Page 28 of Emily's Essence

“I’ll carry her,” Hawk said.

Emily shook her head. “No, you’ll hurt yourself.”

Several of the men snorted.

“They’re always trying to protect us,” Stone said.

Hawk stood and picked her up.

“Hawk…” Emily said.

“Hush. You’re going to let me take care of you.”

Emily exhaled and wrapped her arms around his neck. She studied the side of his face as they climbed the stairs. The exercise didn’t seem to affect him at all.

As they climbed the stairs, she gazed at him. He had a very strong profile. She could see several scars and a bump on his nose that told her it had probably been broken at least once in the past.

His chin had a slight indentation in the middle. His dark brown hair was too long, and he had a few days’ scruff on his face, but he was still the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. His body was huge. Every muscle was evident and pronounced, and the tattoos made him look larger somehow. They definitely made him look scarier.

He sat her gently on the side of the bed. She sat still because it helped with her head. Alicia came back with a washcloth.

“Do I have dirt on me?” Emily asked.

“Yes, that and blood,” Alicia said.

“In my hair, too?”

“Yes.”

“I want to shower. I can’t lay down in bed and sleep like this,” Emily said.

“Fine, but someone will have to be there with you.”

Emily kept her gaze from Hawk. “Can you?” she asked Alicia.

“Of course. Let me get some comfortable clothes for you to sleep in.”

She could sense Hawk wasn’t happy, but she wouldn’t be comfortable with him while she showered because they still hadn’t talked, and she’d never been naked with him.

Alicia led her into the bathroom and shut the door. She turned on the shower before helping Emily get her clothes off.

Damn, she had liked the t-shirt she was wearing, but there was no way the blood would come out of it. It could still be used. The women would tear it up and use the clean parts for rags.

“Do you want me in there with you?”

“No, I think I’m okay. I’m not dizzy. I just have a headache.”

“If you get shaky, tell me. I’ll stand right out here.”

She scrubbed herself, careful of the cut and knot on her forehead.

Alicia was there with a towel and helped her dry herself, set another towel on the toilet seat, and then worked on her hair.

“I need to redo the bandages,” Alicia said.

Emily hadn’t thought about that. “I’m sorry. Is it bleeding a lot?”

“No. Don’t be sorry, hun. I would have done the same thing as you.”

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