You Will Be Mine (Forever and Ever #7)(43)

“No, you aren’t.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You just feel bad for me because I have no one…no one loves me…no one cares.”

“I care about you,” I whispered.

“No, you don’t…” She turned away to walk into the bathroom.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “I wouldn’t say that unless I meant it.”

She lowered her gaze and refused to look at me. It was a side to her I’d never seen before. She was always so strong and confident, never backing down from a fight. She held her own in an argument, and she always put me in my place when we butted heads. But now there seemed to be no fight left in her. “You do?”

“Yeah.” My hand still held her arm. “You’re really drunk. Can I take you home?”

“Home?” she whispered.

“Yeah. I’ll give you a ride.”

She seemed to consider it. “I was just going to call a cab.”

She could hardly walk so I feared she wouldn’t be able to get around on her own. She might fall and hurt herself. “Let me take you. I don’t mind.”

She stared into my eyes, looking for sincerity. “You have pretty eyes…”

“Thank you. You do too.”

She looked away, like she forgot the question I just asked.

“Can I take you home?” I repeated.

“Um…okay. But I can’t leave my friend.”

“I can give her a ride too,” I whispered. “I don’t mind.”

“Okay…maybe you aren’t that evil after all.”

Evil was a good way to describe me. “Yeah…”

She went to the bathroom and did her business. Then she returned and wobbled again.

I hooked my arm around her waist and kept her close to me, letting her use me as a crutch. She didn’t object to my touch. If she were sober, she’d probably smack me.

When we reached her table, her friend was chatting with a guy.

“Theodore is going to take us home,” Alex slurred.

“It’s Theo,” I corrected.

“I’m okay.” Her friend waved Alex away. “I’m sure Jeremy will give me a ride.” She batted her eyelashes at him.

“I sure will.” He grinned from ear-to-ear, knowing he was going to get laid.

“Are you sure?” Alex asked.

“Yeah.” Her friend brushed her off. “I’ll call you if I change my mind.”

“Okay.” Alex fumbled for her purse but dropped it.

I grabbed it for her. “I’ll hold onto it.”

“Okay.” Alex kissed her friend on the cheek. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

I’d never seen two girls do that before. Were they French?

Conrad came to my side. “Looks like you’ll be busy for the rest of the night.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me.

“She can hardly walk so I’m taking her home.”

“Hopefully that redeems you a little.” He clapped my shoulder and walked away.

“Hooking up with anyone tonight?” I asked. “Or are you just going to go home and think about Beatrice?”

He rolled his eyes then walked out.

“I’m ready.” Alex hooked her arm through mine.

Her affection caught me off guard. “Okay.” I walked with her out of the bar.

“Lucky bastard,” a guy said as I passed. “He gets to fuck that fine piece of ass tonight.”

I froze on the spot, feeling pissed off. I dropped my arm from Alex then turned to the guy, ready to bash his face in. His eyes widened when I looked at him. I gripped him by the shirt and slugged him so hard I heard his nose crack. “Talk about her like that again and I’ll kill you.” I slammed his face into the counter before I grabbed Alex again.

She eyed me hesitantly as she walked beside me.

I reached my truck then opened the passenger door her for. I knew her dress would ride up when she climbed inside, revealing whatever panties she was wearing. I lent her a hand and closed my eyes while she climbed in. She shivered once she was inside, so I pulled off my jacket and lay it on her lap. Then I got into the driver’s side and turned on the heat for her. She pulled her knees to her chest and used the jacket as a blanket since it was large enough to cover her entire body.

“Where do you live?” I asked. I lost the address Chan gave me and I couldn’t recall the way in the dark.

“Uh…” She thought for a long time. “It’s a house…by Taco Bell.”

Shit, she was drunk.

“It’s painted green…I can’t remember.”

I tried not to laugh. “It’s okay. We’ll head to my place.”

“Your place?” she asked.

“I have an apartment,” I explained.

I headed down the road and kept the music off. She leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes. The temperature of the truck was scorching hot but I left the heater on because she still seemed cold.

When I arrived at my place, I killed the engine then came around to her side. I had a feeling she would fall out of the truck once the door was open. The last thing I wanted was for her to break her ankle.

“I got you.” I scooped her into my arms then shut the door with my hip.