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Trenton grunts at the insinuation of her reaction because he’s always been good at reading people.
“I’m good,” I assure her, stepping slowly around the man in the room to prove I want to walk out of here on my own.
It doesn’t go as planned because the nurse insists I sit in the wheelchair provided.
“Hospital policy,” she explains when I try to argue.
He steps aside, but I catch his hand darting out more than once when he senses that I may need help sitting down.
Getting into the SUV requires help, making me understand that I’m going to be sore for a very long time. The man driving, introduced to me as Legend, doesn’t try to force conversation on me as we drive in silence to the hotel Cerberus has acquired rooms at. Rivet, a female Cerberus member, sits silently beside me as well, her eyes focused on anything but the inside of the SUV as we travel.
I realize just how far away he wants to get from me when he tries to get another room upon our arrival. The hotel is booked, but rather than letting me stay in his room, he insists on staying with one of the other guys, leaving me with a room all to myself. He can’t seem to get away fast enough as he frowns, holding the elevator door open for me.
“I can stay at a different hotel. I don’t expect you to give up your room.”
“It’s fine. We bunk together all the time.”
“Sometimes four or five to one room depending on where we are,” Rivet says, leaning back against the handrail, smiling at Trenton as if she’s remembering something she enjoyed.
My eyes drop to the simple engagement band on her left hand, and it makes me wonder if Trenton gave that to her.
“I kissed him,” I blurt. “I didn’t know he was with anyone. He put a stop to it.”
I don’t go into detail about how long it took him to back away, and I choose to believe it was pure shock at my mouth’s attack for the delay in his response.
Rivet grins at me, her head shaking as Legend chuckles in the corner of the elevator.
“Rivet is engaged to someone else,” Trenton says with his eyes pointed at the numbered floors at the top of the elevator, as if he’s counting down the distance until he can be rid of me.
“Was it at least a good kiss?” Rivet asks with a gleam in her eyes.
I shrug as I drop my eyes to my clasped hands. “I’ve had better.”
Laughter erupts inside of the car, making me miss the ding of the elevator doors opening.
I grin, thankful for them not treating me like a broken doll. I won’t tell them that despite the kiss in the hospital room not being the best kiss I’ve experienced, that award still goes to Trenton.
Rather than acting upset at the insult I just issued in front of his friends, a little smile plays on his lips as we walk down the hallway.
“Your friends seem nice,” I say when the silence grows awkward, considering how slowly I have to walk.
“They’re incredible people. Legend is in a committed relationship.”
I duck my head, hiding my smile at the hint of jealousy I hear in his tone.
“And you?”
“I don’t do relationships, Grace. You ruined that for me.”
Ouch. Talk about a slap to the face, and it stings even more that the declaration wasn’t delivered with any type of animosity. He stated it as a simple fact.
“Listen, I—”
“This is your room,” he says, handing over a keycard. “Tomorrow, I’m taking you to the police station to look through mug books. Rivet assures me that there are clean clothes for you inside.”
I turn around to face him. “Tomorrow? Why not right now?”
“You need to rest.”
“I need people to stop telling me what’s best for me. My body is a little banged up, but my mind is fine.”
“Sleep is important.”
“And so is finding Alyssa Dansby. I want to go to the police station now.”
“It’s late.”
“We can stand here and argue about it, or I can find a ride there on my own.”
I watch his jaw flex, a sure sign of just how irritated he is with my refusal to just obey a command he’s given. Then I see that spark in his eye, the same one he got when I’d dig my heels in all those years ago. He still likes the fire burning inside of me, and for some reason that thrills me.
“I’m going to go shower first, and then I’ll be ready,” I tell him as I slide the keycard into the mechanism on the door. “Give me fifteen minutes.”
“I don’t want you to fall in the shower,” he mutters.
“Then come in and wash my back for me,” I challenge.
I leave him standing in the hall with his mouth hanging open.
