“I don’t know how much Rex’s told you about my past, but—”
“He’s told me all he knows, Gia. And I know you don’t believe this now, but you’re safe here. Rex has agreed to stay with you through therapy for as long as you need him, as long as it takes for you to trust me.”
I exhale and force my shoulders to relax. “Thank you.”
He nods and smiles so sweetly that I can see how Rex came to care so deeply for the man.
His eyes move between us. “You know this isn’t very professional of me to say, but I’ve known Rex for a very long time, so I’m going to say it.” He leans in, elbows on his thighs. “With your history, both the shared experiences and the traumatic events that followed, statistically you guys don’t have a chance at a healthy relationship.”
My stomach lurches and my muscles get tight, but I notice Rex is still relaxed.
“But looking at you now, the obstacles you’ve overcome to get where you are today? Your love makes a believer out of the worst cynic.”
Rex’s hand convulses around mine. “I couldn’t agree more. Now will you tell my girl she shouldn’t go back to work yet?”
My mouth hangs open, and Darren tries unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh.
“I’m thinking I trust Darren now.” I playfully shove Rex. “You can leave.”
The three of us laugh, lightening the air in the room.
Rex pulls my face to his and places a soft kiss on my lips with a drag of his lip ring. His arctic blue eyes bore into mine and he’s not smiling. “I can, but I’m never leaving you, baby. You’ve been a part of me for as long as I can remember, and I’m never letting you go.”
Just like that, work, money, history . . . none of it matters.
Something shifts within my soul and another sliver of the old me is brought back to life.
*
Rex
“You’re fucking lying.” Talon points at me, a smile on his face and a beer in his hand. “No way you’ve been seeing Mac since last summer. It’s damn near Christmas. I would’ve known.”
I play with the tuning on my guitar from the couch in our backstage dressing room. “Why the hell would I lie about that? She’s fucking living with me.”
Gia and I haven’t been seen together by anyone outside of the UFL guys, and we weren’t together for very long before she took off. I’m not surprised Talon thinks I’m bullshitting.
“So she left for six months to visit family, and now she’s back and living with you?” Talon shakes his head.
“Yeah, why is that so hard to believe?”
“Um, I don’t know, maybe because this is the first time I’ve heard you even talk about her.”
“I don’t give a fuck if you believe me—”
The door to the dressing room swings open and Lane and Ty come in.
“Fucking mad house out there.” Lane digs in his pocket and pulls out a smoke.
“Ever since we played House of Blues we’ve been packin’ ’em in.” Talon rubs his shaved head and drops down on the opposite side of the couch.
Ty picks up a small ice bucket that was full of beers. “I need a drink.”
Lane takes a long drag off his smoke. “You check out the new waitress?”
I go back to tuning my guitar and fight a grin.
Talon shakes his head. “No. She hot?”
“Ha! Hot’s an understatement. She’s fucking phenomenal.” Ty brings his hands to his chest. “Big tits, tiny waist, and a tight little ass.”
A growl rolls from my throat. “Easy, Ty.”
All three of them glare at me.
Ty doesn’t seem to get my warning or care, because he shakes me off and keeps talking. “Dude, the best part is she’s a redhead. You know what they say about redheads, right?”
I don’t know what they say about redheads, but I know I’m not gonna like it.
He points to his head—“Fire hair”—then to his crotch—“Fire there.” He flexes his hips forward. “Fire fucking everywhere.”
All three of the guys laugh hard while I prepare how best to rip out Ty’s Adam’s apple with my bare hands. “You stupid fu—”
There’s a knock on the door and it swings open. My blood immediately goes from hot to warm when my eyes land on Gia.
She got her job back but has agreed to work part-time until she’s gotten her strength back. After our counseling session with Darren at the beginning of the week, she seems to be getting better and better every day. She’s eating well and started running with me in the mornings to build back all the muscle she lost.