Page 90 of From the Start
“You’re bleeding, Harper.”
I roll my eyes. “This isn’t bleeding. I’ve bled more from a broken bottle cap.”
He scowls. “I’m serious, Slugger. We need to get your elbow checked out.”
“I’m fine. You’re acting weird. Are you sure you’re not the one who fell?” I get to my knees and he helps me to my feet.
“What’s all the racket?” a man yells before he opens the gate to the alleyway. He notices the cage. “Are you stealing Rogue?”
“Who’s stealing Rogue?” another man yells before he enters the alleyway with a woman.
“I’m phoning the police,” the woman says.
“Let’s go.” Kai pushes me toward the road but I plant my feet.
“We need to get Rogue first.”
“They’re going to call the police.”
“But if we ditch Rogue, we’ve failed.”
He cups my face. “Slugger, I don’t give a shit if the prank failed. You tried. You let loose. Witnessing you have fun whenyou usually don’t have time for fun is the biggest privilege of my life.”
I blink up at him. “Are you sure you didn’t hit your head?”
He kisses my nose. “There’s more to me than the goofy guy.”
“The police are on their way,” the woman shouts.
Kai shackles my wrist and drags me away from the crowd. “If you get arrested, your dad will tan my ass.”
I roll my eyes. “Dad isn’t violent.”
He cocks an eyebrow. “And he didn’t threaten to run me over with his wheelchair.”
“It was your fault. You shouldn’t have lied about the Fruit Loops.”
We reach the end of the alleyway and slow down. I scan the area but no one else has appeared from their house and no one has followed us.
“I don’t think they phoned the police.” I pull out my car keys and beep the locks open.
Kai swipes the keys from me. “You’re injured. You’re not driving.”
I roll my eyes. “Your definition of injury is false.”
I’m complaining but I enjoy how he’s taking care of me. No one’s taken care of me in a long time. I’m the one who’s always taking care of others. The roll reversal feels good. It’s nice to be taken care of.
Chapter 26
“She said she trusts me. My brain short-circuited.” ~ Kai
Kai
“I’m serious, Goofy. I don’t need to go to the emergency room because of a little blood.”
I scowl. “It’s more than a little bit of blood.”
Harper shows me her elbow. “It’s not even bleeding anymore.”
