’d
need lots of coffee to get through the roughest parts.
“Deal.” Finley turned away from the restaurants and headed to a secluded area. When he pulled up to a gated residence, she began to get worried. Finley spoke something in a language she couldn’t understand into the security box, and the gate swung open. Before he drove farther into the driveway, he turned to her. “Relax. This is my home, and I vow to you on all that is holy no harm will come to you while you are with me.”
Instead of pulling into the garage, Finley parked beside another SUV at the side of his massive home. “Ah, good. Uri’s still here.”
Finley came around and helped Rocky out of the tall vehicle and held her hand as he walked her toward a door on the side of the house. Before they got there, the door opened, and the tall blond who’d carried Rocky the night before stood filling the frame. Finley smiled up at the blond. “I’m glad you’re still here. I’m going to make Rocky some breakfast. Would you like some?”
Urijah backed up allowing them entrance. “That’d be great, but let me cook so we don’t poison the girl,” he said, narrowing his eyes at Finley. Vivian had been right; the man was less than friendly. “Rocky, how are you feeling?” he asked, smiling, and his countenance changed instantly. Maybe it was Finley he had a problem with.
“I’d feel better if I had about five cups of coffee in me. And a cigarette. I don’t suppose either of you smoke?”
Uri shook his head. “No smokes, but I do have coffee ready. How do you take it?”
“Just cream, please.”
Urijah turned and gracefully strode across the kitchen to pour her some coffee. Finley held out a chair, and she sat down at a large table. When Finley approached Uri, he pressed himself to the man and leaned in against his ear. “Thank you for last night. I’ll pay you back.”
Uri leaned his head against Finley’s for a beat before turning to look at him. “It’s not necessary.”
Rocky had no idea what they were talking about, but the way they interacted was almost intimate. Uri’s disposition flip-flopped making Rocky wonder what exactly was going on with him. Urijah walked over to the refrigerator and pushed the button that dropped ice cubes. When one fell down, he caught it and slipped it into her coffee. “Now you won’t burn your mouth,” he said as he set the big mug in front of her.
“Thank you,” she replied. Who were these guys, and where had they been when she met Blake? She’d bet her last dime they knew Remy from the gym.
“Rocky was going to tell me about Stansbury. If you don’t mind, Rocky, I’d like for Uri to hear this, too. I’m not trying to embarrass you, but like I said before, the more we know about the bastard, the easier it will be to get him off the streets.”
It was going to be hard enough to tell Finley, but if they could keep her safe, she figured she might as well include Uri in the conversation. While Urijah cooked breakfast, Rocky told them both about how she met Blake, how he got her hooked on drugs, and about Vivian finding her and getting her the help she needed.
“I’m not judging you. I just don’t understand how you couldn’t know he was drugging you,” Uri stated.
“He eased me into it. The doses in the beginning were miniscule enough to make me question myself. Besides, whatever concoction he’d come up with made me feel good, unlike whatever he dosed me with this time. The first few times we were together, he roofied me. I didn’t realize it until it was too late. After that, he gave me shit that had me soaring. I never wanted to come down. But I would, and he’d be right there to make me fly again. After a while, I couldn’t afford to pay him for the drugs and keep the bar going, so he convinced me to dance for him at the club. Not bragging, but I made him a lot of money, yet I hardly saw any of it. Blake took most of it as payment for keeping me high. Eventually, I stopped showing up at RC’s. Bridget confided in Vivian what was happening. Or should I say what wasn’t happening. Vivian found me at Blake’s club one night and dragged my ass to rehab. I’ve been clean ever since. Until last night.”
“Do you feel you will relapse now that you’ve had drugs in your system again?” Urijah asked as he put a plate of eggs, bacon, and an English muffin in front of her.
“No. I will lock myself away before I let that happen. I will never go back to that life. Not knowing where you are half the time coupled with not having control over yourself is no way to live. I’d rather be dead.”
Both men stared at Rocky, but she ignored their shocked faces and dug into her food. Uri refilled her coffee before he sat down to eat. “May I suggest until Blake is taken into custody you stay somewhere other than your apartment?” Uri said.
“I won’t run from him,” she vowed.
“It’s not running, love. It’s staying safe,” Finley countered. “I can go grab some of your things and bring them back here.” Rocky didn’t miss the look Urijah gave Finley. He wasn’t as eager to have her move in as Finley was.
