Drew's arms are folded over his chest. His dark brows are furrowed. His dark eyes are filled with frustration.

"What were you doing in Tom's hotel room?" Drew asks.

"Talking." I play with my bag's shoulder strap. "It's good to see you too."

"Yeah." He pulls me into a stilted hug. His eyes fix on mine. "Well, if he tries to cross the line, let me know and I'll kick his ass."

I keep my voice calm. It must be possible to reason with Drew. In theory. "Isn't Tom your friend?"

"Yeah, but you come first. He's a player. He'll hurt you."

Even I can see that. "Consider me warned."

Drew stares at me, tearing apart my intentions. He softens. "What's wrong, Wil? You look terrified."

I swallow hard. "I need a place to stay for a few days."

"Why?"

The door behind us opens. Kara Kendrick, Drew's girlfriend, pops out. She's wearing her sweater dress backwards and her usually straight brown hair is a messy tangle.

"Hey Willow! It's good to see you. It's been forever." She pulls me into a close hug. "You look good. Your hair looks pretty long."

"Thanks." I run a hand through my thick brown hair. "It's getting a little much."

"You would look cute with long bob. Or black. Something dramatic to celebrate being a college grad." She slides her arm around Drew with a wistful sigh. "One more month and I'll be free too."

"Then two years to get your teaching credential," Drew says.

She nudges him. "Technicalities."

Drew clears his throat and motions to the door. "Kendrick. A little privacy."

She squeezes him tighter. "No."

"What do you mean no?" Drew asks.

She smiles, happy as a clam, and kisses Drew on the cheek. His frown fades away. Until he's... smiling? That's weird. Drew doesn't really smile.

But he's freaking beaming.

"You look like you're gonna pop a vein, baby. Nobody wants to talk to you when you're pissed." She runs her hands through his hair. "Your poor sister is probably worried you're gonna hit someone if she tells you what's up."

Drew pouts.

"Bet you already threatened to hit somebody," she says.

"Not exactly."

Kara looks to me. "Did he?"

I nod.

She throws him a stern look and pulls her hands to her sides. "You get into a fight and that's going to be the last time you touch anyone for a while."

Damn, I don't remember Kara being such a badass. I make a mental note to ask her for tips on dealing with difficult men.

Drew stares into her eyes. "You're bluffing."

"Try me." Kara pulls him into the hotel room and motions for me to follow. "Couch is clean. I swear."

The room is a suite, with a bedroom and a separate coffee nook. I move into the latter and plant on the couch.

Drew sits next to me. "What happened?"

I take a deep breath. I can't explain that Bradley moved in next door. There's no telling what Drew will do. "I have an issue with one of my neighbors. He's really... difficult. I can figure it out. I just need a few days to think."

Drew stares back at me. "If someone is giving you trouble, I'll talk to them. Take care of it."

No. Drew takes care of things with his fists. "It's nothing. Just that I can't deal with it right now. I'm applying for this job at a studio in the city. It's mostly boudoir, people who want sexy photos of themselves to boost their confidence or as gifts for their partners."

Drew raises a brow. "Not a bad gig."

It's an awesome gig, at the best studio in Northern California. But I still need ten photos, ten sensual photos of a model in various states of undress, if I want to apply. I need a new model ASAP but there's no way I'm asking my brother or his girlfriend to pose in lingerie.

I look back to Drew. "It's a great opportunity. And the application is due at noon. So..."

"So?" He stares back at me. "Is that supposed to convince me to drop it?"

"Until noon. Please." I cross my fingers. There's almost no chance this will work.

Kara steps into the room with two glasses of water. She hands one to me and the other to Drew.

He gets up and plants a kiss on her lips. "Give us a minute, baby. This is kinda personal."

She stares back at him. I know that look. It's the do I trust Drew not to threaten violence look. Answer must be yes, because she nods and takes her turn kissing him.

Kara looks to me. "I'll wait in the other room. I have to catch up on my Russian literature."

They're happy. Functional. I never thought either of us would have anything like that.

Drew runs his hand through his hair. "Wil, tell me the truth. I know you didn't hop on a bus for five hours because your neighbor plays metal until three a.m." He leans closer. "I'm not seventeen anymore. I'm not going to jump straight to violence."

"Is there an intermediary step now?"

He leans back, not at all amused. "You still don't trust me."

