Fireworks 1 and 2

Chapter Fifty-Four

    Drake escorted Mia into the living room and gestured for her to have a seat on the couch. He sat on the couch beside her and tilted her head to the side, inspecting a darkish purple bruise that was starting to form on her cheekbone. "What a piece of shit," he muttered under his breath. He leaned back and withdrew his cell phone from his pocket. He punched in a number and raised the phone to his ear. "Yeah, it's me. I need a car pulled up to the front. Doesn't matter which one. Yeah. Thanks man, sorry to wake you up." He ended the phone call.

    Mia looked up at him. "Car for what?"

    "So we can go the police station," he responded.

    She shook her head. "Aubrey, no."

    He frowned. "You're not going to let him get away with it. I refuse to let you."

    She looked worried and scared.

    The frightened look in her eyes broke his heart. He draped an arm across her shoulders and pulled her close to him.

    Chubbs entered the room, rubbing his eyes. "The car is being pulled around."

    "Who's driving?" Drake asked him. "CJ?"

    "Yeah, he was the one who answered the quickest," Chubbs answered with a yawn. He frowned when he saw Mia's face. "What happened?"

    "Trevor Riley happened," Drake told him. "I guess he's not used to rejection."

    Chubbs scratched his head. "So...he hit her?"

    "Yeah. We're going to the police station so we can file a report."

    "I don't want to do that," Mia argued.

    Drake looked up at Chubbs. "Can we have a few minutes?"

    Chubbs nodded. "Yeah, man. I'll be in the kitchen."

    Drake waited for him to leave, then looked at Mia. "If you don't report him, he will get away with it. If he gets away with it, chances are he'll do it again. To another unsuspecting female." He paused while she contemplated his words. "Do you think you're the first girl he's ever hit?"

    She lowered her gaze and shook her head slowly. "But if I report him, what will happen? He'll get a slap on the wrist. Meanwhile, he'll know that I'm the one who reported him."

    "You don't have to worry about that," Drake assured her. "You're associated with me now, which means you're under my protection."

    She gave him a doubtful look.

    "You doubt me?" he asked her.

    "If someone like Trevor Riley wants to get at me, he'll find a way to do it," she told him. "No matter who was protecting me."

    "Wrong." Drake sat back and spread his arms along the back of the couch. "You're wrong."

    She sniffled and wiped at the last of her tears. "All right. Hypothetically, let's say you and your guys can protect me. I go back home, most likely in a few weeks. Who is going to protect me when I leave here?"

    Drake pursed his lips shut.

    "What, you're not going to let me take one of your guys home with me?" she asked him mockingly.

    "I'm trying to help you," he said softly.

    "And you can help me," she said. "While I'm here. But once I leave...it's open season on me."

    "I don't think he'd retaliate."

    "I don't really want to base my life decisions on what you think, Aubrey," she said, putting her head in her hands.

    He sighed and looked away from her.

    "But," she said, her voice shaky and just above a whisper.

    He looked back at her.

    She lifted her head and stared straight ahead. "If another girl was hurt by him...and I could have at least tried to do something to prevent it...I'd feel horrible. I'd feel like I was to blame." She turned her head and looked at him.

    "Meaning?" he prompted.

    "Meaning...I should probably go to the police station and file a report." The look of fear was still there in her eyes.

    "Come here," he said.

    She scooted closer to him and laid her head on his chest.

    He wrapped his arms around her and took a deep breath.

    Chubbs appeared in the entranceway, drinking from a bottle of water. When he was done taking his sip, he asked, "So...are we going or not?"

    Drake nodded at him.

    "The car is out front and CJ is ready to go," Chubbs informed him. "We'll call you as soon as there is something to report."

    "No need," Drake said. "I'm going."

    Chubbs blinked, glanced at Mia, then back at his friend. "I...would not advise that."

    "You can say what's on your mind," Drake told him.

    "There are paparazzi who camp out at Los Angeles and Calabasas police stations. If you're seen going into the police station, it will cause buzz. Bad buzz," Chubbs said.

    "I don't care," Drake said, stroking Mia's hair.

    Chubbs ran a hand over his head. "Will you at least stay in the car?"

    "Probably not," Drake told him honestly.

    Chubbs blew out a puff of air and nodded. "Okay."

    Drake nudged Mia. "We have to go."

    They stood up from the couch and Drake escorted her out of the house and into the back seat of the black Tahoe. Streams of tears cascaded from her tired eyes, and she swiped at them in vain. 

    The drive to the police station was short, and on the ride there everyone was quiet. With an arm around her, Drake scrolled through his text messages and checked his Instagram news feed. Mia responded to text messages from Bri, Desirae, and her mother, making sure not to mention the altercation with Trevor.

                                                                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    A verbal interview, written report, and several camera flashes later, Mia's police station visit was over. They returned to Drake's house. She personally thanked Chubbs and CJ, another member of Drake's security, for being willing to drive her. Then, she started to walk up the stairs.

    Drake's deep voice sounded behind her, and there was a hint of amusement in it. "Where do you think you're going?"

    She arched a glance over her shoulder. "To bed."

    "You're sleeping with me tonight," he told her, moving towards the staircase.

    "That isn't necessary," she told him.

    "Yes, it is."

    She stared at him for a long moment before continuing up the stairs. Once in the hall, she paused at her own bedroom door.

    He reached out, grabbed her hand, and led her to his bedroom.