“Listen, she’s just crashing on my couch until I can get her to the station tomorrow. Her train takes off at ten.”

“Get out,” Preacher ordered, his eyes still glued to me.

And again, I knew he was talking to Jesse.

So did Jesse.

“Preach—” Jesse started.

Preacher shoved something Jesse’s way. “Here’s my key, use my room, and get out.”

“Preach, I pro—”

“Get out!” he roared in Jesse’s face.

Jesse stood solid and stared at him.

Then he said, “Talk to her.”

I closed my eyes.

Boy, he gave in easy.

“Yeah, we’ll talk,” Preacher snarled.

“Get your clothes, babe,” Jesse called to Cynthia.

I opened my eyes and I watched Preacher the whole time Jesse and Cynthia did their thing.

“I don’t need clothes, baby.”

“Get your clothes.”

“I just took them off.”

“Jesus, seriously?”

“We can party here. The more, the merrier.”

“Okay, no. Grab my shirt and boots and get over here. We’ll party upstairs.”

“Gotcha.”

The second the door closed behind them, I walked to my coat.

It was ripped out of my hand the instant my fingers closed around it.

I looked up at Preacher.

And really.

Really.

It sucked he was so beautiful.

That thick dark hair, those warm brown eyes.

I was tall.

Very tall.

He was taller.

Tall and built enough to accommodate three groupies.

“I’m leaving,” I told him.

“Why, baby?” he asked, crossing his arms on his chest with my trench still in one hand. “You got me.” He jerked his head toward the bedroom. “We got the equipment. Let’s get down to why you came to Chicago.”

I had never in my life been punched.

But that felt like one.

Right to the gut.

Okay…

Why had I come to Chicago?

“Give me my coat,” I snapped.

“You can have it after a blowjob.”

I winced.

And now I had a new question.

How was I so wrong about this guy?

“Give me my coat, Preacher,” I demanded.

“Told you how you can get it.”

“Give me my coat, Preacher,” I repeated.

“All right, you suck me, I’ll eat you, we’re even. That what you want?”

I slammed my hands on my hips.

“Why are you being like this?” I asked.

He leaned into me threateningly.

“I don’t know. Maybe because I met a girl, my girl. She listened to me in the dark. She shared with me in the dark. But really, she thinks I’m a loser creep in a rock band who rolls into town and all I want’s in her pants, and she’s got no time for me. But now that I’m opening for the Mustangs, she finds her way to Chicago and all the way backstage to try and get her hooks in me.”

He.

Did.

Not.

“She died.”

He blinked.