Page 24 of Unexpected Complication

“How’s that working for you?”

“Get fucked.”

Grinning, I stroked my finger along my chin. “I think you’re the one fucked here.”

Glancing down, I started to chuckle. The plastic bags from the store were lying in the snow. One contained the blanket from her bed and the other the extra clothes Sean had bought. “You should have thrown the backpack out as well, MacGyver.”

“I didn’t want the books to get wet.”

That did it. I started to laugh, which only enraged her more. She began to struggle, trying to pull herself out of the window.

That was when I saw the blood.

My laughter ceased instantly.

“Skylar. Stop moving.”

Her efforts only increased. I lunged forward and grasped her hands, squeezing hard. “Skylar! Stop! Now!”

From inside, I heard Sean. “What is it, Cian?”

“She’s bleeding!”

She looked down, her voice shaky. “I think I cut my stomach. It hurts.”

I frowned at the blood I saw on her hands as well. Her panicked gaze met mine.

“We’ll get you out. Calm down.”

I held her gaze until I felt the panic drain from her and she became limp.

“I have to go get the ladder.”

All I got was the smallest nod.

Sean climbed down from the ladder. He’d been examining Skylar’s position and speaking with her quietly. “I think a piece of the window ledge broke off and is embedded in her skin.”

“Her hands?”

“She cut them trying to get out.”

Cursing under my breath, I looked back at her. Skylar wasn’t moving, head hanging down, her hair spilling over her face. Small drops of blood dotted the snow under the window. For some reason, knowing she was hurt, that I was seeing her blood, was causing me to panic. “How do we get her out with the least damage?”

“I’m going in and cutting the backpack open at the bottom. I can pull the books out. That’ll give us the room we need to help lift her up and over the ledge.”

Skylar started to struggle. “You can’t ruin my backpack! It’s all I have!”

Ready to scream at her, I started to open my mouth, but Sean held up his hand, stopping my tirade before it began. “Skylar, I’ll get you a new one. Remember what I said to you a moment ago?”

“Yes.”

“Cooperate, then.”

Her voice was resigned. “Fine.”

He shook his head, muttering about impossible women. “We need to be fast—but gentle, Cian. I don’t know if we’re talking a scratch or something more serious.” He fixed me with a stern look. “Can you do that? Or should you go in and cut the pack open, and I’ll lift her out?”

“No. I’ll do it.”