Adam finally spoke: “All right, fine. She got hooked on painkillers after getting hurt in an accident. We lived in a rundown motel and she let her boyfriend use me as a punching bag as payment for her drugs. He convinced her it would make me tough or some shit. My third-grade teacher saw the bruises and reported it—turned out the day they took me away was the best day of my life.”
A feral growl of rage escaped me. I was a protector, and this shit was going to eat at me if I didn’t step in.
“What about your father?” Jesse asked Adam.
Adam shook his head. “Never knew him. All she ever said was his name was Steven, and she met him in college.”
Aidan and Jesse were both quiet in disbelief, but I had the answer and didn’t plan to take no for an answer. “If you won’t leave your apartment, I’m moving in with you. Hope there’s cable at your place—the Pirates are having a hell of a season.”
Adam froze and blinked at me. The silence that filled the room was kinda weird, but I wouldn’t let it deter me. I’d give him some options, but not to refuse.
“The way I see it, Rockstar, you’ve got three choices. You can stay with Cole, stay at my place with me, Daredevil, and Dreamboat, or I’m staying with you. Those are your options until the police can find her. So, you decide.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I sat back and looked at him.
Adam frowned, then opened his mouth to speak, only to close it. He narrowed his eyes, then looked up at the ceiling in resignation.
“Phantom, what’s the difference between Cole’s house and my apartment?”
“A top-of-the-line security system. And Patrick Griffin.”
He let out a big sigh and scrubbed his hands over his face. “All of you are making this into a bigger deal than it is. This isn’t new. We’ll be on tour soon and there’ll be nothing to worry about.”
I shrugged. “Maybe. But not likely. We don’t run away from problems, we fix them.”
I eyed the obstinate man in front of me and thought about how to tackle this. Normally, I’d try charm, but this was too important.
“Well, Rockstar, what’s it gonna be? You rooming with me at my place, or am I rooming with you at yours?”
Adam rubbed his temples, then ran his tattooed fingers through his sexy hair that was just long enough to grip in my fists. “How long?” he sighed.
I glanced down at my crotch to lighten the moment and then smiled at him, but Adam held up a finger. “Let me rephrase. How long will you be my bodyguard? It’s gonna cramp my style.”
Cole snorted. “What style? You haven’t hooked up in…”
Adam leaned over to swat at him. “Shut up, asshole.”
“As long as it takes to neutralize the threat. But there’s one thing,” I said.
Adam shifted his gaze to me.
“You can’t fall in love with me.” I smiled and ran my hand down my chest, over the black t-shirt that fit me like a glove.
He snorted and laughed. “No worries there,He-Man. I don’t do that shit anymore.”
I smirked at him, then glanced over at Jesse, who gave me a nod and raised an eyebrow. Flirting was my superpower, and I’d shamelessly put it to use any time I needed to protect someone. Especially Adam.
Returning the chair to where I’d gotten it, I looked down at the sexy smartass who was going to be my new roommate. Giving him the option to choose gave the illusion that he had a choice in the matter—when he really didn’t. “Make a decision. Where are we going, Rockstar? Your place or mine?”
I refolded my arms over my chest and looked down at him. He loved the dirty innuendo, and Adam’s eyes sparkled every time I flirted with him. But the heaviness of the situation had taken the shine away.
“My place,” he replied without diverting his gaze from me. “I have an extra bedroom you can stay in.”
I gave a quick nod. “Good. I’ll have to grab some stuff first, but what’s the plan for today?”
Cole spoke up. “I need to head home to see Patrick before he goes to practice this afternoon. But we’ll have time to work after that.”
Adam stood and gave me a quick glance before turning to his friend. “Yeah, that sounds good. I guess I’ll get my new bodyguard settled in at my place, then we’ll meet you afterward.”
