Page 10 of Swerve (Boosted Hearts 1)

Yeah right. Like that was ever going to happen.

I raced up the stairs, unlocked my door, and slammed it after me.

“Hey, babe, what’s the rush?” Scott said from the kitchen table, slamming his laptop shut.

The sound of some chick in the throes of a seriously fake orgasm echoed from the TV, filling the apartment, and I wanted to walk right back out again.

Great.

Happy freaking Birthday to me.

He came toward me and tugged me into his arms before I could ward him off.

“You’re trembling.” He started rubbing my back, pressing too damn close. Gross, he had a boner. “Why don’t you tell Scotty what has you so upset?”

“I’m fine.” I pushed out of his arms, my skin damn near crawling. He wasn’t totally wasted for once, but the guy never missed an opening to cop a feel if it presented itself. I motioned to my television. “And turn that shit off, you’re not the only one that lives here.”

He shrugged, but did as I asked, and then swiped a bottle of gin off the table, holding it up when he turned back to me. “You wanna watch a movie then, have a few shots, get wasted?”

The hopeful look on his face made my belly lurch. The last time I’d gotten drunk with Scott, I’d blacked out and woken up in his bed. Not something I would ever repeat.

And going by the looking his face, he was remembering the same night.

“I’m just going to turn in.”

He grabbed my arm. “Are you okay?”

“I told you I’m fine.”

Someone pounded on the door.

Shit.

I knew it was Neco. I also knew if I ignored him, he’d just keep knocking.

Scott headed for the door.

“It’s Neco,” I said.

My roommate scowled. The pair had a mutual distaste for each other that neither bothered to hide.

Scott changed directions. “I’ll be in my room. Come get me if you want to watch a movie later.” Then he grabbed his laptop and walked down the hall.

Dammit, I didn’t want to deal with Neco right then.

“Ruby,” he growled through the door. “Open up.”

I stood there for another second, trying to get my shit together, then walked over and yanked it open. Neco looked . . . I didn’t know how to explain how he looked.

His hand was resting on the doorframe, eyes moving over me. My belly squirmed. “Don’t . . . don’t run from me, Ruby.” He cursed. “You know how I . . . fuck . . .”

Now there was a knot in my belly too. We didn’t talk about that night, when I ran from him, what happened. But that was a long time ago and this wasn’t the same.

I straightened my spine. “I was done talking.”

His eyes were locked on mine, penetrating, unwavering. “Seeing you walk into that house tonight, that guy coming for you. Shit, Ruby . . .”

The knot coiled tighter. It had been so long since he’d used that tone with me, no anger, no frustration . . . just concern, concern for someone who was important to him. “I’ve had weapons training,” I said instead, refusing to get sidetracked, and surprised when my voice came out strong and not shaky.