"I was being sarcastic," she clarifies.

"I know."

I grab her drink and take a sip. It's just soda, so I put it back down in front of her.

"I'm keeping the plug in the jug," she tells me.

"That's good. But you were going to f.u.c.k an a.s.shole. That's a problem."

"For you maybe," she snaps.

"The jerkoff is married," I tell her.

"That's what I liked about him. No strings. Get laid and get out."

When our eyes meet I can see so much turmoil in hers. She's really hurting, but she doesn't have to be. I wish I could convince her of that. "Is that what you really want? Just to get f.u.c.ked by some random guy?"

"Maybe." Her words don't match her expression. I can always tell what's going on with Brooke by looking deep into her eyes. Her eyes never lie, even if she does.

"Find another guy," I tell her.

She narrows her gaze. "Why?"

"Because I'm on a roll and having fun."

Shaking her head she asks, "You're just going to do that to every guy, aren't you?"

"Yup."

She heaves a sigh then hops from her barstool. "Fine. Take me home."

I didn't think it would be that easy. I thought she'd make me go through a few more guys just to prove my point.

"Everyone was worried about you," I tell her as we walk out of the bar.

"Harper, maybe," she replies. "Nic because he loves Harper. But I seriously doubt that Xander or Raven care all that much about what happens to me."

I step right in front of her and look directly into her sad eyes. "Xander and Raven know I care about you. So they care about you. They're both out looking for you right now. So are Harper and Rayne."

Gazing at the ground she says, "I wish you didn't care so much."

I gently lift her head so I can see into those beautiful eyes of hers. "Too late."

"I didn't mean to cause so much trouble." She shakes her head. "I can't believe everyone went looking for me."

"I'd better let them know I found you." I take a few moments to text the gang and let them know Brooke is with me and that she's safe. "They'll meet us in the parking lot."

I'm a little surprised that she lets me take her hand. After the s.h.i.t I pulled in the bar I figured there was a fifty-fifty shot that she'd either take my hand or punch me.

"I just want to go home." She sounds tired.

"I want to go home too."

It takes just a few minutes for Harper and Rayne to join us. Unfortunately they're being followed by some a.s.shole paparazzi. Another reason we don't go out very much. Dirt bag photographers who make a living snapping shots of celebrities. Even though living in the desert provides some level of privacy there are still people who let the paparazzi know where to find us to make a fast buck.

"Sorry," I tell Rayne as soon as he approaches. He looks p.i.s.sed, and I don't blame him. He doesn't really give a s.h.i.t if the vultures snap photos of him all day long, but the second someone takes a shot of Harper he goes a little nuts.

"We're out," he tells me. "I don't want Harper in the rags again." When they first got together Harper and Rayne had some bad experiences with the press. Rayne has been trying really hard not to have a repeat performance.

"Thanks, Man." I hand him the keys to his BMW. I'll drive Brooke home in Harper's car.

His eyes soften when he looks at Brooke. She looks sad, maybe even defeated. I would do anything to make her smile again, but I've got to get her home first.

"I'm glad you found her." Rayne pats my shoulder.

"Where are Xander and Raven?" I ask.

"Down the block at a biker bar," he replies. "It sounds like they're having fun. I guess they're going to stay a while."

"See you back home," I tell him.

When I look back over at Brooke I see that Harper is giving her a hug. At least that produces a half smile.

Once Rayne and Harper take off Brooke and I get settled in Harper's car. It's a nice ride. It makes me wonder if I should buy a car for Brooke to use.

As we head back home Brooke is very quiet. It's unusual for her, but this is an unusual situation.

For me too.

If you would have asked me a few months ago if I'd be chasing a girl all over Scottsdale I would have said you were nuts. I don't chase girls. Girls come to me.

But Brooke is different. I'd chase Brooke to the ends of the Earth if I had to.

"What's on your mind?" I finally ask.

"Everything..."

I laugh. "That's a lot."

"You shouldn't care about me. I don't deserve it."

"And why is that?" I ask.

When she bites her bottom lip I think about kissing her. But for some reason this time I don't think about f.u.c.king her, although I'd love to do that too. I just want to hold her in my arms. Tight. And not let her go.

"It's just so hard. Sometimes I don't feel like I can give it all up."

"Give what up?"

"My addictions. I stopped drinking. I stopped using drugs. But I didn't give up getting f.u.c.ked."

