Page 11 of Leif

He put pressure on the wound, and the bleeding seemed to ease up a bit.

He needed help. What was the harm in getting closer and helping him? I was supposed to protect and serve, and he hadn’t given me a reason not to trust him…yet.

“Why didn’t you take me to the hospital?” What reason did he have for bringing me here? Whereverherewas.

“I wanted the chance to talk to you. I wouldn’t get that at the hospital. And you weren’t gravely injured. I checked for concussion and brain damage. No signs of either.” His golden eyes met mine, and I realized the color wasn’t contacts.

“Why are your eyes gold?”

He lifted a shoulder. “Why are your eyes brown?”

“Brown is a normal eye color. Gold is not.”

“My driver’s license says my eyes are hazel. Want to see?” His eyes were locked on mine, and I struggled to draw in a deep breath. His words held the ring of truth, and I shook my head and stepped forward. Picking up some clean gauze, I pressed it to his wounded shoulder with more pressure than I should have.

But he didn’t so much as wince.

6

Leif

“You must have a high pain threshold.” She eyed me, her full lips tightening before relaxing slightly. The expression tightened the muscles of my stomach, and her eyes flicked to my abs before meeting mine again.

She didn’t trust me one bit, and I didn’t blame her.

“Pain doesn’t control me.” I felt every bit of the wound, but it didn’t shape my actions or reactions. I’d learned long ago that letting anything control me was a mistake.

“Most people can’t control their reaction to pain. You’re saying you can?” She arched an eyebrow at me as she scrubbed the blood from my skin with one hand while I put pressure on the clean gauze she’d placed on the bullet wound on my shoulder.

I lifted my uninjured shoulder. “Something like that.”

She gave me that look again, the one that told me she didn’t trust me and that she knew something was off, but not exactly what was wrong.

Still, there was no way she’d actually guess that I was a fucking dragon, so I felt somewhat safe in my secret. Still, the warm look in her eyes as she glanced at me was wreaking havoc on my thoughts.

“It could use stitches.” Her eyes focused on my face past my injured shoulder.

“Fine. I’ll stitch it.” It wouldn’t be the first time I had to be my own field medic. It would be difficult to stitch up my right shoulder when I was right hand dominant, but I was confident I’d figure it out.

She sighed, her warm breath washing over my aching shoulder. “Look. However you did it, you took on like five guys, just yourself and a kid. You got shot. I already think you’re badass. You don’t have to tough this out.”

“You think I’m badass?” I couldn’t help the grin that tugged the corners of my lips.

For the first time, she actually smiled, and an invisible sledgehammer crashed into my chest, caving in my ribs and squeezing all the air out of my lungs.

“I don’t think that’s what I said exactly.” Her voice took on a playful edge I liked more than I should have.

“Actually, it is.” I couldn’t help but challenge her, and she went still. Her eyes darted to my lips, and I sensed her desire to lean in and press her mouth to mine. And damn, I wanted her to.

“Is it…” Hitch’s voice cut into our moment, and we both glanced up in time to see him in the doorway. His eyes were locked on my shoulder. “Is it still bleeding?” The last word ended on a sigh as he dropped.

Her wide, troubled eyes met mine.

“Like I said, he’s very squeamish about blood.” I’d told the kid to stay away to keep this from happening after he’d confided that the sight of blood makes him woozy. How he’d held together in the truck when he saw it bleeding, I didn’t know. Maybe the responsibility to get us there safe had done it. Who knew?

But now, after he’d dropped like a sack of potatoes, I knew he was serious about how much he hated the sight of blood.

She rushed to his side and checked on him before lifting him up over her shoulder and taking him out into the living room. Impressed by her strength, I followed her out.

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