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Awake and alive and whole.
No blood in sight.
Relief heaved from my lungs, and I drew in a shaky breath.
That tension flared when I saw her left wrist wrapped in an Ace bandage.
“You were injured.”
Regret constricted.
I was supposed to protect her.
I’d made one promise at Kimberly’s grave.
And that was I would keep her daughter safe.
The child sent me the smallest smile. “Just a little bit, but I’m not even broken. It barely even hurts a little so you don’t have to worry.”
Relief nearly dropped me to my knees.
God. I was going to lose it.
Because I didn’t know how to do this.
How to handle this.
How to be in charge of someone else’s life without destroying it.
“I told you she was okay.” Paisley’s throaty voice hit me from behind. The brush of her fingertips down my back scored me like an electric prod.
I whipped around.
That veil of hair framed her face like white flames.
Or maybe I could only see fire.
I had the horrible urge to wrap her in my arms. Hang onto her. Seek comfort and give it.
Because she might have acted like everything was fine, but I could see the tension lining those mossy eyes.
I towered over her, ragged juts of air raking from my lungs as I tried to control the madness.
Paisley’s face was tipped up toward me as I stared down at her chaotic beauty.
Reckless Angel.
Her mayhem burned through my blood.
“She’s hurt.” It came out deadly. A curse. Half pain and half a demand. Paisley blinked, and I was having a hard time not leaning toward her and pressing my nose into the fall of her hair.
To keep myself from inhaling everything she was.
“It was an accident, but she’s okay.” Her voice shook, too, caught in a turmoil she was trying to play off.
“That fucking horse…” I hoped my voice was low enough that Evelyn couldn’t hear, but I wasn’t sure that was true.
I had known from the beginning the horse was a terrible idea. It was dangerous. But I hadn’t known how to tell the child no.
Paisley’s brow pinched in uncertainty. “The horse?”
“I knew she would get hurt on it. That it wasn’t safe.” The words were an accusation I threw at myself.
Her brow curled in understanding. In sympathy. In a softness I didn’t know how to accept. “The horse didn’t hurt her. She tripped and fell while we were walking on the trail back to the house. She sprained her wrist. That’s it.”
Her tone changed, threading through me like a plea, like she was trying to get to the place where this animosity glowed.
“That’s it?” It scraped through my teeth.
“I didn’t mean it like that. I meant that she is going to be fine. And don’t you dare tell me it doesn’t matter what I meant because you and I both know it does. I’m sorry it happened, and I wish I could have stopped it, but I won’t stop her from experiencing the joy of being a child, either. I know you’re going to hate me over it. I accept that. But you should know I was every bit as worried as you on the way over here.”
Hate her?
I wanted to.
I wanted to fucking hate her as fiercely as I hated the whole fucking world because she made me feel too goddamn much.
Before I could say anything, a light tapping sounded at the door, and I turned to find a woman peek inside. She was likely in her mid-thirties, dark hair held in a sleek ponytail.
She smiled when she saw me. “Oh, good, you are here.”
“I’m not sure how you could’ve missed him with the entrance he made,” Paisley mumbled under her breath.
I sent her a glare, then forced some of the strain out on a long sigh, roughing my hands over my head in an effort to tame the mess boiling inside. It took me until then to realize I was drenched in sweat.
“I’m Dr. Moore. Evelyn is great, other than a small sprain of her left wrist and a superficial scratch that we cleaned out. I assumed that was all, but we went ahead and got an x-ray at Paisley’s urging. Everything was clear, so Evelyn can continue to wear the wrap until the swelling goes down, but she shouldn’t have any limitations. Any questions before we get her discharged?”
“Will she need any medication?” I asked, voice trembling because I couldn’t seem to get that shit contained.
“She shouldn’t, but if she seems to be in discomfort when she’s trying to sleep tonight, you can give her some children’s acetaminophen.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s been my pleasure.”
“Bye, Mandy.” Paisley poked her head around the side of me and waved.
“It was good to see you, Paisley. So glad you’re back in town. Let’s try to catch up soon.”
“I’d love that.”
Then Dr. Moore turned to Evelyn and gave her a high-five. “Thanks for being awesome.”
