Ed. My savior had been a murderer.
I sucked in some deep breaths.
“Get a grip, Lark.” I lifted a shaky hand. “Deal with it later.”
Pushing back the ugly truth and the emotions deep inside me, I rose. I quickly rinsed out my mouth.
I couldn’t deal with it now. I needed to get out of here. I needed to get somewhere safe.
I hurried back to Bastian. He hadn’t moved, and worry nipped at me. How badly had he hit his head? I checked his pulse again, caressed it, seduced by his strong heartbeat. By the life I felt there.
Ripping open the first aid kit, I quickly cleaned his head wound, then pressed a bandage to his temple.
Pushing to my feet, I stared down at him for a long while.
Then I crouched and rummaged in the pocket of his pants—not taking note of his hard thighs under the fabric. I held his phone up to his face to unlock it.
I scrolled to Nash’s name and hit the button. The call connected.
“Bastian?” There was a pause. “Bastian?”
I ended the call.
His friends would come and check on him. I set the phone on the coffee table beside the first aid kit, then I glanced at him one more time.
He’ll be fine.
I forced myself to leave.
I found the knife I’d lost in the chaos of our fight and slid it into its sheath.
My world was crumbling around me. Knowing the truth about Ed… It felt like the ground had turned soggy under my feet.
Everything I’d believed in was a lie.
I wasn’t sure where to step, who to trust, or what was safe.
CHAPTER 9
BASTIAN
“Fuck. Is he okay?”
Nash’s voice was the first thing I heard.
“He’s breathing.” That was Landon.
“What the hell happened? The place is a mess,” Cole’s voice was a low growl.
I opened my eyes. My head was throbbing, but I was mostly wondering why the hell I was on the floor.
Wait a second.
Lark.
I sat up too quickly and the room wavered. I pressed a hand to the side of my head and found a bandage there. I eyed my friends who were all gathered around me.
Alessio was there, as well. He stood by the sliding doors to the balcony.
