SAGE
3
The pitch-dark alley behind Boozin’ Boots reeks of stale beer. When I curled myself into an aching, wretched ball between the trash receptacles, I hadn’t expected anyone to come looking for me, least of all Kade Rivers. I tear my eyes from his probing gaze and hide my face once more. Humiliation washes over me as I consider how to answer his question. Who did this to me?
Feeling the torn skin of my lower lip with every ragged breath that rattles from my lungs, I remain silent. I can’t bring myself to voice what happened to me. Instead, my mind replays every horrific second of the assault that occurred after I walked out of the bar. It never crossed my mind what—or who—might be waiting for me out here. To most, this town is a relatively safe place. But I know better. The monsters lurking in my closet are getting bolder. What happens behind closed doors is now in the open.
A harsh shudder rocks my body as the salt from my tears stings my battered face. Stupid. I’d been really fucking stupid to think that Toby wouldn’t want to take me down a peg or two. Especially after I’d emasculated him in public. Being thrown out of the bar wouldn’t have sat well with his fragile male ego. It’s too bad that treating me like shit makes him feel like more of a man.
How do I begin to explain that the person who is supposed to love and protect me did this? Inwardly wincing, I slowly shake my head back and forth as I tremble. I invited this, let him treat me this way. Time after time, I’ve taken Toby back. I only have myself to blame.
The crunch of gravel less than a foot in front of me reminds me that Kade is still crouched there, observing every move I make. I peer through my fingers to find him catch something in his palm. “Sage,” he rasps, his voice calm and steady, “I know you’re hurtin’. I need to help you.”
Unable to contain the sob that scrapes up from my throat and bursts into the quiet night air, I consent with a tip of my chin. A muttered curse tears from Kade’s lips, and a moment later, this guy I’ve hardly spoken to in years picks me up and cradles my bruised body against his broad chest. His strides are quick and sure as he heads from the alley and proceeds around the exterior of the bar .
Where is he going? “No-o,” I croak, grasping the front of his shirt as if I can make him stop and turn around with a simple tug on the fabric. “I don’t want anyone to see me.” My voice sounds small and pitiful to my own ears, so I can only imagine what he thinks. I turn my face into the soft cotton of his shirt, groaning softly.
A low grunted growl rumbles from his throat. “Customers have fucked off. Billy and the girls are still inside working. Nobody’s left to witness a goddamn thing. Probably what the motherfucker who did this was banking on.”
Through the eye that isn’t swelling shut, I hazard an upward glance. His jaw is chiseled granite, hard and unmoving. He comes to an abrupt stop, his intentions unclear. My stomach lurches violently, but a second later, he shifts me in his arms as he opens the tailgate of a truck before easing me to a seat on top of it. Perched on the edge like this, I have to look up to see into his eyes, and when I do, I’m met by a dark, blazing fury. It’s not directed at me but takes my breath away all the same. In self-protection mode, I wrench myself free of his stare, glancing down at my hands as they shake in my lap.
Slowly shifting my head, I take in the entire gravel lot and surrounding area. He’s right. There’s no one, and his is the only truck left. I’m alone with Kade. There’s this raw energy emanating from him that would probably scare the shit out of most, but it only makes me secure in the fact that if Toby were to return, it won’t be me who regrets it .
His muscular chest rises and falls for several beats of my banged-up heart, then one big hand falls to the tailgate next to my ass, and he bends to get an up-close accounting of my injuries. Thanks to the lights coming from the bar in the distance, I’m positive he can see every bruise, every handprint, and every moment of wrath I suffered.
“Hey.” His sole whispered word draws my attention at the same time his other hand lifts to the underside of my chin. His fingers gently maneuver my head from side to side. What he sees there makes his lips tighten. The muscle at the back of his jaw twitches hard, like he’s grinding his teeth into oblivion.
“Is it that bad?” I whisper.
“It’d take more than this to make you look bad, Sage.” He winces, turning my head to the side with a gentle grip as he inspects the damage. “Am I wrong in thinking this was the handiwork of your gutless boyfriend?” I can feel his rage bubbling to the surface as his words punch into the night. If Toby were standing before him, I doubt he’d be left breathing. Considering what I’ve gone through in my life, that should frighten me, but it doesn’t.
I’m not surprised he suspects Toby after what happened earlier. But it still doesn’t make it any easier to admit. I swallow hard, giving a subtle nod of my head to let him know he’s guessed correctly.
Kade’s gaze roams over me again. “Stay put.”
I don’t know if I could move if I tried. Every minute shift of my body brings a fresh wave of pain with it. He walks to the side of the truck, pulling the rear door open, but is back in a flash with a small first-aid kit. He doesn’t say anything more, understanding I’m not up for idle conversation. Or maybe it’s simply his way—he is the quiet, brooding one of the Rivers brothers, after all.
Kade grimaces, eyes narrowing as he gives me another once-over. His expression tells the story of every transgression against me. With a gentleness I wouldn’t have expected from a man of his size, he prods the area around my eye, and when I flinch away, there’s an apology carved into the features of his face. “Sorry,” he grits out, as if causing me more pain has hurt him, too. He uses some gauze to soak up the blood flow from my nose before getting out a disinfectant wipe, which he dabs over a cut on my cheek.
Staring straight ahead, I decide it’s easier to focus on the swallows that work along his corded neck and the dark stubble coating his jawline rather than the various areas of my body he’s cleaning with the antiseptic.
