Page 73 of Save Me

“If you think this is me taking care of you, then maybe you should seemydefinition of it,” I retort with a smile.

His eyes roam over me, and I feel like a moth drawn into a flame.

“They’re probably waiting for us you know,” I say, my voice raspy, using all my willpower to take a step back from him.

“Let them wait all day,” he says, pulling me into him and kissing me deeply. “I would much rather be here.” He smiles.

“You sure? Because it seemed like you were very happy beating the shit out of someone not too long ago.”

“He deserved it,” he says simply. “But, in case you’re wondering, this is how I’d rather spend every day for the rest of my life: with you… preferably naked and moaning my name.” He winks. “But this is nice too.”

“Down boy.” I laugh, before reality starts to close in on us. “We should probably go talk to them…” I trail off as his lips find their way to my body, kissing me tenderly, as if not quite ready to let go of this moment, not ready to leave the oasis of our room.

A few minutes later he sighs before standing up, and we go to the bathroom. He points to one of the cabinets, and I find a fully stocked first aid kit within it. I try not to press too firmly on his knuckles as I apply an antiseptic to the cuts, several of which are oozing blood slowly.

Once I’m finished, he gives me a tender kiss.

“Let’s go see what Bryce has to say.”

CHAPTER 31

‡

Jax leads meback into the kitchen, where the others wait for us.

The blood from the floor is gone, probably thanks to Ryan, and Bryce sits hunched over the kitchen table pressing an ice pack to his face.

Jax pulls a chair out for me before taking a seat at the head of the table, his relaxed demeanor vanishing into thin air as he stares at Bryce with daggers in his eyes.

I touch his forearm to help him stay calm, and he looks at me, a slight nod of his head all the confirmation I need to know that he hears my silent plea.

“Oh, so you guys can communicate telepathically now? You should try doing that more often—it gets a little awkward living here with your moaning as a near-constant soundtrack,” Ryan says as he reclines back in his chair, a wolfish grin on his lips.

Sam gives him a curious look before turning her gaze back to me, her eyes puffy from crying. My heart aches seeing her like this, and I can’t stop the guilt as it solidifies its grasp on me.

“Why are we here?” Her mouth is set in a firm line as she looks at Jax. “You wanted Lockwood to show up, he did, and then you beat the shit out of him. What do you want?”

“I want a lot of things,” Jax starts, his voice void of emotion. “But what I want first is Bryce to tell us what happened from his perspective.”

“Maybe he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Sam interjects, before looking at me, her face wrought with denial. “There’s no way he knew about everything going on.”

She pauses, looking at Bryce instead. “Tell them,” she says firmly. “Tell them how you didn’t know Rhett was holding Evi hostage. Tell them how you’re not the kind of person to get mixed up in this, tell them they have the wrong person,” she pleads.

Bryce doesn’t meet her gaze, and instead his eyes find mine.

“I’m sorry,” he mutters again quietly. “I amsosorry.”

He drops his gaze back to the table and I reach forward, as if to comfort him, before stopping myself midway. A tear runs down my cheek, and I catch both Sam and Ryan looking between us, their eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Lockwood, tell me you had nothing to do with this,” Sam all but pleads. “Tell me you didn’t get mixed up in anything bad.”

Bryce sits there quietly, shaking his head and not meeting her stare, his silence enough confirmation for Sam who lets out a sound similar to a whimper.

He lets out a sigh. “It was only supposed to scare you into paying. Nothing more. Evi was supposed to come back to the lake house, spend a day—maybe two living in the boathouse apartment—and then you’d pick her up and leave the money.”

“Besides the fact that everyone involved signed their death certificates when you chose to take her from me, how exactly did you all manage to stray so far from that original fucking plan?” Jax seethes.

“I don’t know. Honestly. I don’t know—”

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