25. Chapter 25 - Rosalyn
We drive in silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts while his headlights pierce the night and drifting snow.
By the time we pull in the driveway at his place, the sore has shifted to stiffness.
“Hold on,” he grunts as he bales out his side, briskly moving around the hood to open my door.
I want to tell him it’s no big deal. The moment I try to shift, the words are ripped out of my mouth by the stab of pain in every joint.
His scowl deepens. “You really need to let me take you to the hospital.”
My fingers slip into his palm to gingerly work my way out of the seat. “I’ve had worse falling off my horse.” I grimace when my feet hit the ground from the jolt.
“I’m tempted to argue,” he grumbles. “But I ain’t gonna make you do anything you don’t want to do.” He’s careful as his arm circles my waist to help me up the first stair.
Whew. I can’t wait to not move anymore.
“Cade?” I pause halfway up. “Thank you for coming for me.”
I had wished he would. It’s why I kept going to the window, in some desperate hope he’d see me.
“There’s no way in hell I was gonna leave you there.” He doesn’t look at me, but I feel his arm tighten slightly around me.
This isn’t exactly the circumstances I expected, yet I’ll enjoy having him hold me for the moment.
It makes me feel safe.
He rescued me again.
After I made the stupid mistake of going in the first place. For what? Nothing.
“I was dumb. I should have listened to you.” I let him lead me inside, then stand trembling inside the entrance. “He never hurt me before,” I exhale. My shoulders slump in defeat. I expected too much from my brother.
“He shouldn’t have. We’re gonna talk to Pete and press charges.” Cade helps me thread my jacket down over my arms. “The hospital can document all of your injuries—”
He flips on the light and freezes, staring at my mouth. “Fuck, Ros. Hold on.”
My tongue darts out to be flooded with the metallic tang of blood.
Pulling a paper towel from the wall, he runs the water in the sink, then dips it under before turning back to me.
“Hold still.” His pupils swell as his finger gently dabs my lip.
I get an up close view of the scars on his cheek. They aren’t awful to look at, they give him character.
He’s actually incredibly handsome.
Shit. Heat rushes through me even as my wound stings from his touch.
“Does that hurt? I’m sorry.” With a softened gaze, he meets my eyes. “I’m so fucking sorry, Ros,” he whispers. “I should have gone with you.”
“It’s my fault. I don’t want to press charges.” I fight the urge to flinch. I know he’s going to be mad.
When his jaw clenches and his nostrils flare, I know I’m right.
“How is this your fault?” he grits through his teeth. “And how are you sure you don’t have internal bleeding? The way you’re holding your side worries me, Ros.”
He’s angry, yet still cares?
I’m not used to that.
Even if my insides are injured, I’m not going to get checked. One thing my mother beat into me for years was to never tell someone when I’ve been hurt.
Maybe it was so she wouldn’t get caught for all the times she lost control when she was whipping me?
It doesn’t matter. “I don’t want to go.” What if they take me away from Cade?
Send me to jail for leaving home? Who knows what stories my brothers would make up in their own defense.
Shit, they might even try and charge me for stealing my own horse. Then Cade would get in trouble for having it here.
He rubs the heel of his hand into his eye and glowers at me. “Your arm is bleeding. Your pant leg is soaked in blood. And he tried to cut your fucking throat!” His voice raises while his fingers open and close against his thigh as he takes a ragged breath.
“Can you…um.” My tongue darts over the wound, making it burn again. “Patch me up?”
I trust him over anyone at the hospital.
“Ros. I’m not a doctor.” He shrugs off his coat and hangs his hat on the hook. “My brother is. He’d be able to take much better—”
“Please?” I want to cry. To run into the corner and bury my face so he can’t see the marks.
His shoulders droop. “Okay. Just know the only medicine I’ve practiced is mending the occasional horse injury.” He frowns, shaking his head and his voice drops to a whisper. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
I’m pretty sure his animals probably got better care from him than I ever got from most of my family. “You won’t. I know it.”
He’s had his chance, over and over to prove it if he meant me harm.
But he hasn’t. Instead he’s encouraged me to be myself, to own my choices.
I just made a really fucking bad one.
“Here.” He flips the chair away from the table. “The light is the best in the kitchen.” Waving towards the seat, tugs open one of the cabinets to pull out a first aid kit. “If anything takes stitches, we’re going to the clinic.”
He can say it all he wants, I won’t go.
When he disappears into the bathroom, I let my head fall against the backrest.
I’m such an idiot. I wouldn’t be surprised if Cade finds the first reason to pawn me off on someone.
No one wants a liability like me.
“I got a warm cloth. It’ll be better than that paper crap,” he grumbles, then slides the other chair near me. “I’ll start by getting the dried blood cleaned up.”
As he pauses, I give him a nod to continue.
He leans close, his knee pressing my thigh and his hot breath pours across my collarbone.
He already had some of the mess wiped from my chin and cheek, so he gently follows the smear up to my temple.
“Good news.” A small lift of the unscarred corner of his lip betrays a smile. “You won’t be near as ugly as me when you’re all healed.”
That makes me snort. “You’re not ugly, you’re cute,” I admit too quickly, heat rising into my skin.
His grin widens. “You’ve been locked up, that sets a pretty low bar.
” With a satisfied look, he slowly turns my head to look at the Band-Aid he put on it and purses his lips.
“I think I got it all. And this scuff on your noggin doesn’t look like it needs stitches.
But I’m a bit worried that you might have a brain injury if you see me as cute. ”
There’s a golden fleck of a twinkle in his irises that darkens as his gaze drops to my arm. “Next up.”
I try to roll up my sleeve, but it gets too tight when I try to go over the tender part.
“Ros, I need you to take it off. Then I can look at your side, too.” His brows knit over his frown.
Panic races through me. I’ve never taken my clothes off for anyone except Ava when she was helping me. I don’t even wear shorts in the summer.
The idea of him seeing me is terrifying.
“I’m fine. I can do it,” I stammer, trying to push to my feet.
“Then we’re going to the hospital,” he growls, moving out of my way to stomp towards the door.
“Take it from someone who’s been through hell and back, sometimes the worst wounds don’t hurt.
I understand not wanting me to see you, but someone needs to.
” He pulls my coat from the rack and extends his arm.
“I ain’t arguing. But I’m not gonna sit here and watch you suffer.
” His jaw tightens and those amber eyes that were so soft a moment ago harden into mahogany slits.
That’s when I notice the flutter of the sleeve of my jacket. His hand is shaking.
Why?
Then his voice drops into a measured tone.
“I want you to know I take no pleasure in assessing what your fucking brother did to you, if that’s the part you’re worried about.
” He swallows, making his Adam’s apple bob.
“I just—”His arm lowers along with his gaze.
“—I couldn’t protect you, but I’ll be damned if I just stand back while you’re in pain. ”
Oh. Oh. Shit.
He blames himself?
I really am a screw up.
“Okay,” I whimper. Today can’t get any worse.
Except I know after this, whatever comfort I found in his touch I know will disappear…Once he sees me.
“I just. Um.” Tears run unfettered down my nose and sting saltily against my fractured mouth. With another sob, I reach for the first button on my blouse. “Please don’t hate me,” I whisper as I reach for the next.