Page 88 of Rocky Top

“Rocky,” she said, voice small. “Stay with me.”

I nodded, barely.

“You’re not dyin’ today, you hear me?” she said, voice fierce now. “Not after everything. Not after takin’ me flyin’ and kissin’ me like you meant it.”

Damn.I loved thiswoman.

“Birdie…” I started. But the edges of the world were darkenin’. Instead, I let her voice be the last thing I heard before the black took me.

I woke up to pain. Not sharp, not fresh. Dull and deep, the kind that settled into your bones and made itself at home. My ribs were wrapped tight. Everything ached, and the air stank of antiseptic and pine. Musky wallpaper and memories.

The homestead.

I blinked hard, tryin’ to focus. Someone had turned off the overhead lights, but a single lamp burned low near the couch.

And there she was.

Birdie.

Curled up in one of the old leather chairs, lookin’ like a damn painting, hair a wild mess, mascara smudged under her eyes, holdin’ a bloody t-shirt that used to be mine.

She didn’t know I was awake yet.

Didn’t see the way my heart cracked wide open just watchin’ her.

“You always sleep like the dead?” she muttered, not even glancin’ up.

I coughed, throat dry. “Only when I’ve been stabbed like someone was playing Wack a mole.”

She stood up so fast the chair groaned, marchin’ over. “You scared the shit out of me. I thought you were gonnadie!”

“I’m too mean to die,” I croaked.

She shoved my shoulder. Not hard, but enough. “You nearly bled out in my lap, Rocky. Don’t joke.”

I caught her wrist before she pulled away. “You saved my ass.”

Her eyes filled. “Yeah, well. Somebody had to.”

“You shouldn’t’ve been there.”

“Tough.” Her chin lifted. “I came because I knew somethin’ was wrong. I could feel it.”

That got my attention.

“You felt it?” I asked.

My wolf stirred at that.

The bond. That connection. It’d only grow stronger.

She hesitated. “Yeah. Like a tug. Low in my stomach. Couldn’t sit still. Asked Villain to help…”

“My brother?”

“Knox and Eliza had an emergency. Since you were gone, Knox asked Villain to keep an eye on me.”

“My brother’s not to be trusted.”

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