He scratched at the stubble under his chin. “A whole slew of shit. She is no angel. But I mean to find out.” He broke off with a curse. “It seems the harder I try to protect you, the more hurt you get. I promised Grayson you’d be safe and if there is one thing I’m not, it is a liar. She won’t touch you again. I’ll take care of everything.”
“That’s what scares me,” I admitted, picking at the tape securing the bandage around my wrist.
“You’re okay here?” he asked, his gaze intense.
“With my dad?” I nodded slowly. “Yeah, I think so.”
“After what happened, ‘I think so’ won’t cut it. Not anymore, Firefly. I won’t leave you unprotected.”
“I appreciate the gesture, I really do, and for letting me stay with you, but I need to be here.”
His gaze turned thoughtful. “Yeah, I get that, which is why I’m staying.”
I blinked and shook my head. He had not just said he was staying at my dad’s house. I had been kicked in the head too many times. “Excuse me?”
Brock cracked a grin for the first time since showing up. “You heard me.”
I lowered my voice as I replied, “I hate to be the one to tell you this, but there is no way my dad is going to let a guy stay in my room or his couch for that matter.”
He leaned in close to my ear. “Make it happen.”
For the love of God, this guy… he was fucking impossible. “Fine,” I conceded. “But you have to come back tonight. I’ll sneak you in, if you’re that concerned.”
“I like how your mind works, Firefly.” A butterfly kiss brushed over my ear and he pulled back with a satisfied expression.
“Like you gave me a choice,” I grumbled, telling myself those were not fireflies zooming around in my belly.
“Now that is settled…” He reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a set of car keys. My car keys. “I had your car dropped off just in case you need it once you feel better. I didn’t want you stranded without an escape.”
“Thank you.” And then I remembered. “Oh, I have Mads’s keys.”
“I’ll have someone get the car.” A few moments of silence passed between us. “Am I really just a friend, Firefly?”
His gaze ensnared mine, holding me captive. The heat in them flared up, or maybe it was just the temperature of my body. Either way, Brock had to stop staring at me like he wanted to join me on the couch and make me forget how much pain I was in.
How fitting.
Our relationship seemed based on us covering up our pain in each other.
“A-hem.” From behind me, Dad cleared his throat. Brock and I both jumped like we’d just been caught doing some heavy making out on the couch instead of just gazing at each other. Don’t get me wrong. It was some heavy-ass gazing.
“Josie,” Dad called from where he hovered in the hallway, his tone disapproving. “You need to rest.”
I carefully shifted on the couch so I could see my dad, moving with slow deliberate movements. “I have the whole week to rest,” I countered, not quite ready to see Brock leave, regardless of how tired I was. The doctor wrote me a pass to stay home from school for the remainder of the week.
Brock stood, and my heart sank. “He’s right, Josie. I should probably get going before the other guys decide to come see you themselves.”
“Other guys?” Dad echoed, his brows raised, arms crossed over his grunge band T-shirt.
“Friends, Dad. Chill,” I explained, groaning.
Brock glanced down at me. “You have a right to be cautious, but I don’t want to see your daughter hurt any more than she already is.” His gaze slid to where my dad still stood in the doorway, seriousness firmly rooted in his features.
My dad’s resolve didn’t waver. “Then you and I want the same thing. You might not have been involved, but I think it is best you stay away from my daughter.”
My mouth dropped. “Dad!” I protested. “You don’t know what you’re doing. It’s not Brock you should be worried about. Believe it or not, he is protecting me. I need him.”
Did those words actually come out of my mouth? Could this get any more embarrassing?