21. Chapter 21
AHREN
Something cold and wet pressed against my cheek, followed by an impatient huff of hot air. Fuck. The lads needed breakfast. I should get up.
Ice rushed into my veins. I couldn’t move. My eyelids weighed a hundred pounds—impossible to lift. A stiff ache in my limbs kept them glued in place.
A frustrated growl rumbled in my chest as I struggled to move—anything. Pain screamed through my chest, mirroring my frustration.
Gentle hands brushed over my abdomen. “Mr. Rossdale.” a soft voice said quietly. “You need to lie still. You’re ok.”
I grunted—an ineffectual threat; we both knew it.
Relaxing as much as I could, I pushed everything I had into lifting my heavy lids. Eventually, I managed a crack, enough to make out the blurry image of the blonde lady doc.
Relief washed over me as the memories flooded back to me. The order. The mark. The marshalls. Fuck. I was lucky to be alive.
My lips parted, my mind reaching, but couldn’t quite find the words.
“You rest, I’ll talk. OK?”
My head fell to the side, the closest I could come to a nod.
“You’re ok. You’ll live, but you have a long road to recover. Not a fan of dogs, but I’m caring for these two. Put it out of your mind. Just focus your energy on recovery.”
She came to stand in front of me, kneeling so we were eye to eye. “There is something I need to know. Is anyone coming after you? What I mean is, am I safe here?”
I closed my eyes, doing my best to move my head. She saved my life. The least I could do was reassure her.
“Your form is shit today.” She quipped, dragging me from my thoughts.
“Fuck off.” I huffed, but the words held no heat. Somehow along the way, quite unintentionally, Connor had become a friend. Someone I didn’t mind taking shit from.
Her laugh bounced off the walls, the only warmth in the frigid space as she walked over chewing on something she obviously wanted to say.
“Spit it out.” I said, already bored with the conversation.
I tore at the wraps, flexing my hands as I freed them, not bothering to meet her gaze.
“You kissed her.” She said, her tone more curious than accusing.
My eyes found hers, expecting her usual loud, brash voice, not the quiet, almost—gentle tone.
“Yeah.” I nodded. No point in denying it. “I fucked up. Royally. I get it. She already gave me an earful. I sure as fuck don’t need it from you, too. ”
“I know.” She sighed heavily. Apparently, she was going to tell me, anyway.
“Look, Ahren, I think maybe you don’t understand—” she bit her bottom lip, her eyes searching mine. After a few minutes, she nodded and continued. Whatever she was searching for, she must have found.
“Do you remember at the grove telling me how light she was?”
I nodded, a spark of confusion slipping through me.
“She’s tiny, Ahren. Much smaller than you. She’s staying in your house—”
I turned away, waving her off.
“That tiny girl you’re so worried about could kill you sixteen different ways before you had a chance to get the pepper spray out of your purse.” I smirked, picturing some of her more gruesome handiwork.
Her head bobbed along with my words, seeming to agree with me, but I knew with Connor it was never that easy.
“She’s lethal. Absolutely. But she’s also wounded. Yes, she’ll recover, but until then—”
I knew. Fuck, did I know. Waking up on that table four days later feeling like I’d been eaten by a bear. I had never felt so weak and vulnerable in all my life. I was used to being strong and lethal, and within a few sluggish heartbeats, Connor was helping me to the toilet.
My breath rushed out, my every argument abandoning me as I took in the naked concern in her eyes. “I know, Connor. I know. I’ll fix it. Promise.” I said quietly, offering her a small smile.
“You care about her.” She murmured.
“Not that I have any idea why.” I scoffed.
She laughed—actually fucking laughed at me.
“That’s not how it works, Ahren.”
Three sharp raps on the open door drew my attention.
Tierney stood in the doorway, and for the first time, I allowed myself to really see her.
Her off-kilter stance, shoulders raised like a shield.
Her arms ramrod straight, forcing herself not to fidget, and her eyes that watched my every move, but couldn’t quite meet mine.
I had no doubt the woman before me knew how to use vulnerability to get what she wanted. Hell, maybe she did it frequently. But this—this wasn’t vulnerability, this was weakness—frailty. Something she would never want seen by anyone, but especially someone like me; a rival—a threat.
Connor’s smile widened, her head swinging between Tierney and me. “You two behave. I have a date to get ready for.”
“That goes double for you.” She murmured to me under her breath.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Tierney said, her timid voice only confirming my earlier suppositions.
“Nope. I was leaving anyway.” Connor said, waving her off, already heading for the door.
“Did you need something?” I asked quietly, only now clocking she was holding the leather-bound box, one of the few items I had that belonged to my mother.
I hadn’t meant to show her the roses—maybe ever. But those soft lips whispering that she knew I hated her. That because we had been rivals these past six years, I must harbor some deep-seated hatred for her—it snapped something in me.
“I wanted to return this,” she said, placing the box in my hands. “I don’t know what it means.”
I barked out a laugh, “that makes two of us then.”
My fingers ghosted over the box’s supple surface. “I just know I’ve never hated you.”
“I don’t hate you either, I just—fuck. I don’t know how I feel if I’ m being honest.”
My jaw worked, grinding my teeth together. I hated apologies. Generally because I found myself more owed than owing—but I owed her one. “I’m sorry about the other night. I thought there was something—I got it wrong. It won’t happen again.”
She nodded wordlessly, her eyes scanning the room, landing on everything except me.
The silence stretched between us, tight like an elastic band that could snap at any moment, wounding either of us. I’d almost given up on her answering me when she spoke, her voice soft and hesitant.
“You said the other night that you’d train me. Hand-to-hand I mean.”
Her eyes met mine, something sparking just behind the surface. Again, it was an emotion I knew well. Determination and maybe a hint of spite. She was done being a victim. Done reacting. She was finally ready to take her power back.
I nodded. “You’re not ready for the heavy stuff.”
“Larissa said—” she started, raising her chin defiantly.
“Bullshit.” I interrupted, barking out a laugh. “We can talk to Connor tomorrow. But there’s no way that barely four weeks is long enough for your ribs to heal. I certainly won’t be taking you to the mat.”
I widened my stance, folding my arms across my chest; digging in for the argument I knew was coming.
Her eyes dropped to the mat and something deep in my gut twisted at the thought of smoldering her spark before it could burn again.
My hand reached for her of its own accord, the words spilling from my lips before I had a chance to process them.
“I can help you get stronger. Hurting yourself now will only make it take longer before you are back to full strength. ”
Her lips pressed into a tight line, a dam holding back the snark I knew was fighting to break free. Instead, she gave me a curt nod, and I vowed to break that dam and release the real Tierney—something that may damn us both.
She was going to need every bit of that fire of hers to overcome her injuries and take on these fuckers hunting us down. I would do everything in my power to keep her safe, but knowing what was coming—that may not be enough.
Besides, I couldn’t protect her long if she’s just dead weight. I needed a partner.