Chapter 67
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
THE HEATHEN
None of them are happy with me, but Killian is so angry with me. I don’t know how to make him understand why I did what I did. I hurt him, and anger is the way Killian handles pain.
“Just give him some time.” Carter says, but I know I hurt him too.
“Do you hate me too?”
He sits on the bed beside me and kisses me softly on the forehead.
“I could never hate you, and he doesn’t either.
Jesus, Little Heathen. Look at your face.
Kill is right. We never would’ve wanted this.
I know you were trying to protect us, but we are in this together.
The day I shot you with a dart, our fates intertwined with yours.
If you hurt, we hurt. We love together and we fight together. And if we must, we die together.”
He buries his face in my neck and inhales deeply.
“If you ever do something so reckless again, I’ll chain you to a fucking wall. Do you understand me?”
There’s a knock at the door, and Knox goes to investigate while Carter continues to sit beside me and Killian sits on the chair glaring daggers at me.
“Did he fucking rape you?” Killian blurts out, causing a gasp from me.
“No.”
He releases a long sigh.
“Thank fuck. If we got there later and he took you to Grave, it would be a different answer, right?”
“Right?” he insists when I don’t respond with words.
“Right. I’m sorry, Killian. Please stop hating me.”
He runs his fingers through his hair, the agitation visible.
“I don’t hate you. If I did, it would be easier. When I saw that letter, a million things ran through my mind. Then I saw your face and my heart shattered.”
He moves to the bed and takes my hand in his. And for the first time since I saw them at the motel—I can breathe.
“Never again, Killer. No secrets—no running away—never again.”
I nod as a tear travels down my cheek.
“I swear to you. Never again.”
Knox enters the room with a man in his forties wearing a lab coat. He has dark hair, and distinguished features.
“I’m Dr. Jacobi. I’d like everyone to clear out so I can examine Ms. Mancini.”
All three of my men shoot him a glare that says he must have lost his mind.
“We will be staying, doc. Do your thing,” Kill says, and I shake my head.
“I must insist-“
Carter interrupts him.
“We are not leaving you alone with her. Get your fucking examination over with or get out.”
I sigh loudly.
“Please doctor. Let them stay. Chances are they’ll never let me out of their sight again.”
All three of my men move to the other side of the room, arms crossed over their chests with identical scowls. I wonder momentarily if they’ll always be like this when other men are around.
The doctor sits on the bed beside me and looks at my face.
“What were you hit with?”
“A closed fist a few times and an open hand.”
He nods in understanding.
“I’m going to touch your face. I’ll try to be gentle, but I know it’s tender.”
He touches my cheekbone and I hiss from the pain and then he does the same with the other side.
“Does it hurt anywhere else?”
I try to tune Killian out as the anger radiates from him.
“No. He only hit me in the face.”
He listens to my heart and seems satisfied.
“Nothing is broken. I would expect the pain to lessen in a few days. Was there a sexual assault?”
He turns to look at my men and then back at me.
“No.”
Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a pill bottle.
Handing it to me, he says, “Take one for pain every six hours as needed. Mr. Bonetti can call me if you need anything further.”
I thank him although I have no idea who he was referring to because there are so many Bonetti men.
Bones taps on the door frame and enters, going straight to Killian.
“You can stay here until the fight. It’s secure. I’ll have a guard outside twenty-four/seven. My men will be set up at the warehouse twenty-four hours prior to the fight. Three full sweeps will be done before that.”
He cups Killian's shoulder, the first sign of compassion I’ve seen from him.
“For what it’s worth, I hope you win the fight.”
He glances at me and then back to Bones.
“Thank you. I will because I don’t have a choice. I’m not only fighting for my life but my entire family’s.”