CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

10:42 P.M., January 15th, 2011

Sophie was kneeling in front of Brady again, who was again sitting, dripping water, on his bed. She rubbed ointment over the cut on his cheek, having taken care of his other various bumps and bruises. She was working silently again at first, but eventually decided to ask a few questions.

She made sure the gauze covering the long slices on his arm was securely held down with medical tape, then murmured, "Brady?"

"Hmm?"

"If your fights only take about thirty minutes or so, why weren't you back until midnight last time?" She kept her eyes on his chest, bare and muscular. His skin was hard and smooth...she wanted to kiss him there.

Maybe that's not a good place to keep my eyes. But she couldn't look down. Her only other option was his face, and that was dangerous, too. She decided to keep her attention on the first-aid kit.

"Last time... Oh, the night of the Christmas party?" She nodded. "Most of my fights take more time than that. And that night, there were...complications."

They both knew what she was going to ask him next. "Why...didn't you tell me about this...?"

He sighed, deeply. "I didn't want you to think that I was violent."

"Brady, you almost killed a man tonight. Don't tell me you're not violent."

He was offended. "I'm not! I mean, sure, I have violent...tendencies..." His face flushed.

"'Tendencies'?" She smiled a little, peeking up at him from under her lashes.

He grinned at her. "Yes, tendencies. But seriously," he said, taking her hand in his, the smile gone from both his eyes and his lips, "I'd kill or die for you. I'm never going to let anybody hurt you, or our baby."

His eyes were so intense that she had to look away. Her heart fluttered in her chest. "Don't joke like that."

"You think I'm joking?" He laughed without humor. "You have no idea how serious I am." He drew her gently into his arms, allayed when she didn't object. He turned his face into her dark curls. "Stay with me tonight," he found himself murmuring.

Sophie's cheeks turned scarlet, and she tried to push away from him. She spoke in one large, hurried run-on sentence. "Brady I can't do that with you I'm already pregnant and I don't think it would be good for the baby this is a frat house do you have any idea how awful that would look in the morning please just let me go—"

He burst out laughing, allowing her a little space while still holding her. "You're adorable," he told her, tucking her hair behind her ear. "And I'm not asking for sex. I just want you to be with me."

Her face still glowed pink. "I still can't stay."

He locked eyes with her, holding her stare for a long time. Part of her wanted to—he could tell that much. But most of her was still too guarded. He sighed. "I can't change your mind, can I?"

She shook her head. "Just...give me some time," she pleaded. She hugged him tightly, willing him to understand.

He held her for a while longer and sighed again. He kissed the top of her head gently, then released her. "You'd better go find Allie, then." Allie had driven Sophie over to the Sigma Tau house after they left the club. She'd vanished into Law's room with him in tow as soon as they'd arrived.

Sophie smiled at him gratefully. She embraced him one last time and rushed away.

Brady lay back on his bed. He supposed he could be patient for a while longer. If she was finally going to give them a chance, he'd give her all the time she needed. He couldn't promise anything about space, though. He was drawn to her like a moth to flame. He'd meant it when he said he'd kill or die for her.

And when he saw her, getting molested by those creeps...he would have killed that man, if Xavier hadn't stopped him. Putting his filthy hands on his girl...

A thought occurred to him. How had she even known about the fight club? He would have to ask her, tomorrow...

[I know I'm awful for changing the ending (this is to those of you that read the previous version) but I just got so STUCK with the next chapter. I wrote five versions, and they all sounded insanely cheesy. I was displeased with myself... And then I realized that it was because I was rushing things. Anyway, please don't hate me for this!]