Page 37 of Code Violation

I’m no expert on hockey, but I don’t need to be to know that name. Tommy Williams, previously Tommy Schneider, was my crush when I was a teenager.

I blush, trying to hide the reaction by dropping my head down but I fail miserably when my friend gasps.

“Wait a freaking minute.” Drew holds up a hand as three glasses of ice water are set down on the table by a female server. Drew takes a big sip and pins her attention back on me. “Are you hot for a forty-something guy?”

I drop my head between my shoulders, and they both laugh.

“Not now. But I was when I was, like, thirteen.”

June leans forward on her elbows, and I lift my eyes to her briefly.

“You have a thing for the bad boys. Don’t you, Vesper?”

My cheeks flame. I know June is referring to Silas because I can’t go a half hour in my friends’ company without either of them bringing him up.

“Silas stayed over at my place the other week.”

Drew almost drops her water glass.

“Say again?” June cups her ear with one hand.

“Did you sleep together?” Drew whispers.

For a twenty-four-year-old woman, I definitely blush a lot.

“That all depends on your definition of sleeping together. Did we share a bed? Yes. Did we actually do the deed? No.”

June sits back in her chair, analyzing the evidence before her. She looks like her mom when she goes into full-blown lawyer mode. “That’s why you didn’t show up for work that night.”

“Bingo,” I reply, plucking a breadstick from the plate set down in the center of the table. “But like I said, nothing happened beyond him staying over and us talking.”

The words fall easily from my mouth since they’re the truth, but beneath the table, my thighs squeeze together at memories of the way Silas looked at me, the strong palm he wrapped around my hip as he pulled my body into his.

I’ve never felt like that when I was with a guy, even when we went the whole way and had sex.

Thoughts of how good it would be to have sex with Silas overtake my brain until I’m certain Drew and June can read me like a book.

“Silas stayed over because Kane had shown up at my apartment building, drunk. He was demanding access to the floor and wanted to speak to me.” A cold sensation washes away the warmth that was filling my insides a moment before. “I panicked and messaged Silas, and he came straight over. By the time he got to my place, Kane had been escorted off the premises, but I was …” I take a deep breath to steady myself. “I was upset and scared and missed my shift at work. Silas didn’t want to leave me, and I …” I look between them both. “I asked him to stay in my bed because I feel safe whenever he’s around.”

“How many years do you think I’d get for murder, given my mom knows a host of defense attorneys?”

I’d laugh if I thought that June was joking. I think she would throttle Kane the second she set eyes on him.

“Have you heard from him since?” Drew questions.

“Silas or Kane?”

“Both,” they reply in unison.

“Kane, no. Although I still have his number blocked so I can’t be sure.”

“Good girl,” June praises, taking my hand in hers. “I’m so fucking proud of you for standing strong.”

I offer her a small smile, proud of myself, too, for not letting Kane back into my life.

“Silas, here and there. I’m actually freaking out that I scared him away. How many girls ask their ex-boyfriend’s brother to climb into bed with them?”

Drew tips her head to one side, wearing another doubtful expression. “I don’t think you need to worry about scaring Silas away. In fact, I think that’s the least of your concerns.”