HE WORE ME OUT. We were up all night, and the only time he let up on me was when I told him I had to at least text Karsen to let her know I wouldn’t be home. I didn’t get to sleep until well after the sun was up, and it was a testament to how exhausted I was that the noise coming up from the garage as the guys went to work in the morning didn’t even make me stir.
I finally pried my eyes open when the mattress dipped by my shoulder and a mug of coffee appeared in front of my blurry eyes. A kiss landed on my temple and I struggled up and shoved my hair out of my face.
Race was dressed in dark jeans and a gray pullover with a V neck. His hair was damp and he hadn’t bothered to shave. He looked delectable but had a serious expression on his face.
“Morning.”
I gulped the coffee and realized I was sitting naked in bed while he was fully dressed. I tried to pull the blanket up around myself but he laughed and moved it out of reach.
“More like afternoon. If you had early classes you missed them.”
Well, shit.
He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at me with what I was learning was his something-isn’t-right face.
“Remember last night when I told you we were going to have a chat about the TA?”
How was I supposed to remember anything beyond all the wonderful things his hands and mouth had been doing to me all night long?
“Wanna throw me a shirt or something and maybe that will jog my memory?”
He raised an eyebrow at me but turned and went to rummage in the single storage closet. He came back with a black T-shirt that I slipped on over my head. Next time I stripped and waited for him in bed, I would have to remember to leave my own clothes closer at hand.
Once I was covered, I tucked my hair behind my ears and gazed up at him questioningly.
“What about him?”
“He admitted right away that he was purposely trying to tank your grade and mess with your GPA. Any little thing he could get away with for lowering your grade, he was finding it and taking away points.”
I snorted. Race was a good five inches taller than my nemesis and there was no way a guy who was academic and used to scholarly debate could stand up to all the self-confident swagger and intensity of a guy like Race. Add in Bax, who looked like a criminal without even trying, and I figured it was impressive that Elliot the TA hadn’t packed his bags and moved to a different state after they threatened him.
“What a dick. Just because I wouldn’t go on a date with him.”
Race made a face at me. “No, that’s what I want to talk to you about. He was bummed you said no, but it wasn’t a big deal until someone started sending him texts and e-mails making fun of him, putting his personal business out in the world to mock and ridicule.”
I was stunned. “What?”
“Someone claiming to be you sent him some really jacked-up shit. Nasty stuff that would piss anyone off. It was all over his social media, all up in his face. He was tanking your grade in retaliation.”
I almost dropped the mug of coffee all over the bed.
“I didn’t do that. I would never do that. I don’t even have Facebook or Twitter and I’ve never once texted him. I may have e-mailed him about school, but that’s it.”
I was desperate for him to believe me. I didn’t want him to think I had brought any of this upon myself after he had gone out of his way to intervene on my behalf.
“Bry, calm down.” He reached out and ran his hand over my hair and let it fall on my shoulder. “I went through every inch of your computer trying to pull data out of it. I know you didn’t do any of that stuff, but it doesn’t change the fact that someone pretending to be you did. Someone tried to run you over and now someone is messing with your life in a more subtle way. There is obviously someone out there with a serious hard-on for you, and I need to figure out who it is.”
“This is crazy.”
“I know. I have to meet with Titus about some stuff, and then I’m taking your old laptop to a friend to see if he can pull more off of it than I managed to. I’m also going to ask him if he can figure out where the stuff from ‘fake you’ originated from.”
All I could do was look at him dumbly. I didn’t know what to say. He tapped me on the chin with the edge of his knuckle and clicked his tongue at me.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get a handle on it.”
“Before or after I lose everything?”
“If anyone wants to take anything else from you, they are going to have to get through me.” He dropped his mouth on mine then rose and shoved his hands through his hair, sending the blond strands sticking up all over the place. “By the way, I think I might have an idea to help you out with your mom getting some help.”
I recoiled automatically and swung my legs over the side of the bed.
“I’m not borrowing fifteen grand from you, Race. I’ll never be able to pay it back, and the idea of taking that kind of money from you while we’re sleeping together makes me want to throw up.”
He swore at me and leaned back and crossed his arms over his broad chest.
“We are doing more than sleeping together—get that through your pretty head right now. And you know I didn’t mean it like that. I know a guy that owes me and I think he might have some pull with a rehab center in town. It won’t be in the best part of town, but I think I can work something out.”
I let my head fall so that my forehead touched my knees. “Sorry. I’m just not used to anyone trying to help me out. My knee-jerk reaction is that things are all messed up, I don’t mean to automatically drag you into it.” I laughed a little and rolled my head to the side to look at him. “More minions?”