Tears are streaming down her face and it feels like someone is stabbing my heart.

"I got f.u.c.ked a lot, Leo. Every chance I could get. When I stepped into the bar tonight my first thought wasn't a taste of alcohol. I didn't even order it. My first thought was which guy in the sea of men was going to f.u.c.k me. That's what gave me a high. That's what gave me a rush. The thrill of the chase. The seduction. I can't give it up."

"Can't or won't?"

"Maybe I don't want to give it up. It's my great escape."

"And what about me?" I can feel my throat getting tight. "Do you want me to treat you like a groupie? Just f.u.c.k you and then tell you to get your s.h.i.t together and leave? Is that what you want?"

When I quickly glance over at her I can see her chin is trembling. In about three seconds she'll be full out sobbing.

s.h.i.t.

"I'm not going to treat you like you think you deserve to be treated in that f.u.c.ked up head of yours," I tell her. "I'm going to treat you like I think you deserve to be treated. I'm going to be the guy who worships you."

"You can't..." her voice trails off as she starts to sob.

"I thought you knew me better than that, Wild Child. I can and I will."

"Really?" he voice is so small it tugs at my heartstrings.

"Really."

"But there are so many other girls..."

"There are no other girls for me but you."

My eyes go wide when I realize there's a pickup truck coming at us. For some reason it didn't stop at the red light. Brooke is turned toward me so she doesn't see it coming straight toward us.

She gives me a faint smile before the truck smashes right into the pa.s.senger side of the car.

Nine.

Brooke There's a loud crash. We've been hit. We're flying and spinning. It feels like the car is completely out of control, but everything seems to be happening in slow motion.

I hear screaming. It takes me a moment to realize it's my voice.

When we finally come to a stop I know something is really wrong. I feel broken. Like an egg that was dropped from a second story window onto the pavement below.

"Brooke!" Leo's normally free-spirited voice sounds filled with panic.

And dread.

Why does my face feel wet? I wonder. I try to lift my arm to wipe at the moisture dripping into my eyes, but my arm isn't working correctly.

It takes a lot more energy than it should for me to look over at Leo. He's struggling to free himself from his seatbelt. "Don't move, Brooke. I'm coming to you."

"Okay," I hear myself say, but it doesn't sound like my voice. I feel like I'm listening to someone speak in another room. It's such a weird feeling. Like I'm disconnected from my body.

"f.u.c.k!" Leo is now kicking on the seatbelt lock trying to break free.

"It's okay..." my voice is starting to fade, and so is everything else. "I love you Leo," I try to say, but my voice is barely a whisper. I have no idea if he can even hear me as I drift off to sleep.

Ten.

Leo "Nurse! Nurse!" I know I'm yelling like a madman, and just keep pushing the call b.u.t.ton over and over, but it's useless. The emergency room is packed and I don't think I'm a high priority. But I'm pretty sure no bones in my body are broken. And I'm not bleeding. I was brought in for observation. Maybe they think I have a concussion. I hit my head pretty hard on the driver's side window.

How much damage could a hit like that have done to someone like me? I wasn't exactly a rocket scientist before the accident.

All I want to do is get out of this room and get to Brooke. I have to be there for her. There's nothing more important as far as I'm concerned.

I push the call b.u.t.ton what seems like a hundred more times until someone wearing a white uniform finally makes his way into my room. He's young, maybe just a few years older than me, and balding. He looks like he's all business, which is fine with me. My business right now is to find out what the h.e.l.l is happening with Brooke.

"Where's the girl I was with? Brooke Rhodes?"

When the guy frowns I'm tempted to smack the scowl right off of his face. But I know I'm just angry, not really angry at him.

"Let's make sure you're okay before..."

I put up a hand. "I'm fine. I need to know about Brooke."

"If you'll give me a chance to examine you..."

"I said I'm fine. Do I have to be examined?"

He raises an eyebrow. "Are you refusing treatment, Sir?"

"If that's what you want to call it. Okay. Sure. Now will you tell me where I can find Brooke?"

As I start to rise from the hospital bed I feel slightly woozy, kind of like when the first beer of the night finally hits.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," the balding guy says.

"Let me just get my boots on and you can tell me where she is." As I grab for the large plastic bag they placed my belongings in I get a little lightheaded again. For some reason I have it in my head that my boots will make all the difference. Like some kind of magic bullet that will make me no longer injured.