Chapter 14 #4
I opened my damp eyes in surprise, and he gave me that sweet smile, stepping closer.
I had to tip my head back a little to hold his gaze.
He stood so close to me, but I didn’t want to move away.
I wanted to lean in, to be enveloped in him.
I remembered the regret I felt when I couldn’t breathe.
The tender emotions in my chest were slowly but surely emerging from the dirt, and gods, I was tired of fighting them.
“Can’t you see how much you mean to me?” He brushed a stray hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear.
My lips trembled.
“You might act like you don’t care, but I see you.” He cradled my face, his earnest gaze holding me captive. “You’re brave and you’re kind and you care so damn much. And I think you believe that makes you weak, but darlin’, it makes you strong.”
He wiped my tears away with his thumbs in a gentle caress.
“I don’t know if anybody else would jump in the pit and fight Brimstone to try and save someone they don’t even know.”
You would, I wanted to say, but I didn’t trust myself to speak. I leaned closer to him, drawn to his warmth like a moth to a flame.
“I know you’re used to people wanting your power, but gods, Bones, all I want is you.”
My heart pounded so loud it drowned out everything else. The defenses I’d spent my life building felt paper-thin compared to the strength of my feelings for Trey.
“You’ll get hurt.” My voice quavered as I threw out the last argument I had left.
“Good thing you can heal me, then.” He grinned.
I tried to glare at him, but my mouth curled up into a smile. I saw his gaze sharpen on my lips, surprise and then delight in his eyes.
“You dumbass,” I said fiercely, then I pushed myself up on my toes and kissed him.
His lips were gentle on mine, and he still held my face like something precious.
My arms entwined around his neck as I pulled myself even closer, pressing our bodies together.
I felt him smile against my lips, and then his hands slid into my hair to the back of my head, angling my face and deepening the kiss in a way that made my stomach swoop and—
“Fuckin’ hell.”
We jumped apart and looked down at Sam, who gazed through cracked eyes.
“I am trying to sleep here.”
“Sorry, Sam,” Trey said with a grin, not sounding sorry at all.
“How come I save your life and he gets the kiss?” Sam muttered.
I felt unsteady, and I couldn’t stop smiling. I crouched next to Sam and pressed a kiss to his forehead. The shock on his face made an actual laugh escape my lips, and his mouth dropped open.
“Did you know she could laugh?” he asked Trey.
“She can do anything,” Trey replied.
I glanced over at Trey, my face warming, to see him smiling at me in a way that made me feel like I really could do anything. I had to look away before I burst into tears again. So I focused on Sam, noting how a faint sheen dampened his skin.
“How do you feel?” I asked, slipping back into the familiar healer role. “Does anything hurt?”
Sam frowned. “I feel…weak. Like I’ve been sick for a long time or somethin’. It doesn’t hurt. It did when your power was going through me, but now I just feel tired.”
His breathing appeared shallow. I took his pulse and found his heart rate too fast. I hated that I couldn’t use my power to heal him.
It made me think of sitting in that hot med tent in the desert, watching people die from a fever and being unable to save them.
I released his wrist and took his hand, squeezing.
“You should sleep some more,” I said, trying to sound confident, “and later, I’ll bring you some broth.”
He chuckled, but his eyes were already half closed. “Alright, Shortcake.”
He fell asleep in seconds. His skin felt clammy and his color still looked far too grey. I tried to shove my anxiety down. I couldn’t do anything besides wait.
“How are you feelin’?” Trey asked.
I took a second to think about it. “Don’t yell at me, but I promise I actually feel fine.”
He laughed out loud, and I couldn’t help the smile that crossed my face again in response. His laugh felt like sunshine, and I was the godsdamned fool soaking it up like I was starving for it.
“C’mere.” He reached out, and I let him pull me up into his arms. I hadn’t felt so safe being held since I was a child. When I looked up at him, he lowered his head to kiss me and—
The door burst open, startling both of us. Mac stood in the doorway, breathing heavily.
“Madame’s men are comin’ to arrest Bones.”
Both of us stood there staring at him for a breath before Trey said, “Well, we can’t stand here and let them take her!”
Mac let out a frustrated noise. “Trey, what the fuck do you expect me to do?”
“I don’t know, Mac, but you know this isn’t gonna end well.”
“I know.” Mac’s brow was taut, his lips pressed together.
“She’s not gonna kill me,” I tried to reassure them, but they glared at me.
“I’m not worried about her killin’ you, Bones,” Trey retorted.
“Bones—” Mac bit out.
“I know she’s probably gonna have me beaten, okay?” I tried to keep my voice calm and even. “I can take it.”
“No, Bones—” The fear in Trey’s voice made me feel sick.
Boots stomped on the porch. Sax came in first, his face hard. Lem sneered behind him, but I didn’t miss the surprise that flashed across his face at the sight of me uninjured. Unease swirled in my stomach. Gods, if Madame somehow found out what I could do to people by healing myself through them—
“You’re under arrest, Bones,” Sax said in his gravelly voice. He produced a set of handcuffs. “Turn around.”
Trey tensed, gripping my hand. I squeezed. “It’s alright, Trey.”
He pulled me into a tight hug. I could feel his heart pounding. “Please be careful,” he murmured in my ear.
I gave him a nod as I pulled back, hesitated, then pushed onto my tiptoes to kiss him again. I tried to pour confidence into it. I was gonna be okay. I had to be okay.
Sax snatched me away from Trey and snapped the cuffs on my wrists. As he towed me out of the clinic, I glanced behind me to see Mac gripping Trey’s arm like he had to physically hold him back, but then the door slammed shut and they were gone.