The Complete Rockstar Series (99 page)

“I don’t know.” I lift my arm and see that my long-sleeved thermal jacket is ripped open. Blood is already dripping from a two-inch gash showing through the brand new hole.

“Oh my.” He holds out a hand with a smile on his kind face. “Here, let’s clean you up.” The man helps me to my feet and leads me to a battered metal door off-centered in a non-descript brick building that says
GYM
across it in red lettering.

Everything I was taught about strangers as a child comes rushing back. I don’t know this man and this place looks a little rougher than I’m accustomed to. Digging in my pocket, I pull out a napkin and show it to him.

“No worries. I’m okay. I can just use this.”

He chuckles at my sad attempt to refuse his kindness and gracefully plucks the napkin from my hand.

“Miss, you have blood running down your arm and dripping onto the sidewalk. What kind of man would I be if I let you leave in this condition? Come on. I know for a fact they have a first aid kit inside and can get you fixed up quick.” He holds up his hands to show he means no harm. “I promise.”

My initial hesitation evaporates with this compassionate man’s words. For some reason, he makes me feel safe in a fatherly way. A way I haven’t felt in a long time.

“Okay, I guess I do need a little help.”

He opens the door and as I pass through he grins, the fine lines around his eyes scrunching up into the gray hair on his temples. “I’m Bruce, by the way.”

He’s so genuine, I can’t help but give him a small smile back. “Sydney. Nice to meet you, Bruce. Thanks for taking pity on me and my clumsiness. I’m usually much better at staying upright.”

“It happens to the best of us,” he chuckles.

Once inside, I take in my surroundings. Surprised, I glance back over at Bruce. I’m finding it hard to believe that a guy like Bruce, in his dress pants and impeccably pressed shirt, frequents this gym. For one thing, it smells awful, like old sweat socks and industrial-strength cleaner. Second, it’s quite obvious that this isn’t the type of gym people use to stay in shape.

Taking in the huge room, I quickly notice that I’m the only female in this place. Not very comforting.

The remaining ten or so people I can see are half-naked men grappling or punching bags or beating each other up with their fists like the two guys in the huge center ring.

Mixed martial arts
training, that’s what they do here according to the UFC banner that spans the back of the room, covering the dreary, chipped cinder blocks that make up the walls.

“Damien!” Bruce calls out, waving someone over.

The two men in the cage immediately stop fighting to stare at us. Both of them hop down the small set of stairs and trot over. I have no idea which one is Damien, but I can’t take my eyes off of the fighter in the black and red shorts with the green eyes. He is beyond attractive—he’s positively stunning.

I feel the prickly heat creeping up my neck and face. I wish I could disappear. It’s humiliating to be standing here in front of these two hot, sweaty men while my blood drips on the floor. Not to mention the rest of the gym, which has gone silent to watch.

“Can you grab the first aid kit?” Bruce asks. “She fell on some ice out front. Cut her arm pretty bad.”

The man with the buzz cut and tattoos wearing black and yellow shorts nods and hurries off to fetch it. That must be Damien.

The other guy, the too-beautiful one, is eyeing me warily. Which, in turn, makes me even more uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” I blurt out awkwardly.

The man says nothing. Instead, he stares at me as if he’s afraid of me! I have no idea what to make of that, so I stand there bleeding since it’s all I can do.

“Here.” He hands me a small towel. “So you won’t drip everywhere.”

His voice is deep and smooth. When his hand brushes against mine to hand me the towel, a shiver goes up my spine. Fumbling from nerves, I wrap it around my arm the best I can.

“Thanks.” I stare at the ground, glancing up to take a peek at his handsome face. He’s acting really odd, wary, like me. But I’m the one in the strange situation surrounded by men I don’t know. Why would he be uncomfortable?

Not knowing what else to do, I go for mindless pleasantries. “I’m Sydney.”

The beautiful man gives me another strange look before introducing himself… albeit reluctantly. “I’m Drew. So you fell?”

Either I’m so inept that he’s dying to get away from me, or this guy is really off his game. There’s no way a man who looks like that isn’t smoother at making small talk with women.

I shrug, which sends a burning hot spike of pain down my arm. “I fell. It’s no big deal, really.” I wince from the sensation, my voice coming out strained. “Nice to meet you, Drew.”

Bruce and Drew exchange a look. “Have we met before?” Drew asks hesitantly.

I pull down my brows, trying to place him. I don’t think I know him. Do I?
Oh my god
! What if he recognizes me because of my resemblance to my mother?

I need to get out of here before one of them figures it out
.

“No. I don’t think we’ve met.”

Now Drew looks absolutely dumfounded. His perfect lips fall open in shock.

Let it drop, please let it drop
.

I can’t have this guy to figuring out who my parents are, who
I
am. I’m pretty sure we’ve never met. There’s no way I would forget his unbelievable face and body if we had.

Damien jogs up to us with a large white box. “Got it.”

“I’ll do it,” Drew says, his green eyes penetrating mine as he snatches the kit from Damien’s hands. He doesn’t look away, that powerful gaze trapping me in place. “Bruce, thanks for bringing her in. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

Bruce must be his driver—now everything makes sense. He’s most likely waiting for Drew to finish his workout.

“You sure?” Damien asks. Drew turns to scowl at him, and Damien shrugs his shoulders in response. “Okay man, I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah, I’ll be here.” Drew has that intense stare aimed back at me as he speaks. The noise of the gym starts back up, a cacophony of grunts and punches. Suddenly, I’m alone with this beautiful man.

“Here, sit down.” He points to a nearby bench.

