Page 49 of Savage Salvation

“Kinsley,” his voice is strained as he keeps his face turned away from me.

“I have to. I need to get back one sliver of my mom, just one piece of her. I don’t care if it’s one fucking word on the piece of paper. I need it.” I don’t attempt to hold the tear in, letting it slide down my cheek. It’s for my mom. And no one else.

He pushes off the bed, shakily making his way over. His knuckles wiping at my cheek. “You already know I’ll do anything for you. You don’t even have to say the word.”

A heartfelt sigh sounds across the room as I glance over to see a sincere look from Memphis. “This is great. I have to tell Hayden. He’ll never believe someone tamed the beast.”

Gage shifts back, speaking to Memphis but looking at me. “Yes, he’ll believe it. Because he understands. There’s one who changes everything. The game changer who leaves no other option.” He shifts forward, tenderly kissing me. “I just need her to need me too.”

I can’t respond directly to what he’s saying, so I do the best I can. “Let’s go back to your place.” A smile stretches across his busted lip. “And let’s call Nicole on the way.”

“I’m fine.”

“It wasn’t a question. You call her or I will.”

Memphis laughs. Gage just shakes his head but concedes, calling Nicole to have her meet us at his house. Hopefully, this is the last time we’ll need a house call. Because there are some things doctors and money can’t fix.

36

Gage

Slowly, I move the comforter back and slide in bed beside her, pulling her to me. My hand brushes damp hair off her neck, and I place a kiss on her skin as I hold her to me.

“Are you really okay?” she asks, her eyes pointed across the dark room at the wall.

“Yep. You heard the doc.” Nicole lectured me for a good twenty minutes, telling me that she wasn’t going to encourage whatever the hell is going on. But she did say I only seemed to be bruised up, nothing broken. She suggested I take my ass to the hospital to be sure. But I’m fine. I’ve had broken bones, and this doesn’t feel as bad, but maybe it’s the company. She has that effect on me. Only now, I have to figure out how to break the news to her and get her the fuck away from the bastard. And I need to get away from him because every time I think about it, the homicidal rage rises again. I don’t want to let her down, go against what she wants, but how can I let him roam free after what he’s done?

“Yes. And you should listen to what else she said and get to the hospital.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” I pull her closer, but I still feel like she’s about to haul ass away. Again. “You’re not going anywhere neither. I can’t get my ass kicked just to get you back here again.” My lips feather over her skin as her shoulder tenses.

“That’s not funny.”

“I’m not laughing.” Placing another kiss on her skin, I trail to her neck as I breathe her in. “Just tell me you’ll stop running because I’m too injured to chase you right now.”

“It’s never gonna end. Not until I graduate, and I can’t stay afterwards.”

Every morsel in me says to tell her, tell her the letter is bullshit. Some ruse for them to control her. But I can’t tell her. Not until I know why they did it. Not until I can convince her to stay. Because once she discovers the truth, she’ll run and never look back.

Walter has a PI looking into it now. But he can’t work fast enough because the longer I keep this from her, the more she’ll hate me for it.

“I’ll go with you. Anywhere you want to go.”

“I don’t know where I belong.” Her words stab at my chest, scraping along as I hear the longing in her voice.

I shift over her, her back against the mattress as she looks up at me. “With me. That’s where.”

Dropping down, my mouth covers hers. The kiss is tender at first, but quickly becomes more eager as her hands cling to my shoulders.

Easing back, Kinsley says, “Lie down before you hurt yourself more.”

“Doc didn’t tell you? Sex is the best medicine.”

“Not when you can’t move without flinching in pain.”

“I’m not flinching in pain, but there is a hard muscle that could use some assistance working out the aching.”

Her eyes close as she shakes her head. “You’re a dumbass.”