Hudson let out a short chuckle. “Case in point.”

“Have a beer, whatever you want. I’m good.”

“I don’t want to make it harder on you than it already is.”

“Part of the deal is learning how to cope with people drinking around me. So for fuck’s sake, bro, have what you want.” Nick took his shot and the balls cracked together and scattered. “Besides, I’ll still kick your ass,” he said as three balls sank with that one stroke. “Solids.”

“Jesus, Nick.” Hudson yanked open the fridge and grabbed two sparkling waters. Usually pool and the cold and frothy were synonymous, but tonight he was more interested in being with his brother than having a beer. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d simply played a game of pool or just hung out with Nick, listening to him spout off wisecracks. Although, he wasn’t completely at ease. Allie was outside of these walls, and his past kept showing up in his head like a goddamn slideshow. But he was no more ready to Dr. Phil those memories than he was to have a root canal. And he sure as hell wasn’t ready to lose this game.

Nick missed his next shot. “Ah, fuck. You’re up.”

“Luck only gets you so far,” Hudson said, walking around to the opposite side of the table before leaning over the felt. “Skill always prevails.” He took his shot and sank two stripes.

Nick cranked the surround with Volbeat’s “Pool of Booze, Booze, Booza.” Strong guitar riffs and the deep baritone of the lead singer’s Denmark accent pounded off the walls. Nick cocked a smart-ass grin. Leave it to his brother to find the humor and lighten the mood.

Hudson shook his head and smiled. “Nice choice.” As he sank another ball, all the shit he was stuffing down sank with it. But he was a bomb ready to explode.

Chapter Nineteen

Allie slid the elevator key Hudson had given her into the panel and pressed the button for the penthouse. Immediately the car began its smooth glide to the top floor of the Palmolive building. She took a deep breath and kept her eyes trained on the wood carvings that decorated the inside of the doors. As the numbers on the display above them grew higher, so did the level of her anxiety.

Her grip tightened on the shopping bag that held the baking supplies she’d bought the night before. And her clothes. And her panties. What the hell had she been thinking? She shifted restlessly from one foot to the other. The movement rubbed her bare breasts against the fabric of her coat in a not so subtle reminder. It was Hudson, and the fantasy he’d described the night before, that had her arriving at his penthouse wearing nothing but heels, a coat, and a smile. Well, at least the heels and the coat. The smile was beginning to waiver.

She’d come up with the idea when he’d given her his key. It had seemed like a fabulous plan at the time, and much less daring than strolling down Whacker Drive au naturel. But now that she was standing in his elevator, she wasn’t so sure she could pull it off.

A horrified gasp escaped her lips as another thought crossed her mind. What if Nick had spent the night and was still there? The image of Hudson offering to take her coat while his little brother sat eating his cereal at the breakfast bar had her reconsidering the entire plan. She’d decided a return trip to the lobby restroom was her safest bet when the elevator doors slid open. A low growl that sounded more animal than human echoed from the rear of the penthouse.

Hudson.

Without a second thought, Allie dropped the bag and hurried to the master bedroom. She found him in the throes of a nightmare, writhing on the bed. His neck was arched and his face contorted.

Bile rose in her throat. She couldn’t bear to see him hurting, and whatever haunted his sleep was causing him pain as real as any physical blow. “Hudson,” was all she managed to choke out.

He moaned and shifted restlessly, his legs tangling with the sheet.

“Don’t leave,” he groaned. For a moment she thought he was talking to her but then she realized he was pleading with someone in his sleep. His head thrashed back and forth.

This had to stop. She had to bring him back from whatever dark place he was in. She climbed onto the bed and knelt beside him. “Hudson,” she said, louder this time. Her hand went to his shoulders and she gave him a gentle shake. “It’s Allie. Wake up.”

Hudson jerked and his eyes opened. “Allie?” The sound of his voice, hoarse as if he’d been screaming, gripped her heart, and a hot tear slid down her cheek. He blinked up at her, confused, but after a minute it seemed as though a fog lifted. “What’s the matter, what’s wrong?”

“You were having a nightmare.”

He sat up, resting his elbows on his knees and dropping his face into his hands. The muscles in his arms and legs corded with the tension that gripped his entire frame.

Allie waited until she heard his erratic breathing begin to slow. “If you want to talk about it . . .”

“I don’t.”

She knew he wanted her to let it go, but the image of him writhing in pain was too fresh. If there was any way to reach him, to help him through this, she had to try. “It’s not the first time this has happened. Maybe if you talk to someone . . .”

“I said drop it,” he barked. His harsh tone made her flinch. Immediately, Hudson’s features softened. “I’m sorry, Allie. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

“It’s okay.” She reached out to touch him but, unsure if she should, dropped her hand. “I love you, Hudson. Whatever is doing this to you, I want to help.”

“I know you do.” He shoved both hands through his hair. “Just let me handle this my way.”

Allie nodded even though she didn’t agree. Clearly Hudson’s way of dealing with the issue wasn’t working. But Allie had only been back in his life a little over twenty-four hours. It would take time to get him to open up to her, time she was more than willing to give him. And when he was ready, she’d be waiting. Whatever haunted his dreams, they would deal with it together.

Slowly the last remnants of the nightmare left him and Hudson began to visibly relax. After several long, quiet moments, something else occurred to him. His head shot up and his alarmed gaze met hers. “How did you get here?”

“Max drove me.”

“Good. I’m assigning him to you full time until this situation is resolved.”

“Don’t you think that’s a little extreme?”

“No, not when it comes to your safety, Alessandra.” She opened her mouth to speak but he gently cupped her chin and closed it. “This isn’t up for debate,” he said. The decisiveness in his tone was impossible to miss.

On any other day, under any other circumstances, Allie would have had plenty to say about his need for control running dangerously into the Neanderthal zone. But he was obviously worried about her safety. It was etched in the lines that marred his beautiful face. And after what she’d just witnessed, the last thing she wanted to do was add to the stress he was already feeling.

“Fine, but just until the police close the case.”

He eyed her speculatively for a moment, no doubt finding it hard to believe she’d agreed without a fight, before flinging back the sheet and climbing out of bed. “Well, if that’s settled,” he said, standing up and stretching his arms high above his head. “Feed me, woman. If I’m to be subjected to elf duties, I can’t do it on an empty stomach.” It wasn’t until Allie stood that he noticed her attire. He cocked his head to one side. “Why are you still wearing your coat?”