Strands of unease climb up my throat. Wonderful. The last thing I need is tonight’s activities getting back to Preston. I tighten my grip on Evan and say, “I have no idea who you are, dude. Now, please, get out of our way.”
“Does Kincaid know you’re messing around on him?” His laughter turns maniacal. “And with this piece of shit, no less? Jesus. Women are such trash.”
“Trash,” one of the other guys echoes drunkenly.
When both of them try advancing closer, I’ve officially had enough.
“Back off, motherfuckers.” My voice cracks like a whip off the brick wall of the bar.
“Or what?” mocks the tall one.
With an angry, impatient growl, I shove my hand in my purse and whip out a can of pepper spray, aiming it at the frat bros until they stagger back. “I promise you, I’m crazier than I look. Please test me.”
Somewhere in the distance, a siren blares. It’s enough to spook them. “Man, forget this bitch, let’s get out of there.”
They hurry to pile in a car across the street and flee, tires squealing as they pull a hard U-turn.
“Where the hell did that come from?” Evan manages a faint laugh, still clinging to me with one arm over my shoulder.
“All women are wolverines.”
“Clearly.”
“I’ve also done a fair bit of solo traveling, which if nothing else has taught me to be prepared for what lurks in the shadows.” With that, I all but drag him to his Jeep and fish his keys out of his pocket. He manages to climb into the passenger seat while I slide behind the wheel.
“I can’t go home,” he says. Eyes closed, his head lulls against the window. Too heavy for his neck.
I adjust the driver’s seat to accommodate my shorter legs. “Okay …Steph and Alana’s house?”
“No. Please.” He speaks in gusts of breath. “Coop can’t find out.”
I’m not sure why or which part he’s referring to, but I understand his desperation. Which leaves me no choice but to bring him back to Tally Hall.
Getting him up to my dorm room on the fourth floor is a challenge, but we make it there in one piece. Once inside, I sit him on the edge of the bathtub to clean him up. A sense of déjà vu hits me. What is it about these Hartley boys, huh?
As I’m wiping the blood from his face with a wet washcloth, I can’t ignore his gaze following my every move. He has some bruising and small cuts, but nothing serious. Just need to dab a little ointment and apply a couple bandages.
“Sore losers,” he says.
“Huh?”
“Those guys. I beat them at pool, and they didn’t take it well. Shouldn’t play with money they aren’t prepared to lose.”
“Do you always shark people outnumbered?”
He breathes out a laugh then winces, holding his side. “I thought I had the home field advantage. Turned out there were a few more people holding a grudge than I figured.”
I cock a brow at him. “Don’t you townies have a saying about shitting where you eat?”
“Yeah, I might have heard that one.”
“You’ve got to diversify.”
“Adapt or die, is that it?”
“Something like that.” Once I’ve got him fixed up, I get him a glass of water and some aspirin and bring him an ice pack. “You can sleep it off in Bonnie’s room,” I offer. “She’s out tonight and I know she won’t mind.”
“She’d better not. I made her come three times that night.”
I choke out a laugh. “How kind of you.” Man, it seems like ages ago that Evan and Bonnie had wandered down the beach together. A day later, she was already chasing after her next conquest. No muss, no fuss between those two.
I prop him on the edge of Bonnie’s bed and proceed to undress him in the most clinical of manners. I try not to stare at his body and compare it to Cooper’s, but it’s difficult. His chest is right there, and yes, it’s as muscular as his brother’s. No tattoos, though. At least until I help him roll over and realize he has a huge one on his back. It’s too dark to make out the ink.
“Thank you,” he says once he’s lying down.
Though he doesn’t offer more than that, I know it’s sincere. Whatever is going on between him and Cooper, it’s enough that turning to me for help was the more attractive option. I take it as a step in the right direction that Evan trusts me this much. Baby steps.
I pat him gently on the head, as if he’s a child with a slight fever. “You’re welcome.”