Mesmerized, I do as he says and watch as he kneels in front of me. He’s still shirtless, and I track his lean, sinewy muscles as they stretch and flex in front of me in a tantalizing dance. He’s close enough to touch. I want to lean in and lick every hard ridge of his body. It’s literally torture to sit this close to him.

Drew places the kit on the bench and opens it up.

“Let’s see what you did.” His gruff tone has been replaced with kindness. It helps to relax me, but only somewhat. I’m still nervous to have this very intimidating man so close. I watch those intelligent green eyes flick up to mine before he focuses back on my injury. Drew puts one of his large, tape-wrapped hands around my wrist and I gasp when a heart-stopping rush of heat travels up my arm.

Wow!

Drew pauses before carefully removing the towel to assess my wound.

“It isn’t that bad. It’s big, but not deep, so it shouldn’t leave a scar or anything.” Drew looks at me and smiles. “Wouldn’t want to ruin that perfect skin.”

My heart stops when he smiles at me. He has brilliant white teeth and full lips, light stubble covers his angular jaw. I notice that his eyes aren’t the green I originally thought, but green with a dark ring of brown in the center. What does me in is the single dimple that appears on his right cheek when he smiles.

The heat I felt in my arm has taken root and begins to grow. What started as a small burn is rapidly building into a smoldering fire. I shift uncomfortably on the bench, hoping to rein in the urge to tackle him to the ground and grind on his hard body.

Sydney, whatever has gotten into you needs to stop right now.

“Take off that jacket while I get what I need.”

Aren’t we bossy
.

I finally stop my gawking and do as he asks.

When Drew turns away to rummage through the first aid kit, I let out the breath I’d been holding in an attempt to keep him from noticing how heavy my breathing has become.

“Here.” His deep, calm voice wraps around me like a warm blanket. “This may sting. I’m sorry, Sydney.” Drew’s eyes look pained as he presses a cold, wet gauze pad to my arm.

I flinch, unable to stop myself from hissing when the antiseptic hits my skin.

“I’m sorry,” he says again.

“It’s okay.” It seems that Drew feels genuine remorse for hurting me even though he’s the one helping me. He’s sensitive, caring. A contradictory quality for a man who hits other people for fun.

Drew reaches back into the kit and pulls out a large bandage and some gauze. Laying it on my arm, he wraps it up quickly and efficiently.

“Looks like you’ve done this before.” I grin at the professional job he did on my wound.

“Yeah, a few times….” Drew glances up at me and stops. I watch as his eyes dilate and his lips part. The smoldering fire grows larger, turning into a raging inferno inside me.

Drew shakes his head and looks away, putting back everything he took out of the kit.

I’m about to pull away from his grasp when he sucks in a pained breath and clutches my wrist a little tighter. Drew trails a long, rough finger from my thumb to my elbow, following along the jagged pink path of a very old scar.

“What happened?” he whispers.

Instinctively, I yank my arm away, swallowing down the lump that has formed in my throat.

“Nothing, I’m fine.” Without any explanation, I jump up and wrap my arms around my stomach to keep from falling apart. “Thank you for fixing me, I really appreciate it.”

Memories I’ve repressed for years come flooding back. I bolt for the door, keeping my head down so Drew won’t see the unshed tears that threaten to fall. I don’t discuss that scar, not with anyone.

“Wait!”

I stop right before I get to the door, but can’t bring myself to turn around. I don’t want to go to pieces in front of this beautiful stranger.

“Your jacket.” Drew holds out the torn and bloody remains of my coat. “It’s pretty much ruined though.”

“Thanks. Yeah, it is.” Pulling myself together, I glance at him and take my coat. Certainly, after that display he thinks I’m crazy.

Drew’s handsome face furrows with concern. “Is that all you have to wear? It’s freezing outside.”

I shrug. He saw what I came in here with.

“Wait here.” Drew holds up a finger to show he’ll be back in a minute. Fascinated, I watch him jog over to the ring as he grabs a shirt and tugs it over his head. I think about what a shame it is to cover up such perfection and manage a smile. He stuffs his feet into a pair of shoes, throws on a ratty old hat and hurries back over to the door.

“Come on.” He takes my hand as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, his large, calloused fingers curling around mine.

We go outside and the biting cold January air pierces right through my thin shirt. He’s right, it’s much, much colder without my jacket or the benefit of being heated up from my daily run. I have to fight the urge to curl up against his large, warm body.

Drew opens the back door of the same black sedan that Bruce stepped out of when I fell. “Get in.”

I stare at him suspiciously. I can’t get into a strange car.

Drew gives me an exasperated look. “Sydney, I’m going to have Bruce bring you home. It’s too cold for you to walk like that.” He sticks his head in the open door. “Bruce, take her home and then come back here. I’ll be ready to go when you return.”

Hesitant, I fidget on the sidewalk. I don’t know if I should accept the ride. Drew seems like a genuine guy, but this
is
New York and people here rarely do things simply out of kindness.

“Please.” Drew puts his hands on my shoulders, the contact warming me up a few degrees. “I couldn’t sleep knowing I sent you out on the street to freeze.”

Intrigued to see who would care about a total stranger, I study his face. There’s something about his eyes, an honesty I see that makes me give in. That, and the fact that I’m already shivering violently and I’m still pretty far from home.

“Okay.” With a small smile, I climb into the backseat of the car. “Thank you, for everything.”

Drew leans down toward me, his purely masculine scent overpowering my senses. God, he smells good. “Take care, Sydney.” That honeyed voice sends my hormones into overdrive.

He shuts the door and as I give Bruce my address, I catch a glimpse of Drew. He’s deep in thought, rubbing a finger over his lips as he stands alone on the empty sidewalk. Knowing he can’t see me through the blacked-out windows, I watch as we drive away until he’s out of sight.