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“We all do.” He shrugged. “Ritz, Bear, Gunner, everyone who lives somewhere else has a room here in case we need it.”
“Hmm…that’s good to know.”
Smirking, I kissed her one more time before reaching down and grabbing her hand. We didn’t say goodbye to anyone, we didn’t even stop to talk, we just headed to the place that held some of my best memories.
We cleared the top of the stairs just as another door opened and Ritz walked out of his room with Rachel beside him.
“Rachel?” Jane stopped and stared at her cousin. “I didn’t know you were coming tonight. You never answered my text this afternoon.”
“Yeah.” She glanced back and forth between us. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was here. I wasn’t sure I was even going to stop.”
Jane nodded, but then took a step closer to Rachel and gestured back and forth between her and Ritz. “Are you two…?”
“No,” Rachel replied immediately. “We were just talking.”
“Oh,” Jane replied, but she seemed hesitant when she continued. “Is everything okay?”
“Rachel has some big news to share.” Ritz leaned his hip against the doorjamb, appearing to look relaxed, but I knew him too well to believe that. Something was definitely going on and he wasn’t happy about it.
“Ritz,” Rachel snapped, but then she frowned at Jane. “I just got some news I wasn’t expecting, that’s all.”
Jane reached out and laid her hand on Rachel’s arm. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “But not right now. I promise I’m okay. I’ll call you and explain everything, but I’m tired of thinking about it tonight.”
“Alright,” Jane agreed, but I could tell she was worried. “You’re sure?”
Rachel’s smile widened. “Yes, I’m positive.” She wrapped her arms around Jane, and they hugged before she pulled back. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay,” Jane answered hesitantly.
She started past us when Ritz reached out and grabbed her arm. “You’re not driving the whole way home tonight. You can stay at my place.”
My eyes widened when I heard his offer. Ritz didn’t take women back to his apartment. Never has as far as I knew. He always said that was his space; if he was with a woman, it was in his room at the club. Guess shit was changing or at the very least it was changing when it involved Rachel.
“Maybe he’s right, Rachel,” Jane said quietly. “Or you can stay with us.”
She studied him for a minute, but then smiled at Jane. “I’ll be fine. Really.” She stressed. “Go back to the party.”
“But…” Jane started, except Rachel was already walking down the hallway toward the stairs.
Ritz pushed off the wall and began to follow her, but he glanced back at Jane. “I got this. There’s no way in hell she’s driving home tonight. You have nothin’ to worry about.”
Jane watched until they disappeared, then turned her worried eyes in my direction. “Do you think she’s alright?”
“I think she’s going through something. That’s all,” I answered honestly. “But she’s with Ritz and he won’t let anything happen to her.” I kissed her softly. “None of us will.”
She wrapped her arms around my waist and propped her chin on my chest to stare into my eyes. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being you. For giving me a safe place to land while I took scary risks but have made me the happiest I’ve ever been.” Her eyes darted toward the empty hallway before meeting mine again. “And for promising to protect the person I consider my sister for no other reason than what she means to me.”
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you, princess.” I dropped my lips to hers and kissed her softly, wanting to erase the concern lingering in her eyes.
The same concern I shared but didn’t want to voice.
And hoped like hell that Ritz could keep his promise to protect her.
