AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Holden carried me inside, his touch gentle despite his grip on me. He set me gently on the first table he could find. “Grandmother,” he roared. “Where are you?”
Margie rushed out of a back room, took one look at me, then got to work assessing my injuries. Faye trailed behind her, eyes wide as she took me in. I had no idea how bad it was, but it hurt like hell.
“How dare you?” I hissed at him, managing to gather my wits about me enough to let him have it. “Faye hasn’t done anything wrong. What are you even doing here? Don’t you have other things to take care of?”
“What?” Holden frowned, reaching his hand out to me, but he pulled it back quickly when I glared at him, the fire in me suddenly burning as hot as the flames in my room.
“Don’t touch me! You may be sending me home, but that doesn’t mean you can just dismiss Faye like she doesn’t matter.” I opened my mouth to take a deep breath, but a coughing fit took hold, my lungs burning from the smoke I’d inhaled.
“Send you home? What the hell are you talking about, Kayden?” Holden’s eyes were full of concern now. “Grandmother, she isn’t making sense. Could it be from smoke inhalation?”
“Just go away, Holden,” I yelled, my voice breaking into another fit of coughs. “At least let me get patched up in peace before you kick me out.”
Holden shook his head, eyes glittering. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I found the letter,” I snapped. “Earlier, before I got trapped in my room.”
“Trapped?” His gaze roved over me. “Letter?” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Kayden, but you need to explain.”
I clenched my fists, then immediately cried out in pain.
“Out of my way, boy.” Margie elbowed Holden in the ribs and grabbed my wrists, flipping my hands over to examine my palms. She made atskingsound.
Margie sighed. “These burns are pretty bad. Let me get a special salve. I’ll be right back,” she promised before heading to the back again.
“Kayden,” Holden said, moving in front of me once more, his voice quieter but just as intense. “Talk to me. What do you mean—a letter and being kicked out?”
I narrowed my eyes, glaring daggers at him. In my fury, the sharp pain faded a bit. “I know all about it, Holden. How you and Jessica dated, that you kept it a secret from me—Jessica was my only friend, so thanks for that extra stab in the back. Then you have the nerve to kiss me like you did last night and send me home today.”
He opened his mouth, but I wasn’t done. “As if that wasn’t enough, I was trapped in my room and nearly died from a gas leak explosion.” I was shaking now as I held my hands up, putting red burn marks right in his face. He flinched but didn’t step away. “I almostdied, Holden. So don’t hold it against me if I’m a little pissed I’ve been deceived by you all along.”
I struggled to take a deep breath, all the hurt and anger rising until it felt as if my chest were caving in. “What was the point of it all? Tell me. I didn’t want to come here in the first place. Why didn’t you just leave me to die with Branson? Is it not enough that you killed my brother? Are you so sick and twisted that you wanted to toy with me until you broke me?” Another coughing fit took hold, and I could barely breathe. Barely think beyond the pain.
“If you don’t stop upsetting my patient,” Margie said as she came back in with a jar and a tray of medical supplies, “I’ll kick you out, Holden Wilder. Alpha or not, I’m the one in charge here.” Her voice softened as she looked at me. “I need to cut away your shirt, Kayden, to check for potential damage. But first, can I put this on your palms?”
I nodded, sucking in a deep breath and holding it as Margie opened the salve and spread it over my burning palms. Immediately, a cooling sensation washed over me, and I slumped slightly in relief. Margie got to work cutting away my shirt, which was covered in blood and soot.
Holden had stepped back and crossed his arms, but his gaze was unwavering, boring a hole right through me even as Margie stripped my clothes away. I should have been embarrassed, but I was too angry. Too hurt.
“Everybody out. I need to speak with Kayden alone.” The command in his voice made me sit up straighter despite myself.
“Like hell I will,” Margie said, not bothering to look up from her work as she checked my body. “What in the world is wrong with you?”
I winced as she applied an antiseptic to the few cuts on my arms and torso. “I’m not leaving her like this, not even for you, Holden. I won’t risk infection or scarring on the girl.”
Holden clamped his mouth shut, still staring at me.
“She needs stitches on her arm.” Margie continued berating her grandson. “And the minor burns need to be taken care of as well. As soon as I’m done here, I’ll leave and let you two talk. But until then, I suggest you sit down and shut up.”
I grinned despite myself. I couldn’t have said it better.
18
HOLDEN
The wild, fierce need to protect was all-consuming. Logically, I knew Grandmother was helping Kayden, but seeing her in pain made me want to howl in rage, to find out what happened and rip apart the person responsible.
“Fine,” I snarled through gritted teeth. “Just help her. And quickly.”
