Page 10 of Viper's Salvation
Evelyn nods, clearly relieved. "Small mercies. Let's get those ribs wrapped and that cut stitched, then get some food in you and let you rest."
The door opens while she's working, and Viper walks in. He's cleaned up, the blood and soot gone, his dark hair still damp from a shower.
"How is she?" he asks Evelyn, not looking at me.
"She'll heal," Evelyn answers. "Tougher than she looks."
A ghost of a smile touches his lips. "I know."
Kelly clears her throat, giving me a look with raised eyebrows that I pretend not to see.
"Reaper wants to talk to you both when you're ready," Viper says. "Nothing urgent. Just to discuss what happens next."
What happens next. The question I've been avoiding since we escaped. Where do we go from here? What life can Kelly and I possibly build after all this?
"I'll finish up here," Evelyn says, threading a needle for my stitches. "Give us fifteen minutes."
Viper nods, hesitating at the door like he wants to say something else. Instead, he just says, "I'll be outside when you're ready," and slips out.
Kelly waits until the door closes before giving me a pointed look. "What was that?"
"What was what?" I try to sound innocent, wincing as Evelyn starts the first stitch.
"That," Kelly gestures toward the door. "The intense eye contact. The whole silent conversation thing."
"There was no 'thing,'" I protest weakly.
Evelyn smiles but keeps quiet, focusing on her work.
"Uh-huh," Kelly sounds completely unconvinced. "Well, when you're ready to admit there was definitely a 'thing,' I'll be here to say I told you so."
I shake my head at my sister for a moment, noticing something lighter about her, something that wasn't there before.
"Speaking of 'things,' what's going on with you and Blade? You two seem... cozy."
Kelly's cheeks flush pink, but she doesn't deny it. "It happened fast. He found me on that road, saved me from the Vultures MC who were after me. He's been... protective."
"Protective," I repeat, raising an eyebrow. "Is that what we're calling it?"
"He's a good man, Amy," she says defensively. "I know it sounds crazy after only two days, but there's something between us. Something real."
I reach for her hand, squeezing it gently. "Hey, I'm not judging. If anyone deserves something good after all this shit, it's you. But…aren’t you afraid? He’s a bad guy, too."
"You deserve good things too," Kelly says softly, “And I know he can be a bad guy. But the Outlaws are not like the Vultures. They’re only bad to those who deserve it. Believe me.”
"I do, but let's focus on staying alive first,” I deflect. "Then we can worry about everything else.'"
Evelyn finishes the last stitch and puts a bandage over it. "All done. These will dissolve on their own." She hands me some pills. "For the pain. They'll make you sleepy, but you need the rest anyway."
I take them, washing them down with water. "Thanks. For everything."
She packs up her supplies. "We take care of our own here."
"We're not your own," I point out. "We're just... temporary problems."
Evelyn's expression softens. "I was a 'temporary problem' a few days ago too. Things change fast around here." She stands up. "Rest if you need to. I can tell Reaper you need time."
"No," I swing my legs off the table, determined to look stronger than I feel. "I want to know what happens next. I need to."
