Page 19 of Bones
“Why didn’t you just take me to the clinic last night?” I muttered.
Trey didn’t answer for a moment, and I almost turned to make sure he followed. “We figured you’d feel more comfortable if Clarity got you cleaned up. Rather than me and Mac.”
I didn’t know what made me more uncomfortable, knowing I’d been vulnerable in their presence or knowing I believed they hadn’t taken advantage.
Don’t trust ’em,Wolf snarled.You know better.
I stumbled, and Trey caught my elbow again.
“I’m fi—” I started to mumble, but then I twisted and retched, barely missing his boots.
Trey held me up and snapped an order at someone. After I finished retching up the small bit of water and bile in my stomach, he ducked his shoulder under my arm and half-carried me over to a spot of shade. He sat me down and crouched in front of me, pressing his palm against my forehead.
“Shit, you’re burning up again,” he muttered. “I’m sorry, Bones, but we gotta take this off,” he added, his fingers hesitating on the top button of my flannel.
“No.” I gripped his wrist with my shaking hand.
“It’s really not that noticeable, you know,” Trey tried, his tone light.
“Don’t say that,” I mumbled, trying to focus as the world spun around me. “He’ll make it bigger.”
Trey’s face darkened. “He’s dead if he tries,” he said in a voice quiet and hard as steel.
Red flashed across my vision. I panted through my teeth, my fingers slippery with blood. Juck’s empty eyes stared at me as I pulled the knife out of his chest. The sickening squelch made my stomach turn.
“He’s already dead,” I said. “He’s not tryin’ anything anymore.”
Trey pulled my arms out of the thick sleeves. I blinked, wondering when he’d gotten all the buttons undone.
“Bones?”
I opened my eyes. When did I close them? Trey stood over me, his brow furrowed in concern.
“Can you get on the horse?”
I squinted up at him, confused. Sure enough, behind him a horse snorted out a breath and tossed its head.
“You get on, and I’ll pass her up to you,” someone said.
I watched Trey pull himself easily up onto the horse’s back, impressed with the graceful movement. Then strong hands seized my upper arms, pulling me to my feet, and I panicked, flailing.
“If you give me a bloody lip again, I will drop you on your skinny ass.”
The hands turned me around and when I met Griz’s eyes, a stupid part of me relaxed. Despite his gruff, annoyed tone, Griz crouched and gently swept an arm under my knees and lifted me up.
Somehow the two of them got me on the horse. I twisted a handful of its mane in my hands and clung to it as my head spun. The horse swung its head back, huffing curiously at my pants. Trey said something to Griz, but the words sounded jumbled. Then his arms closed around me, urging the horse forward. I tipped backward with the movement, thudding into Trey’s chest. He wrapped one arm around my waist, holding me against him, and the warmth of his solid body behind me feltnice. My head rolled to the side, coming to a rest on his chin. I shouldn't be doing this, I knew, but I couldn't remember why. Maybe Wolf would be mad?
I promised myself I’d figure it out later as my eyes drifted shut.
* * *
“That’s not what I fucking asked, Trey. Did you know?” A clipped, angry voice.
“Mac, listen godsdamnit. She tried to hide it. I barely got her to let me patch up her shoulder ’cause she didn’t want us to see it.”
I opened my eyes. I was lying on a mattress. A single electric bulb dangled from rickety rafters. My head throbbed, but adrenaline started shooting through me like a drug. I closed my eyes again before anyone noticed.
“You shoulda told me,” Mac growled.
