Mad Boys (Blue Ivy Prep, #2)(86)

I was too damn tired to worry about it right now. “The cops are going to want to talk to you again,” she briefed me as she tugged the shirt over my head. “I’ll get your clothes sorted. I also had management send them the stalker emails and letters—especially after the pictures that were left on your bed.”

“Okay.”

Once I was under the covers, she pulled them up and tucked me in. “I’ll be right back.”

I was already floating off. My eyes were glued shut, but I could still feel the weight of her regard.

“What stalker emails?” Lachlan demanded in a really loud whisper. Or maybe he wasn’t whispering.

“None of your business,” Aubrey snapped. “You won’t leave her alone?”

“I won’t. Want the door closed or open?”

“Open until I get back. Her eyes are still unfocused.”

“If you want our—”

“I don’t want anything from you,” Aubrey cut Lachlan off. “Don’t mistake convenience for forgiveness. You’ve all been assholes to her, and I don’t give a shit about your reasons. That’s my best friend, so I’ll be taking her side in everything even when she won’t. There is always someone out to make a buck off her name or her parents, and the fact you used that against her makes you no better than the rest of the world…”

“I just want to help her,” Jonas said, though the others were silent and guilt stabbed at me. Aubrey was scared and she was angry. I needed to get up and—do something.

“Then look after her and I’ll be back in five minutes. Maybe less.”

I was losing the battle for staying awake.

“She’s taking the next three days off,” Ramsey said. “So are you, Jonas. Stay with her. I’ll make arrangements for excuses and assignments…”

“I’ll…” Whatever it was Lachlan was going to do faded out and would have to wait. The thud of my headache rocked me to sleep.





Thirty-Five





JONAS


It didn’t take Aubrey long to get some things and come back. Ramsey actually went into the hall to make sure no one interrupted or tracked her. She came back with a pillow, and I wasn’t sure why until she handed me the extra from my bed. KC was asleep on mine.

In my bed.

That left an unidentifiable feeling settling in my chest. When I stared at the pillow, Aubrey sighed and shot a look behind me before focusing on me. Yeah, I know my brothers were still here. For once, I didn’t mind it. They weren’t going to let anything happen to KC either.

“She didn’t want you to sleep on the sofa with nothing,” Aubrey told me in a low voice like I needed the explanation. “Do you have an extra blanket? Or can I grab one for you in here?”

“This is good,” I told her. Then… “Thank you.”

“Wasn’t me, I don’t care if you sleep hard.” The sharpness in her smile and the hint of a smirk gave her away. The expression and the reduction of rancor in her voice when it came to me versus my brothers. It was weird to be the one someone liked more than them. I didn’t usually care if someone liked me. Still didn’t…

Except, the moment that thought crossed my mind, my gaze tracked to KC where she slept. I liked being friends with her.

I liked that she liked me.

“Okay,” I said, nodding to where KC was. “I’ll be out here. No one will bother her.”

She met my gaze, and for the first time, I thought maybe we got each other. If not peace, then armistice. To be honest, I hadn’t thought much about Aubrey Miller at all.

“Good,” she said, bracing a hand against the door before she pushed it almost closed before she added, “Thank you.” Then it shut silently before the lock engaged.

As much as I wanted to stare at the door like I could see KC through it, I needed to talk to my brothers. Pillow in hand, I faced them.

Lachlan leaned against the back of the sofa, arms folded, chin down to his chest, and a brooding look on his face. Like I had been, he stared at my closed bedroom door. The air around him was electric with unrepressed fury.

Ramsey was closer to the door, but his attention seemed more targeted on the door to her room, which stood open. “You guys should go,” I said. “I’ll stay up.”

No way I could sleep.

Lachlan cut a look at me and straightened. “I’ll be back up at six. You want anything? Food? Coffee?”

I could use KC’s coffee maker, but that seemed wrong if she wasn’t up to enjoy it. “Food. Whatever.”

He nodded. “Don’t let anyone in.”

While I had no intentions of doing so, I didn’t argue. For all his jerky movements as he yanked the door open to the suite, he didn’t slam it behind him.

“The cops were pretty brutal,” Ramsey said, pulling my attention to him. “They talked to him for hours, and they want to talk to him again.”

Did I feel bad for him? Maybe.

“She wasn’t wrong about what he did.”

“He didn’t say she was.” Ramsey surprised me with that. “But he also didn’t answer in detail. His father also sent an attorney over.”

I set the pillow down on the sofa. The smell in here hadn’t improved in all the hours of our absence.