“Relax. I'm behind the door; I can’t see you. Why didn’t you answer me?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I was maybe a little busy trying to breathe,” I snap, but there’s no heat to my words because my voice is still wispy because I can barely breathe.
“Are you getting out now?”
“No, I was planning on sleeping in here tonight,” I respond in irritation.
“Well, that’s a stupid idea.”
I’m pretty sure I can’t grind my teeth any harder than I already am. “You think?”
“Cover up. I'm coming in.”
“Have you lost your mind?” I demand. “You’re not coming in here.” I try to sit up, but pain ricochets through my body. “Go out,” I snap in anger.
“Cover up, or don’t; either way, I’m coming in. I’ll lift you out.”
“Would you get out? I don’t need you to lift me out. I’m not five!”
“You sure? Because you’re acting like it.” Before I can flay him with a comment, he speaks again. “I can hear the pain in your voice. Stop being stubborn and just let me get you out.” He pauses. “Or I can get Farrah to come to do it.”
“Farrah can’t lift me out of here,” I respond immediately. I don’t know why I say what I say next. Maybe if I really think about it, I’ll find a reason. “Just get Lox to do it; he’s strong enough.”
There's a pause. “Over my dead body.” His voice is sharp, and I hear the anger there. “Catch.” Instincts make me catch the towel he throws at me. “Cover up with that. You have five seconds.”
“Rauk!” But fearing he just might be serious, I grab the towel and wrap it around me.
“I’m coming in.” He appears above me, towering over me. Without a word, he bends down and puts one hand under my neck and another under my knees. I expect him to grunt when he stands, but he doesn’t make a sound.
I don’t look up at him. I’ve never felt more useless in all my life. “Well, this is fun. I guess you’re used to this, though.”
He turns his head to me, and I make the mistake of meeting hisgaze. His eyebrows are raised. “Lifting naked women out of the tub?”
I smack his shoulder, ignoring the pain in my chest. “I mean with helping your sister. This is just like that.” I’m trying to normalize the incredibly awkward and intimate position I’m in.
He stops, just shy of the door, and locks eyes with me. “This is nothing like that.” His voice is gruff, and his eyes are intense. I look away, and he carries me out of the bathroom. Auri’s eyes widen when she sees me.
“Are you okay, Harper?”
“No,” Rauk says at the same time, I say, “I’m fine.” He sets me down on the bed, far more gentle than I thought he could be, considering the anger in his voice. He glares down at me. “You need your ribs wrapped. I can do it, but—”
“You are not wrapping my ribs,” I warn him, lifting my chin defiantly at him.
“You didn’t let me finish. I was going to say if you’re not comfortable with that, I can get your friend.”
“I don’t want to bother Farrah—”
He scowls at me. “If you tell me to get Lox, I swear—”
“What? No! I was going to say I can do it.” His gaze is intense, and I can almost feel his anger. “I don’t know what your problem is, but you need to tone it back,” I tell him without looking away from him.
He closes his eyes a moment. When he opens them, that intensity is dialed back just the slightest bit. He turns away from me and comes back a moment later with a fresh wrap. “I’ll do it.”
“No. Absolutely not,” I tell him.
“Just face away from me. You can wrap the front; I’ll just help make it tight and get the wrapping snug around your back where you can’t reach.”
“I’m not—” I start.
