Page 8 of Bones
“Keep pestering you until you change your mind.” He smiled.
I didn’t return it and his face grew serious again.
“We aren’t gonna force you, Bones. I was just kidding about Griz sitting on you.”
“I wouldn’t sit on you even if he told me to,” Griz added. “I’d probably break you in half.”
“I’m not the best healer and I sure as hell can’t do what you can do. But I can stitch a wound.” Trey paused a second, then added, “I can’t just do nothin’ when somebody is hurt. You seem like you feel the same way.”
The silence stretched as I stared at him. I knew he meant that moment on the roof when I’d looked into his eyes and decided to heal him instead of running. I didn’t like that he’d somehow seen those thoughts on my face. I could usually hide what I felt better.
“Please, Bones,” Trey added, still in that soft voice. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”
Maybehewouldn’t, but a life debt only carried so far, and I wasn’tjustafraid of being hurt.
Choose your battles,Wolf snarled.
I swallowed hard and unbuttoned the plaid shirt, my shaking fingers moving fast before I could change my mind. Griz released my arm again as I pulled the shirt off my left shoulder and let it drop, revealing my upper chest and the bloodied tank underneath. I tried to steel myself, but Trey’s low exclamation still made me wince.
“What thefuck?” Anger snapped in his voice, but his hands were gentle as he shifted my flannel over more.
Griz sucked in a sharp breath, and my face burned. In the center of my chest a large, crude “J” had been branded into my flesh. It started at my collarbone and ended just above my breasts, the rough skin raised and an angry red, clearly a semi-recent wound. It was impossible to miss, but then that had been the point.
“Did Juck do this to you?” Trey’s voice dropped to something quiet and dark.
I didn’t answer him, figuring that was pretty fucking obvious. I wished I could just sink into the ground and disappear.
“Does that burn need some kind of treatment?” Griz asked.
His gruff voice sounded gentle,and I flicked my eyes up, surprised. His gaze remained calm and steady, but it looked like actual concern shone there. I glanced at Trey, but he’d turned toward the woods, a muscle in his jaw flexing. I shook my head.
“Does it hurt?” Griz asked.
“Not really,” I lied. It ached all the time, but I didn’t want to admit that.
“How long ago did this happen?” Trey spoke again, his voice rough.
I tried to swallow past the lump in my throat. “Couple weeks.”
A brief silence hung around us.
“Uh.” Trey cleared his throat. “Ok. This gash in your shoulder is gonna need some stitches. Looks like a piece of that shitty roof stabbed you. You want a swig?”
He held out a bottle I numbly took. He unrolled a leather satchel full of basic healer tools. Relief and surprise made me lightheaded. At least he didn’t seem like he would ask any more questions. I took a drink and handed it back, my eyes watering as it burned all the way down.
“I’m gonna pour this over the wound, alright?” Trey waited until I nodded before pouring the amber liquid over my shoulder, catching the excess with a clean rag.
My body jerked in pain. Griz made a sympathetic noise through his teeth. Trey handed me back the bottle again, and I took another large drink as he started stitching me up. He worked confidently like he’d done this a few times before. The alcohol took the edge off, but it still hurt like hell. Griz took the bottle from me as Trey worked, taking a swig himself.
After Trey tied the stitches off, I shrugged my flannel back on as quickly as I could, buttoning it all the way up to my chin. Relief swept over me, but then Griz handed Trey a clean rag and a fresh bottle of water.
“Now I’m just gonna clean this up.” Trey gestured toward the gash in my head as he poured the water on the rag.
I tensed again as he rested a hand on my temple, holding my head still as he cleaned the dried blood off.
“Looks like it’s scabbed over pretty good. Shouldn’t need stitches,” Trey mused as he dabbed at the ugly gash.
“What happened there?” Griz asked, taking another drink of alcohol.
