He peered up at me and I saw darkness in the depths of his eyes that made me shudder.
“You’d be surprised at the kind of person I am.”
“But I don’twantyou to be like that,” I told him. “My Kip is kind, considerate, and wouldn’t hurt any of my fleas.”
He shook his head. “Don’t,” he warned. “I’m on the edge right now, and I know you’re trying to be funny, but you need to remember something. I held your broken body in my arms. I had your blood on me. There wouldn’t be enough showers in the world to get it off my hands.”
Shit. He was terrified, and here I was, cracking jokes.
“I’m sorry,” I said gently.
He sat up and locked gazes with me. “No,I’msorry. I know you’re trying to make me feel better, but you’re the one they hurt.”
“I’m okay,” I promised, even as a twinge of pain shot through me. “Well, mostly okay. The doctor said I could come home tonight, at least as long as you’re going to be there.”
“I need to?—”
“Kip, please. Go home with me,” I pleaded. Because if he didn’t, there was always the possibility he would go looking for the person who did this—and hurt them.
His tight face relaxed. “Of course. Being home with you sounds perfect.”
After that, he had me get under the blanket and sleep.
This isn’t over, is it?
Not by a long shot.
Chapter Nineteen
Mason
I gotout of the car and stood on the sidewalk, hesitant to take another step.
I hate feeling like this.Hated it with a fucking passion. I knew initially the house hadn’t felt like home, but after we’d redecorated and added the tea garden, it had become our place.
Walking in now felt cold, foreign. I could smell the pack wolves had been there, but despite that, I didn’t want to go in the back. I couldn’t stand to see or smell my blood in the yard. Flashbacks of the beating were occurring with increasing regularity.
I could see that shadow moving quickly through the yard.
I recalled trying desperately to get to the house where I had a better chance of being safe.
I remembered being slammed into from behind and being on my stomach, trying to get up. I’d glanced over my shoulder to see a black-clad figure hovering over me, a rock locked in both hands.
Then there was the pain, so much agony that I’d wished I was dead so it would stop hurting.
I let out a gasp and Kip was there in a heartbeat, pulling me to him. “You okay?”
I swallowed. “Yeah, sorry. Just flashes of memory.”
Kip leaned in so close I could feel the heat from his breath on my cheek. “Do you remember seeing the person’s face?”
I gave a slight shake of my head, but stopped when the world started spinning too fast.
“No, I’m trying, but I’m not sure I ever got a glimpse. All I remember is seeing someone in black who knocked me over, them on my back with the rock in their hands and….” I gasped again, and Kip wrapped his arms around my shoulders, hugging me tightly.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “We could take you to your parents’ house for a few days.”
Cold inched its way through me.
