Chapter 22
Rafe
Rafe braced himself for another swab of the cold cloth. He sat at the kitchen table while Louisa washed off his cut from Nathan’s sucker punch.That was a sucker punch, right? Getting attacked without looking and without warning?The pain of the impact came back to Rafe with each brush of cold water. He could feel the nerves in his cheek send signals to his brain that this motherfuckerhurt.
Eamonn filled up a bowl of more cold water at the sink. “How’s it looking?” he askedLouisa.
“Colorful.” Louisa smoothed the washcloth across his sorecheek.
“How’re you feeling?” sheasked.
“Sore. My headhurts.”
“You went down. It’s a good thing Eamonn caught you or else you would’ve smacked your head against thetile.”
Rafe flicked his eyes over to Eamonn, who seemed to be reliving that memory on a loop. He set the bowl of water on the table forLouisa.
“You took the punch well,” Eamonnsaid.
“The sucker punch,” Rafesaid.
“I’ve never seen Nathan that inebriated.” Louisa pressed the washcloth on his cheek. It soothed and stung at the same time. “Usually, he’s a flirtydrunk.”
Nathan had been taken to Louisa’s room to sleep off the alcohol. But Rafe’s flatmates were here, withhim.
“You’re smiling,” Louisanoted.
“Thanks for doing this,” he said to both ofthem.
Eamonn took washcloth duties over from Louisa. His strong hands handled it withdelicacy.
“Where’s Heath?” Rafeasked.
“Probably asleep, the fucker,” Eamonnsaid.
Louisa made him a grilled cheese on toast. She took one more look at his face. “I think it should be all right. Just some black and blues, but it doesn’t seem like you brokeanything.”
“I want to see,” Rafesaid.
Louisa and Eamonn traded a look. They hadn’t let Rafe see the damage yet, and now he was more curious than ever. Louisa got a mirror from her bathroom and held it to Rafe’sface.
“Holy shit.” He was like Two Face from Batman. One side of him was normal Rafe; the other was red, blotchy, puffy,scarred.
“It’ll heal,” she said. “First, black and blue. Then it’llheal.”
“I’m going to look socool!”
Louisa and Eamonn traded a surprisedlook.
“I’ve never been in a fight. I’ve never thrown a punch or stood up for myself like that.” Rafe felt power infused in his hands. “I’m kind of a badass.”
Eamonn pointed at Rafe. “I like yourattitude.”
Louisa got the grilled cheese on toast from the skillet and slid it onto a plate for Rafe. He saw she had another one on a separate skillet,too.
“I’m going to bed.” She kissed Rafe’s good cheek. She took the second grilled cheese on toast andleft.
“That second sandwich is for Nathan,” Rafe said once she wasgone.
