He cut me a sharp look before turning to speak to Petra.
Minutes passed, and my dizziness grew. If I stayed any longer, Jack would know I was hurt, and he’d probably blow a gasket. I had to leave while he was distracted. Besides, I desperately needed some pain meds.
Quietly, I walked out of the apartment and made my way for the stairs. A strong hand grasped my arm, halting me near the stairwell. “What the hell, Ray?” Jack demanded. “You just walk out?”
I sighed. “Thanks for coming, but I’m tired. I need to go home. Stay with Petra until the cops come, please?”
He cut me that unwavering stare of his, but a tick worked his jaw. “You’ll wait with me until the cops get here, then I’ll take you.”
He thought I didn’t want to stay with him? Well, betterthatthan the truth. “Jack,sheneeds protection—”
At the rumble of footfalls, I glanced back. Two cops appeared up the stairs. Jack didn’t let go of my wrist as he turned to speak to the officers. The stars in my head multiplied, nausea twisting my stomach, and I bit back a moan. The walls swayed…no wait, that was me. I heard Jack introduce himself. He nodded to Oscar lying in the hallway in a drunken heap and said something.
“Jack,” I rasped, bile rushing up my throat, and I grabbed his hard bicep as the cops’ footsteps receded. “I-I—”
“They will not charge him,” he snapped. “Just lock him up for the damn night. They’ll let him go in the morning.”
“Jack…” I blinked, trying to tell him I didn’t feel well, but his image tripled and wavered in front of me. Then I heard his curse from far off as my legs gave way and oblivion won…
Jack
Lights gleamedfrom the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance as I stared out through the window of the living area of my bedroom. Silence crowded my ears. I rubbed my chest, my dress shirt sporting traces of blood. The panicked thumping of my heart had finally settled to its normal rhythmic beat.
I glanced at my bed, where Ray lay in a sedated sleep. Dr. Matthias thought it was best, considering she must be in a helluva lot of pain from the stab wound and her sore head.
Goddamn woman, putting herself in a dangerous situation without a care to herself.
When she’d fallen into my arms at her friend’s place, I’d had no idea what had happened and wondered if the hit to her face had caused her to pass out. With fear knotting my gut, I’d sprinted downstairs to my car. As I buckled her into the seat, she’d moaned. Only then did I realize that my fingers were sticky with blood. I lifted her t-shirt and felt as if I’d been clocked in the head at the drenched piece of gauze stuck over her abdomen where she’d been wounded. She’d ended up with four fucking stitches.
It was the first thing she should have told me!
I unclenched my fists and tunneled my fingers through my hair so I wouldn’t go over and shake her in my frustration.
Maybe a shower would cool my fluctuating temper. But I hesitated at the foot of the bed and stared at her. If that blade had gone any higher and slid between her ribs, she could have died. Something inside me shuddered at the thought.Goddammit, Ray!
Teeth grinding down, I unbuttoned and pulled off my shirt, and headed to the bathroom.
Ten minutes later, I dried off and drew on a pair of black sweat shorts. As I walked into the bedroom, a low moan reached me. I hurried to Ray’s side and found her listlessly yanking at the t-shirt I’d put her in so she didn’t have to sleep with her bloodied clothes.
“Shh, it’ll be fine. Just rest,” I murmured, stroking her damp hair away from her flushed face, finding her skin too warm.
The doc had warned about a temperature. I sprinted back to the bathroom, dampened a towel, then I approached the bed again, and stalled. She’d somehow gotten the t-shirt off, revealing her naked body and tempting breasts.
Damn. With the staying power of a saint, I gently wiped her face and chest, cooling her down, then carefully cleaned around the dressing, checking that it was still intact and that she hadn’t yanked it off. I rechecked her temperature, placing the back of my hand on her brow. Still warm.
What the fuck was she thinking, confronting a drunk with a weapon?
My frustration surging back again like the tide, I tossed the towel aside. I should go sleep in the other room, but worry over her wouldn’t leave. A small whimper made the decision for me. Oh, yeah, she would give me hell in the morning for this. But I’d be close if she needed me.
I lowered onto the bed and dropped my arm behind my head, staring at the ceiling. Awareness swept through me, making me too conscious of Ray sleeping next to me, nearly naked.
Of the many ways I wanted her in my bed, this wasn’t how I’d imagined it. Hell, after my wild couple of years, here I was, with someone I truly desired. Someone I could probably have if I seduced her, but I didn’t care for that. I wanted her to want me, too. Needed it to beherchoice.
There weren’t many people I cared about, except for Pops and my sister…and now, Ray. Of course, awake, it was a whole other ballgame going after her. She wouldn’t be easy, and she wasn’t like anyone else I knew.
A thought surfaced. She’d always had Max, War, and me, but not once did she come to us for any help, be it financial or for brute strength—we three could have supplied both.
But Ray never asked for anything, unlike some of the people we came across. It was why when she turned to me tonight, it had meant a great damn deal.
