“You can’t go back in there.” She shook her head.

I brushed the hair back from her face, running the pad of my finger down her cheek. “I’ll be fine. I promise.” I nodded. “Do you trust me?” She hesitated, knowing she could answer honestly and let me go or she could lie. She slowly nodded and I grabbed the sides of her face in my hands and pulled her toward me to kiss her forehead.

“Take them back to the hotel,” I barked at Chris as I headed back into the club.

Terry leaned in close to me with a stern look on his face. “He ain’t worth it.”

My eyes flicked to Sarah’s. “She is.” I turned and made my way back into the club before I could hear any more protests. My head throbbed from the blow to my temple and I had to steady myself to keep from doubling over. I knew I had to find Derek because she needed me to, but I couldn’t promise I wouldn’t kick his ass when I finally saw him.

My eyes scanned the club and it was impossible to see who was who. I pushed my way into the mess, catching a blow to the ribs and having to swing against some asshole. I caught him under the jaw and shoved him back into a group of men behind him, who yelled like wild animals.

It took me a full five minutes to reach the bar, but it felt like hours and I knew I would be too sore to even move tomorrow. I pulled myself up onto the bar and looked down at the people below. It was a tangled sea of limbs. I couldn’t find Derek anywhere in the mess and I was about to give up, but I didn’t want to disappoint Sarah.

I looked behind me to an open doorway that led to another room. I jumped down and fought my way over to the hidden space. The fight had spilled over into the doorway, but the majority of occupants were bystanders huddled around pool tables and watching as all hell broke loose.

That was when I saw him. And I saw red. Derek was leaning against a wall with some dumb blond bitch pressed against his body and his tongue in her mouth. He was oblivious of my presence, but he wouldn’t be for long. I shoved out of the way some asshole that squared his shoulders, looking for a fight. When I reached Derek, I didn’t hesitate to grab the slut’s shoulder and pull her back while I swung with my right arm and my fist connected with his left cheek-bone. The crack of knuckles against bone was only mildly satisfying as I drew back to hit him again, but someone grabbed my arm and I was pulled backward and stumbled to the ground, my blood pumping so hard I nearly blacked out from the pain in my head.

“He’s not worth it. We need to get the fuck out of here.” Terry held out his hand for me and I took it, blinking back the pain that radiated through my head.

Chapter Six

SARAH

I PACED THE FLOOR of my hotel room playing nervously with my silver chain necklace as I waited for E to return with Derek.

When a knock came at the door, I rushed to open it, and Eric stood in front of me, blood spattered on his lip. He looked as if he had just run a marathon.

“Where’s Derek?” I asked as he ran his hand over his face and stepped inside the room. I closed the door behind him and hurried into the small kitchenette to get him a drink of water.

He gulped it down, looking pained as he tried to swallow. “I need something . . . for my head.”

I rushed over to my purse and dug through it, looking for anything that might ease his migraine. “Fuck, E, I can’t find anything.”

“I have something in my room.” He took an unsteady step toward the door and I rushed to his side, grabbing his arm to help him. “I’ll walk you.” He only nodded as I pulled the door open and we slipped down the hall toward his room. He glanced over his shoulder toward Donna’s room as Terry stood outside it, ready to knock. He tilted his chin up to E, who nodded as I pulled him to his room.

“I need your room key.”

E patted down his pockets but his hands flew up to his head as his face contorted in pain.

“I’ll . . . I’ll get it.” I hesitated before slipping my hand in his front right pocket, coming up with a lighter. His eyes opened, locking onto mine. I held my breath as I pulled my hand back and stuck it in his other pocket and pulled out the plastic card.

I slid it in the card slot, and the little green indicator light flashed and then I pushed down the handle and shoved the door open. E leaned against my side and I wrapped my arm around his lean, muscular waist and guided him inside until we stood at the foot of his bed. He groaned and fell back onto it and stared up at the ceiling.

I scanned the room. “Where are your pills?”

He pointed in no particular direction and I took off into the bathroom.

A label-less orange medicine bottle sat on the edge of the sink. I tried three times with shaky fingers before removing the childproof lid and grabbing him one of his pills.

When I made it back to him, he was shirtless and my gaze immediately fell to his thick chest and the rippled muscles of his abdomen. He was unbuckling his dark jeans and my eyes slowly slid back up his body and locked onto his. I was embarrassed he had caught me staring, and he smirked knowingly as he shoved his pants over his hips.

“I . . . I found the pills.” I held out my hand to show him, and he sank down on the bed in only a pair of black boxer briefs. I tried to look anywhere but at him as I made my way over and extended my arm.

“Thank you.” His voice was rough and low as he popped the pill in his mouth and swallowed.

“I should have gotten you a drink.”

He shook his head, his eyes closed as he fell onto his back. “It’s fine. I take them dry all the time.”

I was wringing my hands together as I watched his chest rise and fall. I forced my eyes not to venture any lower. My heart rate was finally beginning to settle to a normal rhythm after my worry for him. Then my mind froze as I realized that in my worry for Eric, I had forgotten Derek.

“E?”

He didn’t respond.

“Eric?”

“Mmm?” His eyebrow rose but he kept his eyes closed.

“Where is Derek?”

I watched his Adam’s apple jump as he swallowed. “Why do you put up with that asshole?”

“What kind of question is that? E, tell me where he is.”

He slowly turned his head toward me and blinked his eyes open as he searched my face. I could tell he was struggling to find the words, and my heart sank as I imagined the worst.

“Why does he get to fuck up and I have to be the one to break your heart?”

“Please, just tell me, E. Please. You’re scaring me.”

He shook his head and looked up to the ceiling above him. “The cops came right after you guys left. I was able to get out of the club, but they arrested Derek for fighting.” E squeezed his eyes closed and took a deep breath. “He was trying to find you to make sure you were safe.”

My hand went absentmindedly to my chest as my heart broke for Derek.

“How do I get him out, E? Where do I go?”

“He will be released in the morning. You’ll have him back in no time . . . I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be sorry. You tried to find him . . . thank you.”

He nodded but didn’t reply.

I stood by his bedside for a moment as I wondered what Derek was going through. “Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?”

He looked over at me with a grin and shook his head. “No.” I turned to leave the room, but as I got to the door, his voice stopped me.

“It would have been his birthday today.”

My heart broke as I realized he was talking about his little brother.

“Can you hang out for a bit? Just talk to me while I fall asleep?” I turned around to face him. He was still lying on his back, his legs over the edge of the bed. One arm was over his forehead to block the light, and the other was stretched out to his side in my direction. “It will help keep my mind focused on something else, something good . . . drown out the darkness, you know?”