“Okay,” I whispered.
He studied my face and gave me a tight nod. “Okay, then. I’m going to go save your plant.”
That made me laugh. “I think they’re just flowers, not a plant.”
He snorted. “I’ll save your flowers, then. And then we’re going to call the cops. After that, I’m going to get to know your couch. You have school in the morning, and then you’re going to tell the girls everything. Got me?”
“I didn’t know you were so bossy.” My face felt a little warm, hopefully just from the vodka.
“You don’t know a lot of things about me, Nessa. But it seems you’re about to learn some.” He walked off, and I did my best not to look at him go or notice how those gray sweatpants fit him.
My head ached, and I reached for my phone, knowing I would have to go over everything more than once. I wasn’t ready. Miles would be back soon, and he’d help. And, somehow, I’d do my best not to lean on him.
Somehow.
.
Chapter 8
Miles
I paced the kitchen and tried to catch my breath, passing the others as they each grumbled to one another.
“You called the cops?” Tanner asked.
I rolled on him. “What else was I supposed to do?”
Tanner held up both hands. “I’m just making sure you did, not saying that you made a mistake in doing so. Jesus Christ. She okay?”
I shook my head and slid my hand through my hair. “I think so. She says she is. Fuck, she could have been badly hurt.”
“I’m just glad you were there,” Tanner said, his hands fisted in front of him on the counter.
Pacey let out a breath. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if she had been hurt any more than she already was.”
I looked at Pacey and tried not to let any of my resentment show. I knew my roommate hadn’t meant to string Nessa along. The situation had been an accident since Pacey hadn’t seen the longing etched on Nessa’s face. Yet Pacey had hurt Nessa, even if he hadn’t meant to. I knew the two were on better terms now, but I couldn’t help but be a little jealous of what she had felt for the guy.
Only that was on me and had nothing to do with the fact that this asshole, Xander, had hurt Nessa.
Dillon turned to me. “Do you know what the police are doing?”
“They took her statement and mine, and I know they were going to go talk to the guy, but I don’t know anything beyond that.”
“It’s not like you had any evidence,” Tanner grumbled. “I don’t think they can go and arrest him. It sounds to me like they’ll warn him or ask him some questions.”
Dillon growled. “Xander is just like Sanders. Slick. He’s probably able to get away with anything.”
“As much as I hate Sanders, I don’t see him doing what Xander did,” Pacey growled.
I nodded tightly. “True, but Xander is that slick kind of guy.”
Dillon cleared his throat. “If I remember right, his dad’s a big-time lawyer.”
I looked at Dillon. “You know Xander?”
“Not beyond a couple of classes. I vaguely remember him saying something along those lines, though.”
“Crap,” I growled.
“We’ll do what we can. Nessa is safe at the house. The doors are locked,” Pacey added.
Tanner nodded. “Yes, I changed them, mainly because the door was about to fall off anyway. The landlord didn’t mind. Though, of course, they didn’t. I was doing the work for them for free.”
“Is there anything else we can do to keep them safe?” I asked, worry gnawing at my gut.
“Unless they let us put in a security system I can’t afford, I’m not sure,” Tanner said.
“If it’s the money, I can handle that,” Pacey growled. “Our house has better security, but it’s not like we can move all four girls in here.” Pacey paused. “Well, we could, but then our girlfriends would be living with us, and that might be a little weird.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And what about the other girls?”
“If all else fails, they can share Sanders’ old room.”
Nessa could stay in mine, but I didn’t say that. Nor would I even think that again. Because that was wrong. So wrong.
“The point is moot,” I said, shaking my head. “The girls aren’t going to want to live here, and that’s not the point anyway.”
“No, the point is we need to do whatever we can to make sure they feel safe.”
“Sometimes, I don’t know how the hell we make it through these things,” Dillon grumbled before he drank the last of his coffee.
“I don’t know, either.” Pacey looked blankly at the kitchen window, his shoulders drooping.
I looked over at Tanner. “Thank you for taking care of the locks.”
“I’m just glad I did it. I don’t want to think…no, I’m not going to think about what might have happened if I hadn’t,” Tanner grumbled.
“If the authorities don’t, we’ll do what we can to make sure Xander stays away from her,” Pacey said, nodding tightly.
“I’m going over there to help with her stats homework. I’ll talk to her.”
Pacey gave me a look, and I shrugged. “We’re friends.” Just because I wanted more didn’t mean anything.
“None of the girls are alone. Ever,” Pacey said.
Tanner barked out a laugh, and I glared at him.
“What?” I asked.
“Yes, because us doing our best to rally around them and force them never to be alone and always be taken care of will go over so well with these women. Two of you are dating them. You should know better than that.”
Pacey shrugged. “I’ll still do what I can to protect them.”
I sighed. “We all will. Now, I need to head over.”
“I’m sure all of us will go at some point to check on them,” Dillon said with a shrug. “It’s what we do.”
I nodded. “I know. I wish I could’ve been the one to hit him.” I shook my head. “You should’ve seen Nessa. She was magnificent.” The guys gave me a look, and I knew I had probably said too much.
I nodded and then headed out, grabbing my books. I was decent at statistics and had taken the same class that she was in, so I should be of some help. Honestly, I just wanted to spend time with her—even if that was probably a mistake.
I walked the distance to their house so I didn’t have to park on the street, and it helped me burn off some of my energy. I was too wired when it came to Nessa, especially with what had happened in her driveway. It was all just a little too much, and I hated that I hadn’t been able to do anything but growl and do my best to protect her. She’d defended herself, and I had slept on their damn couch. The lumpy thing had given me a crick in the neck, but when Natalie had come home the next morning after spending the night at her parents’ house, her eyes had gone wide. I had left before Nessa could explain to everyone what had happened.
Still, I had been there. Sleeping under the same roof as Nessa. Even though she had slept in my bed before, I hadn’t been there with her. She’d been drunk, had kissed me, and I’d walked away, leaving her in my room. An event she didn’t remember, and one I told myself to forget.