It’s not until he pulls out an emergency ice pack that I pay more attention. Once he’s activated it, he places it in my hand. “Hold this to your cheek and eye.” I don’t question his gruffness, figuring he’s simply taking care of business. From there, he tends to my knees and palms. They’re badly scraped up from Toby throwing me to the gravel.
I hiss as he gingerly cleans me up. As he’s blowing on my cuts to take away the sting, I finally mumble, “Why do you have all this stuff in your truck?”
His brow lifts, and he answers with a smirk, “Ranching 101. Anything can happen and usually does. Do you not have a first-aid kit in your truck?”
His attention remains focused on me as he awaits my response. My tongue flicks out to test the split in my lip, hesitating before breathing out in a rush, “Not since Jonah died. He took care of that sort of thing.”
He works his jaw to the side, then sighs heavily, a clear indication he doesn’t want to acknowledge the past. “Let’s get outta here.” His warm hands grip my waist, and he carefully but matter-of-factly sets me on my feet. Heat hits my cheeks, and I wobble unsteadily. “Whoa, there.” Keeping a tight hold on me, he peers into my eyes.
I can’t handle the level of concern shining in his inky gaze, so I take a step backward, swallowing hard. “I’m fine. But…” I pause, frowning. “What about my truck? My bag?”
He quirks his lips, pivoting on his boot heel as he glances in the direction we came from. “Fuck the truck. You can’t drive right now, anyway. I’ll text Billy in a sec.” He gestures toward the passenger side and, knowing he’s right, I reluctantly follow. Edging ahead of me, he opens the door. I put my boot on the running board, only to suck in a sharp breath. “Here.” Rough palms meet my waist again as he unceremoniously boosts my five-foot-ten frame into the truck.
“Thanks.” I offer him a tremulous smile, but he simply nods, eyes on his task as he reaches for the seat belt and straps me in. The muscle in his jaw is twitching again. He seems angry, but I also don’t claim to know what’s in his head. We’ve never been that close.
It takes him longer than necessary to circle the truck, but I could be overly anxious about the fact that we’re going to be alone together for the first time ever . The creak of the door opening pulls me from my thoughts, and I wipe my sweaty palms on my thighs as he joins me in the cab, shutting us both in. Twisting, he reaches back and lays the first-aid kit on the rear bench. His masculine, leather scent envelops me as he stretches between the two seats and rustles around for something. After a few seconds, he produces a worn, flannel shirt. “Here.”
The heavy fabric falls onto my lap, instantly warming my body. I pull it up, using the huge shirt as a blanket. It covers me from chin to knee and provides a safety I didn’t know I needed.
He tears his gaze away, then starts the engine before shifting to shove his hand in his pocket and digging out his phone. “I’ll just tell him something happened and someone will be by to collect your things tomorrow.” At my nod of agreement, he deftly taps out the message. With that accomplished, he glances at me out of the corner of his eye and grits out, “Toby still live way down past the ol’ McDonnell place?”
“Yes. But why? I thought you were taking me home.” I reach across the console, gripping his bicep, my eyes widening at the rock-hard muscle under his skin. “I don’t wanna be near him right now.” I withdraw my hand as his head swings toward me.
“Don’t worry, Wildflower. I’m taking you home. But I’m gonna have a word with your man first.”
What? Is he insane? He hits the gas, peeling out of the lot, giving me no choice but to go along for the ride. “Kade, you can’t.” At the look he throws my way, my mouth snaps shut. Anxiety washes through me, and my mind races as he hightails it toward the edge of town. It’s hard to say how Toby will take a second round of interference from Kade since the first altercation went so well. Beneath Kade’s shirt, I curl up on the seat and pray things don’t go sideways. “You’re only gonna make things worse!”
Ignoring my outburst, he works his jaw to the side. “Sage,” he murmurs, his voice deadly low, “does he do this often?”
My eyes flick to his for a brief second before I whisper, “You’re basically a stranger.” I don’t know why I would tell him anything. We aren’t friends. Yet, here I am in his truck after he’s come to my rescue.
A soft chuckle passes his lips, and he shakes his head as he peers over at me. “We’ve lived at neighboring ranches our entire lives. Our siblings died together. We are not strangers. Strangers don’t have a past, Sage. Nor do they share a tragedy.”
My heart pounds hard in my chest at the reminder of just how closely our families’ histories are intertwined. I don’t respond but jerk my gaze out the front windshield. Watching the unsteady glow cast in front of us by the headlights, we bounce along the old dirt road that leads out of town. My stomach twists at the idea of being anywhere near Toby, yet I don’t think there’s any way to talk Kade out of this.
Shifting in my seat, I bring my attention to the brooding man next to me. He drives with his left hand on the wheel, but with the other, he rolls a chip along his knuckles. I don’t even know where he retrieved it from, but it’s mesmerizing, the way he fluidly moves it from finger to finger, without even sparing a glance. It’s not the first time I’ve seen him fidgeting with a medallion like this. He used to do it all the time in high school when we were in classes together. He always seems to have it on hand.
When we pull off the road, he cuts the engine. I unfold my body, then attempt to unclip my seat belt. Kade’s protective hand latches onto my wrist. Dark eyes bore into mine and his voice is pure gravel. “Wait in the truck.”