“Why do you need a fucking kazoo?” I grabbed the plastic device and looked up at the ceiling. “Huh, gramps? Why the hellis a kazoo in here? Were you gonna annoy them to death?” I flung the stupid thing over my shoulder, shoved aside the box of useless crap and pulled another box toward me.
I was momentarily stunned when something smacked into the back of my head so hard my vision exploded in a firework display of whites and greens and blues.
I shot to my feet and turned around to find the boy holding a heavy metal wrench. He stumbled back and braced a hand on the doorjamb.
“What the hell?” I said in surprise, staring at him for a long moment while my brain came back online. “Where did you even find that?”
He was breathing so hard it seemed like he was going to burst through the gauze I’d tied around him, and his eyes…
Fuck me, those eyes.
They were two completely different colors. Blue and brown held me locked in place with an intensity that blazed brightly in those mismatched eyes. There was a world of emotion there, a whirlpool that was dragging me deeper the longer I looked.
He shoved off the doorjamb and brandished the wrench like he was going to hit me again, but I grabbed his arm as gently as I could and snatched it out of his hand, tossing it behind me. I towered over him, and in his weakened state—and especially with the muzzle and collar—he really wasn’t much of a threat. He’d just gotten the upper hand and caught me by surprise.
“You’re gonna hurt yourself,” I chastised as he yanked his wrist from my grip. I went to grab his elbow so I could guide him to the living area, but he snarled and slapped my hand away, then turned, tripped over the chain hanging from his collar, and fell flat on his face before I could catch him.
Fuck.
“Hey.” I carefully turned him over, cradling the back of his head. His eyes were closed, and there was a small trickle of bloodon his temple. I brushed his ratty hair away to get a closer look, hoping he’d open his eyes.
I wanted to see them again. To feel that intensity.
But they stayed closed as he lay there limp in my arms, his chest moving as he breathed.
The gauze was holding just fine, but there was more blood than there had been ten minutes ago. Should I change it? Already? Put an extra layer on?
I thought he’d lost too much blood to even be able to get up and walk around on his own, let alone swing a wrench at me.
My skull throbbed where he’d hit me, and when I poked at the spot, I quickly pulled my fingers away with a hiss.
Fuck, he’d gotten me good.
“You got one hell of an arm.”
Well, I had an answer to one question, at least. He was definitely dangerous. Who knew where the fuck he’d been or what he’d been through before this? I’d never tried to help anyone before—not that there had been many—or any—opportunities.
I was just that lonely, I supposed. Would welcome anyone into my life, no matter how dangerous they were.
I rubbed a hand down my face and groaned, then carefully picked him up and carried him to the couch.
When I glanced at his face again, his cracked lips were parted and his breathing was even.
I should get him some water.
There was a pillar in the center of the room, so maybe I could wrap his chain around that and use one of the padlocks to keep him tethered there until he realized I wouldn’t hurt him? But the idea of chaining someone up who had obviously already been chained up didn’t sit well with me, and all I did was throw the blanket over him.
I’d taken three steps away when I made a frustrated sound and turned around, picked up the chain, and wound it around the pole. Then I grabbed a lock from the storage room and locked the chain in place.
He might hurt himself if he woke up and wandered around. His ankle was messed up, and if he did too much, he’d reopen his wound. I’d probably be here in time to unchain him, but just in case I wasn’t, this was for his own protection.
I was practically starving at this point, so I left him on the couch and headed into the small kitchen.
I had some root vegetables to cook, damn it.
I should probably put some pants on, too.
Chapter 3
