Shiloh
I’m curled into the corner of Kate’s couch. The TV’s on, but neither of us are watching it. It’s nearly eight. Tro’s been gone for ten hours. Kate’s called the police station and they don’t have any information.
“That’s a good thing,” she said after her first call at two. “It means they haven’t charged him.
She’s not saying that anymore.
I’m so jacked up that the knock on the door sends me through the roof. Kate leaps off the other end of the couch and yanks the door open. The first thing I feel is paralyzing relief. But on its heels, I can’t deny the stab of jealousy when she launches herself into Tro’s arms.
“Oh my God!” she breathes.
Tro’s gaze is a little wild as it darts over her shoulder and finds me. When he sees me, he closes his eyes and breathes a huge sigh. She lets him go and he comes into the room. “Hey,” he says with an unsure squint and tip of his head. “Wasn’t sure you’d still be here.”
I’m finally able to move and I pull myself up from the cushions. “I sort of don’t have anywhere else to go.”
He nods as he moves slowly toward me. He stops just in front of me, waiting. I can’t stand being this close and not touching him, but I force my hands to stay at my sides.
He lifts a hand, strokes a finger along the line of my jaw. “I’ve never been so fucking glad you’re an orphan.”
I smile as he pulls me to his chest.
Kate backs toward the kitchen. “I’m going to pull something together for dinner.”
When she’s gone, Tro cups my face in his hands and kisses me. His kiss is slow and soft and makes my heart ache.
“What happened?” I ask when he draws away.
“They think I killed my old man,” he says, “but they don’t have enough to charge me. They’ve sealed off my apartment for a few days, looking for something they can nail me on, no doubt.”
“But you didn’t do it,” Kate says from the kitchen door.
He looks at her and shrugs. “You think that really matters? They’ve got a body. They have to pin it on somebody, so why not go big and convict a rock star?”
Kate just looks at him a long minute before saying, “You didn’t do it,” again and turning back to the kitchen.
She boils some spaghetti and we all just pick at it.
“Did I tell you I walked into the garage last week and found the new downstairs neighbor taking naked pictures on your bike?” Kate says when no one talks.
Tro makes a disgusted face. “That fat, bald guy? Jesus.”
She shakes her head. “His hot eighteen-year-old daughter.”
“Ah,” Tro says, then winks at me. “That’s different.”
The conversation’s lighter for the rest of dinner, and when we all decide we’re done picking, we clean up.
“I’ve put Shiloh’s stuff in Grandma’s room,” Kate announces, dumping spaghetti down the disposal. “You guys are staying here tonight.”
“Thanks, Kate,” Tro says. “I need to sneak up the fire escape and grab some clothes and whatever.”
“They won’t let you in?” I ask.
“I doubt anyone’s up there right now. I’d have to wait until tomorrow and” —he plucks at his T-shirt—“I’m pretty sure I stink.”
I step into him and nestle my face into his chest. He smells like sweat and sex. “I’m just going to take off anything you put on, so don’t bother,” I whisper.
He groans low in his chest. “Yes, please.”
I stretch up on my tiptoes and he leans down to kiss me. “We’re calling Freddie tomorrow. I want to get your manager nailed down so you can start sorting out your contract.”
“Way to kill the mood,” I grumble, shoving him away.
Tro and I curl together on one end of the couch, and Kate puts in a movie and sits on Tro’s other side. When it’s over, Tro takes my hand and leads me to another bedroom at the end of the hallway.
“I’m going to take a shower before we hit the sack,” he says.
“Why?” I whisper, pulling him close. “You’re just going to get sweaty again.”
A cocky smile tugs at his mouth. “I’ve unleashed your inner nymphomaniac.”
I tug his T-shirt off and start on the button of his jeans. Because he has. Despite everything that’s happened today, or maybe because of it, all I can think about this second is how Tro felt inside me.
He lifts my shirt as he backs me toward the bed and slips my shorts over my hips. By the time my back hits the bed, we’re both naked.
“I don’t have protection,” he says, his lips brushing mine as he hovers over me.
I tug my bag over from the corner of the bed and riffle through it, coming out with one of the condoms Lilah slipped into it just as I was leaving. “My best friend always has my back.”