Page 108 of Fangs
“That’s what I was told,” I muttered.
“If you thought he was gonna kill you, why didn’t you fight when Wolf and Lee took you out of the clinic?”
I didn’t answer, angling my stiff steps to put more space between us.
“It kinda seemed like you were just gonna let him kill you.”
I shrugged, my fingers tugging my shirt collar closer together.
“Why?” he pushed.
“I always knew he’d find me eventually.” My boot slipped in some wet mud, and I flailed my arms to get my balance, but Tuck somehow closed the distance between us in the blink of an eye and caught my elbow, steadying me.
“Yeah, but you didn’t have to let himkillyou,” he said, releasing me before I could jerk away.
I pressed my lips tighter together and kept my gaze focused straight ahead.
“And you sure as hell didn’t have toaskhim to kill you.”
I winced.
“Hey, Bones!”
One of the blacksmiths was striding down the path toward us, his ruddy face lit up. I tried to remember his name but came up blank. He was probably in his forties with thinning dark hair. I’d healed him before—he’d told me about the Safeguard, but I couldn’t remember his name.
“Good to see you!” he said warmly, stopping when he reached us. “You doin’ okay?”
I pasted a smile on and nodded.
He glanced at Tuck and then reached out like he was going to take my arm, but Tuck’s hand shot out and wrapped around his wrist, startling both of us.
“I was just gonna have a private word with Bones,” the blacksmith said, his bushy eyebrows raised as he stared at Tuck.
“Feel free,” Tuck said, still friendly but somehow threatening at the same time, “but don’t touch her.”
“Tuck!” My hands fluttered as I tried to decide if I should grab him or not. “Let him go?—”
“No, it’s okay, Bones,” the blacksmith hurried to say, his gaze swinging back to me and his voice lowering. “I just wanted to say if you ever need help—withanything—all you gotta do is ask.” He cast a not-so-subtle glance at Tuck, who finally released his arm. “Anytime.”
My fingers twisted the ends of my hair as I swallowed hard. I couldn’t even remember this man’s name, and he was offering to help me escape my brother and his crew if need be.
“Thank you,” I managed to say. “I’m alright, but I’ll keep it in mind.”
The blacksmith studied my face for a moment longer, but then he nodded. “Good. Well, I’m glad I ran into you. Been meanin’ to get over to the clinic to say hello.”
I fiddled with my shirt collar and tried again to smile.
“Have a good one,” he added, nodding politely at Tuck before continuing down the path.
“He never would have, you know,” Tuck said, and I swung my gaze back to him, my brow furrowing. “Wolf. He never would’ve shot you. He was just tryin’ to call your bluff.”
“I wasn’t bluffing,” I retorted, my voice rising. “And do not fucking do that again. If I don’t want someone to touch me, I will fucking handle it.”
“Who tried to touch you?”
I gasped and lurched away, crashing into Tuck, who caught me. Pressing my hand against my pounding heart, I righted myself and glared at Lee. The asshole grinned back at me.
“Stop. Doing. That,” I hissed.
