I’m tempted to lie back on the floor for a moment, but that’s when Hal comes rushing over. His expression is frantic as he hovers his hands uncertainly over me, like he wants to help but doesn’t know what to do.
“Are you okay, wild girl?” is all Hal gets a chance to ask before Coop storms over and shoves him aside.
Coop looks about as bad as I feel. There’s blood running down his forehead, cheek, and nose from cuts or punches. Both of his eyes are starting to bruise, and his coveralls are torn and stained with more blood. His knuckles are cut and banged up as he brings his hands up to cup my face.
He gently turns my head side to side, watching me intently for any signs of pain. Unfortunately for him, I’m good at hiding the fact that it hurts like a motherfucker to move my head and keep my eyes open.
His lips twist into a frown at whatever he sees on my face before he sighs. “I would ask if you’re okay, baby S, but it’s obvious you’re not. We need to get you to a hospital. We’ll get you a CAT scan, MRI, X-rays, and whatever else you need.”
I’m shaking my head before he’s even finished talking, forgetting that I’m probably concussed. I wince at the splintering pain before blanking my face. “Coop, take a breath. I’m fine. I don’t need to go to the hospital.”
I’ve had enough concussions to know that I’ll be as good as new within a day, especially with one this mild. There’s nothing doctors can do for me right now, anyway. All I can do is wait for my body to heal itself.
“You’re not fine!” he roars before hanging his head. When he continues, his voice is barely even a whisper. “You look exactly like you did that night. And I didn’t do anything about it then, but I’m damn well taking care of you this time.”
I sigh and suddenly feel a million years old at the mention of that night and everything that happened before and after. I understand where he’s coming from, but taking me to the doctor now won’t undo what happened then.
“It’s different, Coop. Azrael didn’t mean to, and I don’t want to spend my evening in the ER. I’ve been injured enough to know whether this is serious, and it’s not. You and I both know I’ve been hurt a hell of a lot worse than this. You and your parents spent so much time in the surgery wing of the hospital when I was a kid, I’m surprised they didn’t name it after you.” I try to joke to lighten the mood.
Azrael absolutely meant to say all the bullshit he did to provoke Coop into a fight, but I know he never meant to hurt me. Not like Andrew did that night.
Coop’s gaze bounces around my face for a long moment before his shoulders slump. “Nothing I say will get you to go to the hospital, will it?”
I grin and shake my head.
He sighs before giving me a small smile. “You were always so damn stubborn. I’m never gonna forget hearing my sister screaming bloody murder while you two were dirt biking whenyou guys were, what, twelve? I come running out to see what happened, only to find you with your fucking shin bone sticking out of your leg. And your first question was?—”
“‘Think a Band-Aid will fix it? I really wanna have this jump down by dinner,’” I finish for him, pulling another smile out of him.
Dirt bikes were my life until I had to quit, and I was pretty focused on mastering every skill I could. I was always more into riding them than Charlie, but she’d happily stay out there for hours every day after school with me because it made me happy.
Coop and I are silent as we get lost in our memories. I hope he’s reliving some of the happier ones, rather than the night everything fell apart.
After a little while, Hal clears his throat. “So, um, how do you guys know each other?”
I bite my lip and look up at Coop, unsure how much he wants to share. Raking a bloody hand through his golden blond hair, he blows out a breath. “Lark’s my fated mate’s younger sister. She’s also been my little sister’s best friend since they were in diapers, so she’s as much a sister to me as Charlie is.”
Hal’s brows jump up in surprise, and his eyes shine with a relief I don’t really understand. “Oh, you’re her friend, Coop! She told me about you.” He turns to me and offers me a small smile. “I didn’t know you had another sister.”
I close my eyes and shake my head, hating having to say that she’s gone out loud. When I open them, I reluctantly meet Hal’s pale green gaze. “I don’t. I only had one.”
His face softens in sympathy at the probably obvious pain on mine before he realizes what that means for Coop. “Fuck, man,” Hal rasps. “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks,” Coop whispers before pushing to his feet. Because what else is there to say? He offers me a hand up, and I take it. “Let’s get you home, baby S. You need to rest and heal up.”
When I’m on my feet, I have to close my eyes for a moment as the world spins around me. When it stops feeling like I’m on a demented carnival ride, I open my eyes and pin Coop with a look. “I’m not going home. I promised Hal I’d have dinner with him. And don’t you need to finish work?”
Coop lets out a humorless laugh. “I doubt I still have a job after punching my boss. And I’m sure Halston understands that you need to rest, not go to dinner.”
Nodding, Hal gives me an understanding smile. “I do completely get it, wild girl. We can take a rain check on it. And you still have a job here if you want it, Finch. You’re one of our best mechanics, and we both know Az was goading you into because he has the emotional maturity of a crowbar.”
“While I appreciate it,” I interject before Coop can refuse for me again, “I’d still like to have dinner with you, if the offer still stands.”
After the craziness of this afternoon, I’d usually like nothing more than to chill out with Coop and Charlie and hide from the world for a while. Now, though, I feel weirdly disappointed about not getting to hang out with Hal and the other guys, excluding Azrael, obviously.
I’m not angry at him for mildly strangling me and giving me a concussion, but I am hurt by everything he said. I know a girl like me would never be what a guy like him is looking for, but I don’t really need him pointing it out for everyone to hear.
“Of course it does. I’d love nothing more than to hang out with you and take you to dinner, but I understand if you’d rather never see any of us again.” Hal drops his gaze from mine and stares at the floor. He scuffs the toe of his boot against the shiny gray concrete, like he can’t bear to look at me when I agree with him.