“I don’t want to intrude on the two of you. Besides, I have to go back. I have a meeting with a potential buyer for the bar.”
Finley smiled. “It just so happens we know who you’re meeting with. We could invite him to join us here. He’s already been to the bar a couple of times, so it isn’t necessary to meet with him there.”
Rocky bit off a piece of her bacon and chewed. The smart thing to do would be to stay away from the apartment until Blake was arrested, but she didn’t know these men. Not really. Uri was definitely against the idea if his body language was an indication, although his words said differently.
“It will only be for a couple of days. I’m sure Officer Murdock will have the evidence he needs quickly,” Urijah added with a smile. God, the man was beautiful. Rocky tore her gaze away from his crystal blue eyes and picked up her muffin.
“If you don’t trust us, I could invite Vivian to stay here with you,” Finley said. Rocky was almost certain Urijah growled at the suggestion. Maybe it had been his stomach, but she didn’t think so. He abruptly stood from the table and took his empty plate to the dishwasher. He downed the rest of his coffee and put the mug on the top rack.
“I do apologize, Rocky, but I must get to work. Fin, if you need me, you know where to find me.” Uri disappeared into another part of the house and was gone. Finley leaned back and slung an arm over the back of the chair, staring down the hallway where Uri had gone.
Rocky finished her breakfast while trying to decide what to do. She still needed to meet with her employees, but at this point, she wasn’t ready to go back home. She could call Bridget and explain what happened. She owed her manager that much. Rocky needed to call Vivian and get her take on staying with Finley since she was bed buddies with him. If Vivian thought it was safe, Rocky would take him up on his offer. “Before I say yes, I’d like to make a couple of phone calls, but I’ll need to borrow a phone. Blake trashed mine.”
“I’ll show you to a spare room. Feel free to make yourself at home, and you can use my phone.” Finley stood and gestured to the same hallway Urijah had disappeared down. Rocky followed Finley and stepped into a bedroom that was larger than her whole apartment. She’d like to know what Finley did for a living that afforded him a home so large, but she wasn’t going to be rude and ask. She’d wait and find out from Vivian later.
Of course Vivian was on board with Rocky staying with Finley. Not only would she be safer there, but it gave Vivian an excuse to visit the man’s home. Vivian had the day off, so she agreed to stop by the apartment and grab some of Rocky’s clothes as well as her toiletries and a pack of cigarettes. Rocky would have to wait until Bridget showed up at the bar to get her keys, and then she would have Finley take her to get her car. After assuring Vivian for the hundredth time she was fine, Rocky returned to the kitchen and handed Finley his phone. When she went to get her car, she would go to the cell phone store. She had insurance on her phone, but she didn’t know if it covered lunatics.
“So, what’s the verdict?” Finley asked.
“Vivian is going to stop by the apartment a
nd gather some of my things. I’ll stay here, but not long. I refuse to be an imposition.”
“Trust me, love. You’re no imposition. It’ll be nice to have a woman around. Uri’s my best friend, but there’s only so much testosterone one home can take after a while,” he said, grinning. “And now since that’s settled, I’ll call Sinclair and have him meet us here this afternoon.”
“Sinclair? Isn’t he the friend who you and Vivian visited the other night?” Rocky wasn’t ready to have sex. She didn’t know if she’d be ready for a while. The doctor had swabbed her for evidence of rape, but the test had come back negative. Whatever Blake had been playing at, it hadn’t been sex, or he would have taken the opportunity while she was drugged.
“Yes, and he’s also the one who is interested in RC’s.”
“But I hadn’t put the bar up for sale then.”
“I’m not sure I follow,” Finley said, frowning.
“I thought you invited me so I would feel obligated.” Rocky was confused. Maybe she had the timeline wrong. Her brain was still a little foggy.
“Not at all. You were invited for a good time, nothing more. I didn’t even know he was looking into purchasing a business until last night. I will invite Sin here to discuss the bar, nothing more. I promise.”
Sin. If he was as hot as Vivian had described, Rocky wasn’t sure she was ready to meet with the man, but business was business. “Yeah, okay. But can you ask him to wait until after I’ve had a chance to shower? I don’t want him seeing me like this,” she said, gesturing down her body. She was wearing the workout clothes she’d worn to the beach, and her face was void of make-up.
