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Yeah, Rook would be a good choice and he’d also keep his fucking mouth shut about it since he was trying to keep his ass out of the joint.
The front door slammed shut and he expected to hear Chelle call out to him to let him know she was home from her grocery store run. But the only thing he heard was the sound of heavy boots moving quickly through the first floor. That didn’t sound like Chelle or her daughters.
For fuck’s sake, he hated lying in that bed as vulnerable as a goddamn baby.
His fingers curled around the handle of the knife he had tucked under a knitted throw near his elevated left leg. Chelle had tossed the blanket at him before she left since he was only wearing a T-shirt and a pair of snug boxer briefs. He wouldn’t be able to wear jeans for a while. At least, not until the swelling went down on his leg and he no longer needed the brace.
She suggested he toss the throw over his lap if her girls came into the room until she had a chance to pick him up some loose shorts and sweatpants. He wasn’t sure if she was more worried about them seeing his junk or about him keeping his scars a secret.
Either way, he hadn’t worn shorts since before “Daddy David” left his mark. He didn’t even own a fucking pair. But that didn’t fucking matter, what mattered was the sound of boots stomping up the stairs.
At this point, he wasn’t covering up his lap or legs in case he needed to protect himself from whoever was in the house.
His phone was in reach but calling anyone would do no good. It would take too long for anyone to get to the house, so he was on his own with a fucked-up leg and a beat-to-fuck brain.
Fuck.
“Chelle?” a man called out.
Shade could hear him moving toward her bedroom.
“Maddie?”
At least it was someone Chelle knew, but Shade still didn’t like not knowing who the fuck he was. Chelle hadn’t mentioned a man in her life, especially one who had a fucking key. It would’ve been nice if she would’ve shared that fact instead of leaving him in her house like a goddamn sitting duck.
“Josie!” the deep voice yelled. Shade heard a muttered, “Where the hell is everyone?” The footsteps paused right outside his door. “Answer your damn phone, Chelle,” came the irritated mutter. “I’m at your house. Call me back ASAP.”
His fingers tightened around his hidden knife as a tall, broad-shouldered man with reddish-brown hair appeared in the doorway and froze. His eyebrows shot up as he took in Shade lying on the bed.
“What the hell?” the stranger muttered and shook his head. “I was wondering why Chelle needed Maddie’s crutches from storage. Guess they’re for you since it looks like you got the short end of someone’s stick.”
Yeah, an aluminum stick wielded by a damn inbred snot monkey.
The man wasn’t done yet. Fuck no, he was just getting started. “Not sure who you are. Not sure where you came from. Don’t even care. Just want to know why the hell you’re in my sister’s house.” What apparently was Chelle’s brother scanned Shade from injured head down to bare toes again, then his angry gaze landed on Shade’s cut which was tossed over a backpack on a chair by the bed. The one Easy packed full with Shade’s things.
The brother lingered on the Fury colors a little too long. “Also want to know why the hell you’re in my sister’s bed.”
“Ain’t her bed.” With his brain being both scrambled and foggy, along with his rapid heartbeat, he decided it was best to keep talking to a minimum. Otherwise, he was afraid he’d screw up everything he attempted to say and sound like a fucking idiot.
“Pretty sure she owns that damn bed.” The man opened his mouth to continue but snapped it shut when the phone in his hand rang. He scowled at it, swiped his finger across the screen and put it to his ear. “Yeah, too late, sis. I’m standing here looking right at him.” His dark gaze shot back to Shade when he paused. “Yeah, I won’t kill him if you don’t want me to.” Shade could hear Chelle through the speaker talking really fast and very loudly. “I hear you. I promise I won’t hurt him too badly, then.”
He ended the call while Chelle was still talking. Shade guessed she wouldn’t be too happy about that.
“How do you know my sister? And why are you laid up in her bed?”
“Coulda asked her that before you hung up on her.”
The man tilted his head and took a step into the room. “I’m asking you.”
Chelle’s brother had some size on him. He was both heavier and taller than Shade, who was in no condition to go head to head with him, anyway. Even with a knife. The second he got out of bed, he’d probably collapse into a helpless heap.