"The last time I needed your help, you..." I pull my arms over my chest, unable to do anything but remember how thoroughly panic swallowed me whole that night. "What if he'd had a knife or a gun? You'd be dead right now."

Drew scoffs like he believes he could take a knife and/or gun-wielding guy with fifty pounds on him. Drew is no slouch, physically. But Bradley is a football player. He's taller, bigger, meaner.

"Do you have any idea how scared I was that something was going to happen to you?" I hug myself tighter. "It would have been all my fault."

"No, it would have been my fault. I knew what I was risking. And I knew I could take him." He looks me in the eyes. "What's wrong with protecting the people you love? The world would be a better place if Bradley was dead." The name is poison on his lips. "Shoulda killed him when I had the chance."

"You're not convincing me that you're capable of settling things without resorting to violence," I say.

Drew nods. He must see my point. "I'm sorry I scared you back then. You had enough to deal with. Whatever it is that's wrong, I'll help. The answer doesn't have to be murder. Doesn't even have to be aggravated assault."

Maybe. I want to tell him. I really do. But there's something about the intensity of his expression. I can't trust him not to get himself hurt.

Drew's voice drops. "Is it Bradley?"

I say nothing.

"Don't you have a restraining order?"

"It expired." I bite my lip. "It's nothing. I just... I need some time to figure out everything. If you don't want me here, that's fine."

"Of course I want you here." Drew looks me in the eyes. "Promise me you'll be safe on tour with us and I'll let it go."

"I'm only staying a few days."

"Wil, promise or I'm hiring a body guard to watch you twenty four seven."

I can't promise that. But I can't let Drew know Bradley is trying to insert himself back into my life. I look my brother in the eyes. "I'll be fine. But I should really get to showering. I have to get up early if I want to finish the application in time."

I go to push myself up but Drew grabs my arm.

"You need money?" he asks.

"I can't take your money. Not after all the shit Mom pulled."

"I'm not like Mom. I’m not going to attach strings to it."

"Still. I don't want to fight. I need a place to stay for a few days. If that's not okay with you, I'll figure something else out." I take a deep breath. "You can pay for my hotel room if it makes you feel better."

He smiles as he pulls out his credit card and hands it to me. "It does."

"Thank you."

His expression gets overprotective. "Wait. Does your application need sexy pictures?"

Okay. Time for a white lie. "Any portraits will do."

Oh no. He's about to volunteer.

At least this part is true. "No offense, Drew, but you always look pissed off in pictures. I'll find a model. It's no big deal."

"Okay. But you have to promise you'll think about staying the rest of the tour if you don't get that job. It's only another two months. It will be fun. We can catch up."

My stomach twists. Reality sinks in. If I don't get that job, I don't have a better option than staying with Drew. Even so... "Two months is too long to let my photography lapse."

"Consider it," he says. "Kara's flying out of Portland. I can take you to the airport with her or you can leave out of any other city. Hell, Wil, you can come back home with us and crash in the spare room as long as you need. There are lots of photographers who need assistants in Los Angeles."

"I'll think about it." It might be my only option. I push myself out of my seat. "Thanks, Drew. I'll see you in the morning."

"Tom wasn't bugging you, was he?"

"No. He was a gentleman."

Drew cocks a brow. "Sounds suspect."

"He was fine."

"I'll talk to him." Drew's expression gets serious.

I know that look too. It means if talking doesn't work, I'll hit him until he understands.

"Think about staying." Drew walks me to the door. "I'll feel a lot better not knowing what's going on if I can keep an eye on you."

"I will. Thanks."

He gives me a half-hug and looks back to Kara, waiting on the king bed.

She smiles and joins our awkward goodbye. "Hey, Willow. We're going to a theme park tomorrow. Go-karts, mini-golf, laser tag. You should come. It will be fun."

"I have this application due at noon," I say.

"We can wait," she offers.

I try to imagine some version of reality where go-karts and mini-golf don't involve me sitting on a bench in the hot sun, waiting out another activity, but the vision won't come. It's not that I'm against fun. Just that I prefer to stick to the sidelines. It's safer. Less risk of getting hurt or embarrassing yourself or falling in love with a guy who hits you.

"Thanks, but I'm really tired. I need some time to think tomorrow." At least that's true.

She nods. "Then how about we meet for lunch? After your application is due." She nudges Drew.

He looks at her then back to me. "Yeah. Meet you in the lobby at noon."

I nod. "Okay."

He opens the door for me. "Everything is going to be okay, Wil. I promise."