“No,” Devon interjected. “Your mind and body were in survival mode, Bastian.”
I fought back the tears that were threatening. “They hit me and then took my wallet and cell phone. There were these cement blocks stacked near the side door… I guess for some kind of construction project in the building or something. One of the guys pushed me and my foot got stuck between some pipes on the ground. My lower leg twisted and my knee hit one of the blocks. Rick found me a few minutes later and took me to the hospital. My knee was shattered and my ACL was torn.”
“So the cops never looked for the men who hurt you?”
I shook my head. “Rick told me I needed to lie about what happened. I didn’t want to get Rick in trouble with his company, but I was also afraid the guys would come after me. They had my wallet so they knew where I lived. I ended up moving to a new apartment a few weeks after I got home from the hospital, but I was still so scared.”
“Is that why you moved out of the city?” Devon asked.
I nodded. “The doctors said I could dance again at some point, but not professionally. I knew my career was over and I was too afraid to leave my apartment… I moved to your neighborhood so I could clear my head and figure out what to do next.”
“I’m sorry, Sebastian,” Devon began, but he stopped when I pulled free of his too-comforting touch. I knew he had to think I was a complete and utter fool for not reporting the incident just so I could protect a man who didn’t really want me. Not to mention what a coward I was for not having the strength to fight back against the men who’d mugged me.
“Can you take me to the fundraiser now, Devon? Or wait with me until I can call for a taxi or something?” I was facing forward again because I didn’t want to risk looking at Devon and seeing the pity in his eyes. Not to mention the fact that my cheeks were still burning over the unwanted kiss I’d laid on him.
So much for not having a shitty Valentine’s Day, Sebastian.
The truck began moving again, but I didn’t pay attention to our surroundings. I’d told Devon as we’d been leaving his house where the event was being held, but he clearly didn’t need directions because within fifteen minutes, he was pulling into the swanky establishment’s parking lot. A valet opened my door for me.
I turned to thank Devon for the ride but when I saw him talking to the valet attendant on his side, I cut my losses and quickly climbed out of the truck. My knee buckled beneath me when I stepped onto the ground, but I managed to hang on to Devon’s truck to keep from falling into a heap in front of the valet who was still holding my door. I knew there was no way the ibuprofen I’d taken was going to get me through the night, no matter how short and simple I kept my performance, so I began searching through my bag for the bottle of prescription painkillers my doctor had given me. I was in the process of downing the second one when I felt a hand close around my elbow.
“Sorry about that. I had to explain to the guy that the transmission sticks sometimes.”
Devon’s voice washed over me like the sweetest of balms and I momentarily forgot all about the pain in my knee.
He’d stayed.
On the heels of that observation came the humiliation of knowing why he’d stayed.
“Don’t feel sorry for me,” I blurted without thinking. “Everybody feels sorry for me—”
I gasped when Devon’s mouth slashed over mine, cutting off the rest of my words. It took me about three seconds to get past my shock, then I was hungrily kissing him back. Devon’s tongue tangled with mine as I felt his arm wrap around my waist. His other was cradling the back of my head. I couldn’t have said how long we stood there for as Devon consumed my mouth, but when he finally released me, I heard my name being called.
But not by Devon.
It took several beats for the fog of desire to lift. I turned to see Rick and his husband staring at me and Devon as we continued to be wrapped around each other like vines.
I was dimly aware of Devon releasing me.
“Sebastian,” Rick said coolly, his voice tinged with what sounded like irritation. “You remember my husband, Darren, right?”
“Yes, of course,” I somehow managed to say. I reached out my hand to shake Darren’s. “It’s nice to see you again.”
My heart hurt at how content Darren looked with his husband on his arm. I’d wanted to be him once. But now the idea of being the one on Rick’s arm just made me physically ill.