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Her head was hurting. The noise had taken a toll on her quickly. To go from absolute, unending silence to sound was a blessing, but it hurt nonetheless.
“What the hell, woman?” Cap demanded. “You’re shot and haven’t cared for the wound?”
She turned on him then, right as the ATV came to a stop behind Tex and Jo. Anger washed through her, eliminating the headache and arm pain in one fell swoop. “Well, let’s see, I ran about seven miles this morning, came home and found my dog sitting there looking like World War Three was about to break out. We ran for it, dodging bullets and men in an SUV attempting to run us over. After that we ran through the woods, dodging more bullets, I was winged by one, and then I found Jo up there who gave me ride up the eastern seaboard until we landed here. You started in on me, gave me ears so I could hear again, and now we’ve ridden what feels like a hundred miles to get to Keegan’s house—by the way, Keegan, I’m assuming this is your house?”
Tex nodded and made an odd choking sound.
Ava nodded too. “And now we’re here. So where, in all that bustle of activity was I supposed to clean a fucking bullet wound?”
Cap ground his teeth together and Ava despaired to realize that tic in his jaw, the way the muscle bunched and released, was sexy as hell. “Anywhere in there you could have taken care of yourself.”
She moved off the seat, coming around to his side of the ATV and getting in his face. “I’ve done nothing but take care of myself the last two years. I don’t need you telling me how to do it!”
“And yet, here you are,” the woman who’d rubbed on Cap earlier said. “Hurt and whining like a baby.”
Anger became rage, roiling through Ava’s gut and settling there to burn. “Who is this woman?”
She’d directed the question to Cap. It was the woman who answered. “My name is Kyle. I’m Cap’s.”
Ava’s gaze was trained on Cap, watching for any nuance, any single movement that would lend credence to the woman’s claim. “His what?”
“Just…his.”
Oh the sound of that falling from the woman’s lips hurt Ava. But what had she expected? He’d never really been hers, had he? Cap, bless his heart, hadn’t moved a single muscle, and his eyes gave her nothing.
“Well, Kyle—I’d say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but my mama raised me not to be a liar. She also raised me to know that if I couldn’t say anything nice, I’d better not say anything at all.” And with that, Ava turned on her heel, marched past Kyle and headed toward Tex.
“I’m hungry and I need a shower. Do you have a first aid kit I can take care of myself with?”
His lips quirked at the edges, but he didn’t smile, and that was really good for him. Because Ava might’ve punched him in the throat if he had.
Tex opened the door and gestured her in. “Right this way.”
“Why did you do that?” Cap asked Kyle as soon as Ava’s small form disappeared inside the house.
“Do what?” Kyle asked with a sultry smile.
Cap rolled his eyes and pointed at her. “Stop that shit right now. She’s been through too much to put up with you.”
Had Cap not known differently, he would have said the look that ghosted Kyle’s face was hurt. Why, he’d never understand. She had a man in Coronado waiting for her to grow up and face the fact that she was his. Hell, he didn’t understand women. Period. End of discussion.
“I mean it, Kyle. Don’t poke at her. Clear?”
She nodded but didn’t look at him again. “Clear.”
Holland, his best friend since SEAL training, stepped up. “I’ll go help her with that wound.”
“No,” Cap said a little too swiftly. “I’ll do it.”
Holland rubbed a hand down his face. “You sure? You are not exactly her favorite person right now.”
“I said I got it,” Cap bit out.
Holland snorted and walked away. That was the thing about being best friends. Holland understood what Cap couldn’t say—what he refused to admit until he knew where her head was at.
He still loved her. Had never stopped. And he’d just about gone insane trying to find her the last two years.
When Tex had called him earlier tonight, he’d rounded up Holland, Kyle, and Scope, who was even now bringing up the rear, and gotten their asses in gear. Tex had set up transpo and they’d flown out of Chicago hell-bent for leather. Cap had been afraid it was a false alarm. Hell, he’d hit Tex up the day after Ava had disappeared and put him on the case. They’d both been looking for her the last two years.
