Chapter 10 #2
That was the extent of my culinary talents, as Reggie could attest. I was the queen of takeout, in normal times. Reggie was a good sport about it, thank God.
“Why aren’t you outside keeping watch?”
I jumped at his disapproving tone, and then gasped.
It never ceased to amaze me. Freshly showered, still toweling off, wearing only the blood-spotted jersey sweat pants. Naked chest, cut, lean, powerful. His oh-my-freaking-God stunning good looks on full display again. His eyes looked laser sharp.
But oh God, his neck. It looked like raw meat. That must hurt so freaking much.
I focused on that, to keep myself honest. “Ah… your neck. Let’s work on it.”
“That soap stung like a motherfucker. I might have screamed a little bit.”
“I didn’t hear you, so it doesn’t count,” I told him. “Let me put some stuff on it.”
“Later for that. We’re in a rush.”
“No,” I said. “You can’t leave that wound exposed. It needs disinfectant, a bandage, and a doctor, in that order. Let me medicate your neck. This fucking instant.”
He gave me a brief, amused smile. “Fine, if you insist. But be quick.”
I followed him with the first aid box into the bathroom, and he sat down on the closed toilet to let me do as I pleased.
It was disconcerting, being so close to him.
He winced as I smeared the ointment over those raw sores.
It was worse on the front of his neck, from all the wire cuts, but it was red and angry and inflamed all the way around.
I wound some gauze bandages gently around it, and tied it off. “There. That’ll have to do until you get to a doctor.”
He stood up, and looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. “Very stylish,” he said. “I should tie a silk scarf around it.”
His skin was goose-bumped from the chill, and his lips were pale and bluish. He needed to warm up, and that windbreaker just wasn’t going to cut it.
I had a sudden idea. “Come into the bedroom,” I said. “I have a long sweater. It might look a little weird on you, but you’d be warmer, and it’s just until we get someplace safe.”
I rummaged through the winter box, and pulled out a beige and cream striped cashmere thing with a big, wide boat neck.
On me, it hung down to the middle of my thighs.
He pulled it on, and made a doubtful sound in his throat as he looked at himself in the mirror.
He tugged one side of the boat neck down over one shoulder.
“I look adorable,” he remarked.
I giggled helplessly. “Don’t make me laugh, or I’ll cry. And if I start to cry… well, you don’t want to deal with that, trust me. We’re on the clock here.”
He struck a fey pose and batted his eyes girlishly, and suddenly I was snorting and giggling like an idiot. “Fuck you, Masters. Not fair. Don’t. No time.”
“Sorry,” he murmured. “Oops. My bad.”
My phone rang, and we both practically levitated off the ground. “Oh, God,” I muttered, racing to the bed where I had left it. I grabbed it, hit ‘talk.’ “Hello?”
“Is this Cass?” It was a woman’s voice, low and purposeful.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“My name’s Kat. I work with Ethan. Talk to your sister. She’s confused and upset.” An instant’s pause, then, “Cass?” Reggie’s voice, high and thin and wobbling.
Tears filled my eyes. “Yes, baby, it’s me. Are you okay?”
“Um. Yeah. Just… I didn’t know what to think!
These people just exploded into my room.
This lady with them asked if I was Regina Clarke, and she said they were your friends, and to come with them.
But I didn’t know! So they just grabbed me and took me out of there with them, but I didn’t know who they were! ”
“Of course you didn’t, and I’m so sorry. It all happened too fast to warn you. They are my friends, baby, they truly are. They’re helping me. I needed to get you out of there fast. I saw my chance, and I took it. I’m so sorry I didn’t give you a heads-up.”
“Okay,” Reggie quavered. “Where are you? Why aren’t you here?”
“I’m on my way, sweetheart. Go with them, okay? They’re on our side.”
“Okay. Cass, when will you—”
“That’s all we have time for.” The woman’s voice again. “I’m hanging up now so that Ethan can call you for the rendezvous.”
In seconds, the phone rang again. I silently handed it to Shane.
He locked eyes with me as he opened the line. “Yeah?… yeah. We’re about to take off. Too dangerous to stay. We’ll go north, off-road. Burnt Prairie… yeah. I’ll call you… yeah. Later, bro.” He hung up, and smiled at me. “Mission accomplished.”
I wiped away astonished tears. “It all happened so fast.”
“My brother is one laser-focused sonofabitch.”
So are you, I wanted to say, but I could barely get the words out.
“Cass. Don’t cry. I like it better when you laugh.” His arms encircled me.
And it hit me again, that blinding rush of emotion that just picked me up and carried me away, just as it had on Level Eight, with that prick Halliwell watching us like a big spider. But Halliwell wasn’t here now. It was just me and Shane, all alone.
He was so strong. So solid and powerful, vibrating with energy. My face was pressed against the beige striped sweater, my lips touching his hot skin. His collarbone right at eye level. His chest hair rasped against my cheek. I grabbed that sweater. Lifted it up over his head. Flung it away.
I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, and it was like it had been ordained since time began to grab him, to kiss him, to wind around him, frantically drinking him in like someone was trying to snatch him away from me.