Page 59 of Burn Bag
“Well, I guess I’m going to have to get over it, aren’t I?”
I gaped at him as she snatched the bag off the floor and dug the scooper into the litter, nearly gagging when a clump of poop came up.
“Oh, God, that’s disgusting,” he groaned, dumping it in the bag.
“Here, let me hold the bag?—”
“No, get back,” he coughed, hiding his face in his elbow. “This has to be toxic or some shit.”
“It’s not toxic. And I’ll be fine.”
He stood up and glared at me, but there was no heat behind his eyes. Only an intensity that had me stopping in my tracks. “I did not take you to the hospital only for you to come home and make things worse. Your hand is healing and we’re going to make sure those burns heal correctly. Got it?”
I gave a succinct nod, but I felt terrible. All I could do was stand there and watch as he continued to scoop the litter until all the clumps were gone. By the time he was finished, I was sure he was going to look online for a hazmat suit and rubber gloves. I was definitely going to have to get in here and clean up so he didn’t have to do it. I just had to make sure I did it when he wasn’t looking.
When he stomped back inside, I kept my distance, sure he was about to yell at me. Instead, he walked right past me and grabbed his keys.
“I’m going out. I do not want to see you doing anything with that hand. Is that understood?”
“Uh…yes.”
“Good. I’ll be back soon with some food. Sit down and rest.”
He turned and marched out the door, leaving me frowning after him. “Rest? I just woke up.”
16
KAVANAUGH
“Dash. I need you!”I said, popping my head into the office where he sat with Lock, Rae, and Eva.
“We’re in the middle of something.”
Scowling at Lock, he immediately backed down. “Do you really think I would interrupt if it wasn’t important?”
Sighing, he waved Dash out. “Go. I’ll fill you in later.”
I was out the door before Dash even caught up to me. I was determined to make sure this shit never happened again, and he was my ticket.
“So, what are we doing?” Dash asked as he climbed into the truck beside me.
“I need your expertise. It’s very important we don’t fuck this up.”
“Okay,” he nodded, getting out his computer. “Is this about Daphne?”
I chuckled at that. “Oh, you bet your ass it is.”
“What did she do this time?”
“What didn’t she do? Seriously, that woman is going to give me a fucking heart attack. Do you know I walked in on her trying to cut the bandage off her hand?”
“Why did she have a bandage on her hand?”
“From burning herself with oil. I spent the better part of the morning in the hospital with her.”
“I’m no expert, but this marriage seems to be off to a rocky start.”
“You think?” I snapped. “Fuck, I don’t know how much of this I can take. Between the murder cats, her passing out randomly, and taking scissors to her hand, it’s like walking around landmines.”
