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“I’m headed to the house now, too,” Jace said.
“Oh, then I can go with you,” she hurried to say and Laverty squeezed her thigh.
“Stay here. We’ll get you back home,” he stated but looked at Jace.
“She’s our responsibility and we got this,” Ghost said to Jace. Jace looked a little concerned and she felt the fear hit her gut, but then he looked at her.
“All right. I’ll let your sister know that you’ll be a little late but that you’re with your guardians.” There he went, adding that term again. She didn’t need guardians, or want them. As she thought that, her gut clenched and she knew she was lying. It felt good to be this close to Ghost and Laverty, but it also scared her for a whole lot of other reasons.
“Maybe I should go with you now.”
“No,” Laverty and Ghost said firmly.
Ghost cupped her cheek and tilted her face toward him.
“We’ll get you home safe and sound. Jace will tell Valentina we’ll be there shortly.”
She was shocked by the look in his eyes and the firmness of his tone. He was definitely a man used to being in charge and getting his way. That was for certain. She didn’t take her eyes off Ghost’s as she heard Jace close his truck door and then the diesel engine rev as he went up the hill and out of sight.
Ghost stroked her cheek.
“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” he said to her.
She felt the wipe hit her cut knee and winced as she looked down and pulled from Ghost’s hold.
“Sorry, it’s kind of deep. You should wash it out when you get home.”
“We could help her when we get her there,” Ghost added.
“That won’t be necessary,” she whispered and then Laverty added the bandage and set her leg down, but not before he stroked her calf.
He licked his lower lip. “You could have gotten hurt a lot worse. You’re a petite little thing, and if we weren’t here and you were seriously injured—”
“Then Jace would have found me just now on his way home.” She fixed her top and stepped away only for Laverty to hold her arm and pull her against his chest. He wrapped his arm around her waist and she had to tilt her head way back to lock gazes with him.
“That was luck that he came along. Next time could be different. That’s why from now on we’re going to be keeping an even closer eye on you, darling, and no arguments,” he said. He looked like he was going to kiss her and she quickly put pressure on his forearms and pressed away from him.
“I want to go home,” she whispered and kept her head down.
“We’ll get you there now. No worries,” Ghost said and placed his hand at her lower back and guided her past Laverty and to the passenger side of the truck. She released a sigh, relieved to have gotten out of being that close to them, but it was short-lived as Ghost helped her into the front seat. Now she was going to be stuck between them until they got to the cottage.
As she sat between them, she felt so small and feminine. She reached for the rip on her capris. upset that they were ruined. She’d only purchased them a few days ago.
“You can buy a new pair. Be happy that cut doesn’t require stitches,” Laverty told her. He sounded upset, like it was her fault that she fell.
She thought about Caden and how he’d blamed her for every little thing he didn’t like. When she got pregnant at nineteen with Kenny, he’d yelled at her, and it had been the condom that broke. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut. She hadn’t realized she was shaking and gripping her knees until she felt two hands press over hers. She gasped and looked down to see Ghost holding one hand and caressing hers, while Laverty held the other and stroked her hand.
“I’m not angry with you, I’m angry that you got hurt. You’re so beautiful and sweet, Lois. I don’t want to see you in pain or injured. It upsets me,” Laverty said straight-faced. The truck stopped, and she was grateful, because she didn’t know what to say. So she said nothing. Ghost exhaled and released his hold on her hand. He caressed along her thigh as he lifted his hand, as if he wanted to get in one more caress. She was so confused. He was older than her. Laverty, too, and maybe just like Caden they were trying to take advantage of her youth, her fears, and vulnerability? Maybe?
Her gut tightened as Laverty released her knee and got out of the truck. When she slid over, she felt the ache on her back. He gripped her hips and lifted her up and out of the truck.
“Mommy!” Kenny yelled to her and came running. He saw her cut knee and the bandage on her arm and stopped short. He looked at Laverty and Ghost.
“Mommy?”
“I’m okay, baby. I fell off my bike on the way home.”
She rubbed his head and pulled him close for a hug.
