“Tell that to Kaci, when she wakes up. And to Faythe, when you getback.”
That, I was not looking forwardto.
“Okay. I’ll call you back with an address when we’re settled insomewhere.”
“Take care of her, Justus. Everyone else may be judging you for what you did in Mississippi, but everyone who matters will be judging you on what you donow.”
“Understood.”
“And by the way, you’refired.”
No longer an enforcer. I’d known that was coming, yet the words stung more than I’dexpected.
As soon as we crossed back into Arizona, I began searching for a pharmacy, but because our route would only take us across the tip of the northwest corner of the state, I didn’t find any good place to stop until we’d made it into Utah, and all the way back to St. George. And I have to admit that as I drove past the same small town I’d raced through that morning in search of Kaci, I felt like we were now farther than ever from our foreverisland.
Not that that would ever happen now. The safest place for Kaci was with her family. I should never have taken her off theranch.
The GPS on my phone led me to a pharmacy a couple of minutes from the highway, and I parked at the back of the lot, hoping no one would get close enough to see the giant, sleeping cat in the back of my car. Then I rushed through the store and came out with food, a case of bottled water, a case of soda, over-the-counter pain killers, antibiotic cream, a light blanket, and every kind of bandage I couldfind.
Kaci was still asleep when I got to the car, and when I was sure she was actually breathing, I pulled onto the street, then into the first decent-looking motel I found. Though I’m fundamentally opposed to the very concept of a motel, I couldn’t very well sneak a big cat up the elevator and down the halls of ahotel.
“Hey.” In a parking space at the back of the lot, I twisted in my seat to stroke her head gently. “Wake up,Kaci.”
She blinked hazel cat eyes at me, her pupils round like a lion’s, rather than pointed like a house cat’s. She started to sit up, but I shook myhead.
“Stay down. We’re back in St. George, at a hotel. I have to go get us a room, but I don’t want to leave you here without telling you where I’m going.” She nodded, and I pulled the new blanket from the pharmacy bag on the front seat. “I’m going to cover you with this, and I want you to just stay hidden until I get back, okay?” I shook the blanket out, and she nodded again. Then she laid down, folding her paws beneath her head on the hump in the center of the floorboard. Which was already grimy with blood anddirt.
“Okay I’ll be right back.” I covered her, then got out of the car and lockedit.
I requested a room on the first floor, at the back, which probably made the clerk immediately suspicious. But my platinum card seemed to smooth that over, and since we were no longer on the run from both my Alphas and my brother, there was no reason not to use thecard.
The clerk gave me two keys, and I parked as close as I could get to our room. Then I unlocked the door, did a cursory exam to make sure the room was acceptable, and threw the bolt over with the door open, to keep it from closing while I went back forKaci.
When I was sure the parking lot was empty and no one was watching from any of the motel room windows, I opened the back door of the car and escorted Kaci into the room. I went back out for our luggage and the pharmacy bags, and when I returned, I found her in the tub, shifting back into humanform.
While she finished her shift, I called Marc and gave him our motel information, for him to pass along to Vic and Chris. “How’s she doing?” heasked.
“She’s shifting back. I’ll be able to ask her in a minute. I got food and first aid supplies, so we’re going to get her cleaned up, then eat and rest while we wait for theguys.”
“Justus? I’m going to take a shower,” Kaci called from thebathroom.
“I heard that,” Marc said over the phone. “Tell her to take a bath instead, until you’re sure she won’t faint from blood loss or the concussion. Help her if she needs it. And donottakeadvantage.”
“I wouldnever,” I growled, beyond caring whether or not that would be considered rude to anAlpha.
Marc actually chuckled. “I believe you. But I have to say it. She’s like mydaughter.”
“She’s like mywife,” I shot back, irritation building insideme.
“No,” he said. “She’s not. She’s like a teenager who made a stupidmistake.”
“I—”
“Shut up and listen,” he snapped. “Faythe and I are not going to try to separate the two of you, because we know that will only make you cling to each other harder, and because no matter what you think, we don’t believe in thwarting young love. But wedobelieve Kaci’s too young to getmarried.”
“Didn’t you try to marry Faythe when she was eighteen?” I probably should have reassessed my confrontational tone, but he hadno rightto an opinion on my marriage—new though itwas.
“Yes, and that was a mistake, and I paid for it for the next sixyears.”
