Page 144 of Frozen Hearts
“Fine,” Logan screeches, his voice hitting an octave I didn’t know men could reach. “That is not fuckingfine, Riley. You’re bleeding! Did his dick, like, pierce your uterus or something?”
Fuck me, I’m wrung out, wrecked, and on the verge of crashing, but somehow I find the energy to laugh, and once I start, I can’t seem to stop.
“Why is she laughing?” I hear Logan asking. “Fuck, did he break her brain too?”
“I’m fine,” I wheeze, perfectly aware that I’m the picture of insanity right now.
“Riley,” Logan snaps, his tone laden with concern and panic. “You’re bleeding out of your, erm, uhh… kitty cat.”
“Kitty cat?” Royce queries, speaking for the first time. “Seriously, man? That’s what you’re choosing to go with at this moment.”
The entire ordeal sends me into another fit of laughter, and I double over, nearly falling off the counter as I giggle manically.
“Kitty cat,” I wheeze. “It’s okay, Logan. Mykitty catis just fine.”
“But… the blood.”
“It’s my period.”Damn, venomous bitch chose the worst possible time to show up.“I really am okay. Well, my kitty cat is. Jury is still out on the rest of me.”
As the laughter passes, all I feel is hollow as I blink at Logan and Royce. Logan’s face is pale, and it’s clear that he’s freaking out. Royce looks the same as always. I’d almost think he was entirely unaffected, except his eyes haven’t once left my face, and there is a slight tightness of the skin around his lips belying his worry.
“Fuck. Jesus. Fuck.” Logan curses before stomping across the kitchen and enveloping me in his arms. I collapse against him, damn near unconscious. “Let’s get you cleaned up, yeah?”
I nod against his shoulder. “Then a nap, please.”
“Whatever you want, Shortcake. You can have any fucking thing you want.”
* * *
It’s dark out when I finally wake from the sleep of the dead. It was so deep that I didn’t even dream. I passed out the second Logan tucked the sheets around me, and I don’t even think I’ve moved since then.
Stretching, I pull back the covers, noticing that I’m dressed in fresh sweats and a hoodie. I smile as I burrow my nose in the neckline and inhale Logan’s fresh scent.That man is pretty damn good at taking care of me.
I refuse to acknowledge what happened earlier with Grayson. A numbness has taken root, but I don’t want to look at any of it too closely. Not yet. Not now. I just want to have the nice relaxing night with Logan and Royce that we had planned. Then tomorrow, I’m going to see my daughter for the first time in months, and after that…thenI can deal with Grayson.
Slipping into the hall, I pause when I come face-to-face with Logan. “Ugh, hi,” he begins awkwardly.
“Hi.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Better. Refreshed.”
He runs his hand along the back of his neck, a sure sign that he’s out of his comfort zone. “Good.”
“Thank you for taking care of me.”
He nods, a long pause following before he rambles, “I, uhh, cleaned your wounds. They’re shallow. Didn’t require anything more than a Band-Aid.”
“Thank you.” Another awkward pause, which I break this time. “Are we still doing a Christmas movie marathon?”
“We can if you want.”
“I do. With alcohol.”
He smiles, his shoulders finally losing some of that tension. “We got eggnog.”
I smile back. “It’s not Christmas without eggnog.”
