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“Barrow’s got medic training. You’ll be in good hands,” I assure her.
“I’ll go with you,” Clover and Aurora both pipe up at once.
Barrow reaches up and brushes Bells’ dark, curly hair from her forehead. “Yeah, if you don’t have a concussion I’ll be shocked. Come on. I have some remedies for the pain.” When his fingers stray into her hair, tangling in the curls, he swallows hard. “You need a quiet, dark place.” He casts a glance at her friends. “I need to observe her without interruption.”
I can’t believe what I’m seeing. He strokes her hair again, pretending to push it away from the lump, but I know Barrow too well. He’s enjoying the feel of her. Bells’ eyes get a little heavy-lidded—and I don’t think it’s from the knock in the head.
“Go ahead and take her up to your room, but let us know if you need anything.”
“Come on.” Barrow steps to her and wraps his arm around her waist.
Bells starts to protest, but then sags against him, finally giving in to the pain.
“If you hurt her, I will end you.” Clover’s voice is strong with her pronouncement. Damn, she’s got heart, and I stare at her again like she’s the missing piece of my life-long puzzle.
“Me too,” Aurora adds.
“I can hold my own,” Bells says as Barrow sweeps her past us, his focus entirely on the woman at his side.
Aurora snickers softly. “Did you see the way she was looking at him? I think she’s more than happy to hold her own with that guy. Alone, if you know what I mean.”
Clover laughs, then turns back to me. “You promise he’s going to treat her right? And fix her up?”
“She’s in good hands.” I reach out and cup her warm cheek, my hands unable to maintain any sort of boundaries. “I promise.”
She leans into my touch. “All right. That’s all I needed.”
I want to take her to my part of the lodge, to give her everything she needs, but I’ve also promised to look out for Aurora.
She goes around to the back of the truck and starts pulling on one of the bags. “I can get the stuff,” she chirps.
“I’ll help.” Clover starts heading toward her when Diego comes around the side of the truck.
He doesn’t touch her, but she takes the hint and backs away. With a few easy moves, he’s unloaded what little of their gear we were able to lug to my truck.
“Thanks.” She smiles at him.
Diego just nods. She steps closer. “I’m Aurora.”
He doesn’t look her in the eye. Diego doesn’t talk much, and he bears the scars of a life of violence. We all do. Each one of us is a retired assassin or merc, except for Tiernan, who had his hands in all sorts of mafia dealings before faking his own death. We’re tainted goods. It’d be wise of me to keep that in mind, but the more I look at the pretty-eyed angel next to me, the more I want to dirty her up.
“Diego,” he finally mutters.
“This has been fun.” Tiernan turns to me. “Where’s the turkey?”
“No turkey tonight.”
He frowns. “Well shit, how am I supposed to make ‘Tiernan’s Turkey Surprise’ with no turkey?”
I stare at him, the jokester of our ranks. “Just get some of the filets from the freezer. Steak night.”
“Good plan.” He claps me on the shoulder, then glances at Clover. “Watch out for this one. He’s a real lady killer.”
“What?” She glances at me.
“Tiernan,” I growl, but he’s already striding away, a smirk on his face, no doubt.
“He’s an asshole.” Maybe I’m an asshole, too, because I want to get Clover alone. Right now.
