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His glare dropped to my split lip before flicking up again. Then he touched the gauze to my eyebrow. I hissed and he pulled back a little.

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

I watched his face while he worked. Dee refused to look directly into my eyes. “You’re mad at me,” I finally said.

“I’m furious at you.”

“Good.”

That got his attention. “Good?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He dabbed harder than necessary.

“Ow, asshole. That hurts!”

“Good,” he threw back at me. “You followed four teenagers into the woods.”

“They hurt Trevor.”

“And what exactly was your brilliant fucking plan, Alvin Carter?”

“Improvisation and educational implementation.”

“Worked so well.”

“At least I did something,” I reminded him.

Dee’s hand froze mid-dab. Slowly, he lowered the gauze. “You think I don’t care about that kid? You think I don’t care about any of them?”

“I think you care until it’s more convenient to disappear than show it.”

“You have no idea what I’ve been doing,” he grumbled, and started dabbing at my face again.

“Then tell me.”

“I don’t owe you an explanation.”

I laughed bitterly. “Right.”

Dee turned around and grabbed fresh gauze. “Take your stupid shirt off.”

“That usually requires dinner first, baby.” My eyebrow lifted. “Oh! And dessert. I prefer chocolate but the real kind, not the weird boxed shit we get here⁠—”

“Shirt. Off. Alvin.”

I stared at him before finally conceding and lifting my arms. Dee growled, grabbed the hem, and yanked it over my head. Then he went very still. His eyes gave him away first. Just for a second. Down my chest. And then… lower. But just as fast, they were immediately back on my face.

I smiled. “Aw, Big DeeDee likes it a little rough, huh?”

“Shut up.”

“You looked.”

“I’m checking for bruising, asshole.”

“In my shorts?”