Page 14 of Cold Foot Curse

“Stop apologizing. I always hated that you did that.” He yanked the bag out of her grasp and tossed it to the ground, rifled through it quickly and then dressed as Cash helped her tighten the T-shirt around the gash on the back of her arm.

A couple of cars passed, but Kade was already dressed. He made a gesture to her that she didn’t understand. She shook her head, confused.

“Turn in the seat,” he ground out. “Let me see it.”

Oh. Right. She swallowed hard and then turned and angled her arm for him to see it.

“Shit.” His eyes flickered to hers, and they were darker now. “Is your animal still gone?”

“Mostly.”

He opened the back door and lifted the entire bench seat to reveal a hidden storage compartment. He pulled out a big, red first aid kit. It wasn’t one of those small ones for minor cuts or burns. This one had been assembled custom. Without a word, he offered his hand to help her out of the car. She unbuckled and slid out, refusing his hand. “I don’t need anyone’s help.”

“Cool, you want to sew that up yourself then?” he asked testily.

“Why are you mad at me?” she snapped. “I didn’t ask you to come here.”

“No, Seth did.”

The mention of Seth washed away her anger. “He did?”

“Yeah.” He gestured back in the direction of Sister’s Edge territory. “Connor’s not it, Jess.”

“It’s not like I had a choice.”

“I know.” He blew out a breath and repeated it softer. “I know. That’s the reason I’m here. I’m not trying to extend our contract, Jess. I’m not taking you so I can force you to be with me. This isn’t some overprotective if-I-can’t-have-her-no-one-can move. You were supposed to leave, Jess. You were supposed to free your damn self. I don’t want Connor for you. I want to set you free. When you settle down someday, and your animal picks a mate, it shouldn’t be because you let some guy cut your hand and signed away your freedom.”

Her eyes burned. She struggled to break his gaze, and dropped her eyes to her lap, afraid he would see the tears building in her eyes. That was probably the only damn thing she’d heard in years that made sense.

She’d heard the truth in every one of his words. He really was here to set her free.

“I don’t know what I’ll do,” she said thickly. “My whole life is back there. My job, my clothes, my friends, my Alpha. I was never meant to be rogue.” She shook her head and dared a look up at him, hoping for understanding there.

“You’ll do it a day at a time.” He offered her a mini bottle of whisky.

“What’s that for?”

“For the pain. I need to clean your arm.”

“I don’t need it. I’m tough.”

Kade nodded and tossed the pocket shot back into the first aid kit, and then he poured hydrogen peroxide all over the cut. It burned so badly, she winced her eyes closed, but she refused to make a sound or move away from his work.

“Is Connor dead?” she asked. She had to know.

“No. I have control now. He’s hurt but he’ll live. No one died.” The assurances of a murderer. He was telling the truth though. She could tell.

“He won’t come for me,” she said softly. “They won’t leave the territory. Derek has rules. It’s how Sister’s Edge had stuck around for so long. All of the Alphas follow a list of rules. They protect the territory, that’s it.”

“Mmm,” Kade said blandly as he pressed on the cut, feeling for more glass. She didn’t feel any more in there. It just burned from the slice and the peroxide.

“Oh. I totally just forgot you lived here before. You already know this.” He probably knew the rules better than her. He’d been Third, after all. He’d been under Derek for years before he’d done what he’d done. “Um, I’m a little overwhelmed right now. That was my home. It’s nothing but dust now. That was a lot.”

Kade didn’t say anything else. He stitched her up shockingly fast, and she focused on staying very still for him. Where he’d learned to do that, she had no clue. Maybe it was from Cold Foot Prison, or maybe it was from his old life. She didn’t know about either one.

He wrapped a bandage around the injury and then put away the first aid supplies as she climbed back into the passenger’s seat and buckled up.

She hated riding in cars. Probably always would.

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