Page 28 of Been There Dragon That
“Wrath is going to lose his fucking mind, Rylee.” Naomi carefully peeled the old bandage tape loose and removed the gauze. “It is seeping a little. But not bad.”
“Good. I felt some moisture. I was worried I would bleed through.”
“Rylee.” Wrath spoke from the other side of the door. His tone was dark, with a slight bit of desperation.
“Don’t you dare open that door, big guy,” Naomi shouted at the closed door in a mom voice that would’ve made even the most rebellious child think twice.
Naomi quickly put the new bandage in place and taped it down. “That should be good. What about the bruises? They look like they’re still tender. I have some salve that might help.”
“Sure. I’m not going to say no.” Rylee breathed slowly, adjusting to the extra discomfort dislodging the scab had caused. “You seem to be in charge around here. How does that work?”
Naomi laughed again. “I’m married to Col. And he is in charge. So that makes me his right-hand man, so to speak. Everyone is really great. We have such a great little community. Give them a chance. The men are a bit like big barbarians, but they treat women like queens, and you will get spoiled. I assure you.”
The word spoiled gave her chills. Jeff had spoiled her with expensive jewelry and perfume and clothes. She didn’t want or need to be spoiled by a man again. And why did this woman assume she would be around long enough to be spoiled? She was here because of a storm. Because a tree fell on her house. She didn’t belong here.
“I don’t live here.”
“I assumed.”
“I met Wrath today.”
“Mm-hmm.” Naomi handed her a clean tank top.
Rylee carefully pulled it over her head, and Naomi helped tug it past the bandage. And then did the same with the clean sweatshirt.
“Thank you.” Rylee breathed a sigh of relief once she was dressed and everything was covered up again. It wasn’t a story she wanted to tell Wrath yet or anyone else.
“Of course, sweetie. Anything. And I mean it. I know Wrath is a lot, they all are, but I do want to vouch for him. He’s a good man. Loyal. Kind. And if he says—”
“I belong to him.”
The corners of Naomi’s lips curved up into a mischievous smile. “You belong to him.”
“It’s not normal. The way he’s behaving. He doesn’t know me at all.”
“Normal is overrated, Rylee. Sometimes extraordinary things happen to us in life, and we have to decide if we’re going to take that leap and follow the current.”
“I make bad choices. It’s kinda my thing.”
Naomi put a hand on Rylee’s arm and looked her straight in the eye. No hesitation. No wavering in her tone. “Wrath is not a bad choice. I give you my word.”
ChapterEight
Wrath
He’d known she was hurt. He’d seen her wince earlier when he’d touched her shoulder. He’d been careless carrying her here. He’d opened a wound. Why hadn’t she said something?
Had she?
Had he been so distracted that he missed it?
When she’d asked him to leave, it’d gutted him. He wanted to take care of her. He wanted to be the one to change the bandage. He wanted to do everything for her. And he wanted to crush the car that’d hit her and tear apart the person responsible.
Naomi was approaching the door, and Rylee was right behind her.
“Why are you hovering next to my bedroom door?” Col’s voice held a dark layer of threat. “Back away.”
Wrath bowed his head and took a step away from the door. “My mate is with yours, alpha.”
