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Cal’s body hardened. Rigid, not like a statue, but like a coiled viper lying in wait. “Is that how it’s gonna be?” he said with the slightest of sneers.
Colt gave one short, decisive nod. “Listen. You’re not in a great position here, being new and all, but if you’re honest, that will help.”
A lengthy pause sizzled in the air, neither of them giving up a single molecule of resolve. “Somehow, I doubt that,” Cal murmured, turning back to her with worry in his eyes.
Colt said her name, and reluctantly, Della dragged her attention to him. Deep frown lines bracketed his lips, his usual placid countenance marred with annoyance. “You feel well enough to get up? I’ll carry you home if not.”
“Like hell you will.” Cal’s body shifted like a viper strike, lightning-fast and smooth, caging around her and blocking out Colt and everyone else. Heat from his nearness blasted through her sluggish senses, bowling her over with a new awareness of the powerful lines of his body and a lovely, answering softening in hers.
A memory fought to the foreground in her bleary thoughts: she’d been close to him before and hadn’t liked it, but she couldn’t rememberwhy.Right now, it was rather pleasant, inspiring a powerful urge to act like a rag doll and collapse into him completely.
Cal spoke over his shoulder to Colt. “You go on and deal with the rest of this mess. I’ll take care of her.”
“Della?” Ignoring Cal, Colt addressed her again. “You gonna be all right with him? I can still go get Hunt—”
“No.” She shook her head and immediately regretted the small movement as dizziness scrambled her vision. “Don’t bother. I’ll be okay.”
The taut line of Cal’s shoulder eased the tiniest of degrees, and when her eyes steadied on his face, the left corner of his lip lifted in the hint of an approving smile.
“Okay then.” Slowly, Colt rose to his feet. “Tomorrow morning, Cal, there’ll be questions for you to answer.”
Cal didn’t appear concerned, his hand once again cradling her face and staring deep into her eyes. Della’s stomach pooled liquid and gooey, which could’ve been from the maybe concussion or possibly the touch of his skin upon hers.
His mouth kicked up another notch closer to a smile, the dimples out in full force. “Don’t worry. I got you now. Everything’s gonna be fine.”
Lost in his seductive pull, she found herself nodding and, even more remarkably, discovering she meant it.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Cal
Della’s lips curled in a slight, dreamy smile that settled his jittery nerves, at least related to concern for his injured Omega.
No question, though, inside he pulsed with cold, seething fury. At Silas. At Colt. At the entire stupid lot of them. At himself for not expecting Silas’s retaliatory attack.Hisflying body knocked Della into the wall, and for that, he wanted to drown that motherfucker Silas in the nearest water trough. It was too much to ask for that asshole to take his beating by the hot springs and leave it at that. No, that coward had to start shit up once he had his protective brothers to back him up. Naturally, their loyalties would be with Silas rather than a newcomer like him. That prick plotted it the entire trip back, along with whatever pack of lies he’d vomit up when questioned.
Fucking ridiculous.
Worst of all, anger at himself festered like a gangrenous wound. Like a moron, he’d convinced himself Morris Hill would be a place where he could find some measure of community and justice. A foolish, naïve hope; he should’ve known better.
“Hey. She okay?” Simon appeared on his left, eyeing Della. “Sloan says there’s a cot in the little room to lay her down.”
“She’ll be fine,” Cal said with false confidence, as if he could will it so.
“I’m not tired.” Her words slurred as her eyelids drooped. “I’m thirsty.”
Glancing down, Cal examined his bloody and swollen knuckles. He had enough strength to carry her back to the hot springs if needed, but he only wished he could be less of a mess when he laid his hands on her for the first time. The moment grew with significance in his mind, something that warranted more care and reverence than he was able to provide with his filthy body and throbbing face.
She deserved better.
“All right, darlin’.” Shaking himself loose, he accepted the moment fate offered and gathered her up, taking care to handle her sure-to-be-bruised body as gingerly as he could. Her shape, soft but pleasingly solid, slumped against him, her small head nuzzling into his chest with an adorable little sigh. If he needed confirmation of a concussion, her transformation from a bristling hellcat into a sleepy kitten made one helluva strong case. “We’ll get you some water. Are you hurting?”
She shook her head, her nose knocking into him, which apparently inspired her to take a long, exaggerated inhale. Cal’s chest swelled in response.That’s it, Omega. Scent me, breathe me in.She babbled a pleased little noise he didn’t understand but enjoyed nonetheless.
Lifting her from the ground, Cal jerked his chin at Simon. “Get my canteen and meet me in there.” He cut a glance around the room. Sloan and Lars tended the horses while Colt bent his head to have a quiet word with Silas. Satisfied they weren’t being watched, he nonetheless kept his volume so low anyone other than his friend wouldn’t hear. “We need to talk, and I need these guys out of here before we do.”
“Let me see what I can do.” Frowning with understanding, Simon bobbed a discrete nod and then strode away. Later, Cal would ask his companion how he ended up being in the stable tonight, but for now, he was grateful it was Simon and not Matteo here to help him execute his rapidly forming plan. Matteo was useful in a scrap, but he needed Simon’s level-headedness right about now.
Located at the other end of the stable, the small room looked to have once been an office of some variety, complete with a rusted metal desk and tattered, dusty curtains on the windows. A cot rested against the back wall, looking a touch less filthy than the rest of the office. A quick sniff determined the linens to be relatively fresh.
