Chapter 4
The first thing Cersi was aware of was pain. Before she could even open her eyes, agony tore through her and stole her breath.
“Uhhhhhh,” she groaned as she forced her eyes open. Aside from the throbbing ache in her shoulder, her mouth was dry like she hadn’t had a glass of water in a thousand years. Blinking up at the ceiling she tried to remember what had happened when her eyes landed on him.
Green Eyes was standing over her, eyes narrowed as he glared down at her. His mouth was slashed in an angry scowl. She almost wanted to laugh at how pissed off he looked. She probably would have if she weren’t in so much pain.
“You’re…,” she used her parched tongue to lick her dry lips. “You’re not dead.” She tried to shove up off the bed but gasped and stilled at the searing fire that tore through her shoulder. Fuck! Why? Why had she felt compelled to shoot through herself to get to him?
Her eyes dipped to his chest, but his shirt was clean. There was no gaping hole, no blood soaked material. He looked crisp and clean.
A growl filled the room a moment before he snarled, “No. And you’re lucky you aren’t either.” He watched her a moment, eyes all dark and broody before he asked, “What in the fuck were you thinking?”
Cersi shrugged and fuck! That hurt too. “Collateral damage,” she deadpanned. Her answer only seemed to piss him off more.
“Are you fucking psychotic? No one considers themselves collateral damage.”
Using her good arm, she shoved up to a sitting position and looked around. “Where are we?”
The place was nice, fancy. She feigned studying the room when really she was looking for a weapon or a way out. She’d tried to kill this guy and she sure as hell wasn’t going to waste her time hoping he was above retribution.
“A hotel downtown,” Green Eyes snarled. “And you didn’t answer me.”
A wave of nausea from the pain overtook her and Cersi dropped back onto the bed with a groan. “No,” she breathed. “Not psychotic.” Pinching her eyes shut, she swallowed as best she could before rasping out, “Thirsty.”
She heard movement and then an arm was sliding behind her back and lifting her to a sitting position. Eyes snapping open, she glared at Green Eyes. Her stare lost some of its venom when he used his free hand to lift a glass of water to her lips. The cool liquid was the best thing she’d ever tasted. She drained nearly the whole glass before Green Eyes pulled it back with an, “Easy, not too much too soon.”
Funny. He sounded almost concerned.
When he lowered her back to the mattress, she narrowed her eyes on him and shot straight to the point. “Who are you?”
Green Eyes set the glass of water on the bedside table and stood to his full height. It was impressive. The man was a beast which was equally frightening and exciting.
“Tyson,” he answered in a gruff tone. “Tyson BloodMoon.”
BloodMoon? Odd, but o-kay. “Why are you following me, Tyson BloodMoon?”
This time, his eyes narrowed. “You’re looking for your sister.”
That’s right. The text she received came rushing back. Anger tearing through her, she accused, “And you have her!”
He shook his head once before offering, “No. But I know who does.”
***
Tyson was having a hard time keeping Monster in check around Cersi. She smelled like pain and worry. It was riling him up something fierce. Plus, they were both still pissed at how she’d shot herself just to get away from them. Guilt bit hard at the realization that maybe he’d pushed her to that extreme, but honestly, who did shit like that? Glancing at Cersi, he answered inwardly, Her. Goddamn little badass bag of trouble.
His plan had been to…well, kidnap her really. He’d meant to snatch her up and then hole away in this luxurious penthouse suite until Haddix was done wooing Vesa, but that’s not how things went. No, Cersi had other plans and apparently, they involved a gun, bullets, and a blatant disregard for her own well being.
Pacing away from the bed, he gave it his back as he lifted both hands and fisted his hair. His shoulders were taut with the tension that had been thrumming through him. Two days. Two goddamn days she’d been out and all the while he’d paced and worried that he’d have to report back to Haddix that he’d killed his own Phena’s sister. He’d been willing her to wake up for hours on end, and now that she was conscious, he wished she’d go back out. He hadn’t planned on what he’d do when she woke.
“Look, we’ll get to all that. Vesa’s in good hands. She’s alright.” He glanced over his shoulder and frowned down at her. “Can’t say the same for you. What were you thinking shooting yourself?”
She completely ignored the question and groused, “I was thinking that my sister is in danger.” She was looking around the room now though, and this time she wasn’t trying to disguise it. Swinging her legs off the bed, she groaned, “I really gotta pee.”
Before he could get to her, she was halfway out of bed, but it was an obvious effort. Rushing to her, he slammed to a halt when she threw a hand up in front of his face.
“I got it.”
But she didn’t have it. Her legs started shaking right away, and when she took her first step, they nearly gave out.
With a snarl, he had her up and in his arms before she could even suck in the breath to protest. When she finally did drag in a breath, he was surprised when she stayed silent. The look on her face said she didn’t understand why she was so weak.
“You’ve been out for two days. Didn’t think you were gonna make it.”
Her mouth parted slightly, but other than that there was no outward sign that she’d heard him.
In the bathroom, he set her on her feet and reached for the button on her jeans. A loud smack filled the small space when she slapped his hands away and glared up at him.
“Are you kidding?”
A corner of his mouth lifted because no, he didn’t really think she was going to let him take her pants down, but it had been worth a shot.
Cersi jammed her red-tipped pointer finger toward the door, and he strolled casually out. In the hall, he planted himself right beside the door and waited. He thought about how quick she’d thrown up her hand to ward off his help. It reminded him of how she seemed to keep herself hidden behind a giant wall. Cersi kept herself closed off, locked away. She didn’t want people getting close, he could tell that much. What he didn’t understand was why. He knew she’d grown up in foster care with Vesa, but he assumed that’d make her needier. Wouldn’t someone who’d been starved of affection seek it out? He heard the toilette flush and decided the answer to that was a resounding no. Cersi was out here hunting for Vesa all alone. She could’ve called the cops, hired a detective, or any other number of options, but she hadn’t. She’d strapped on her red high heels and went to work, putting herself directly in the path of danger.
The door jerked open. Rolling his head on the wall, his gaze landed on Cersi, and he felt something tighten in his gut. She’d found a brush and had her hair piled up on her head in a messy bun with a few wild corkscrew curls sticking out. He could smell mint from here which meant she’d brushed her teeth too.
“I’d like to take a shower.”
Of their own volition, his eyes slid down to her breasts before jerking back up.
“I’m covered in dried blood,” she gritted out.
Yeah, that. He’d had intentions of cleaning her up after he’d taken care of her wound, but he didn’t trust Monster enough to get the woman naked and clean. The memory had him clenching his jaw tight because it pissed him off that his animal was so damn feral that he couldn’t even take care of Cersi like she needed. He couldn’t even clean up an unconscious and injured woman without Monster trying to lay claim. It was humiliating just how little control he had over his beast.
Dipping his head in a nod, he growled, “Stay here. I got your clothes.”
Cersi’s jeep was parked in the hotel’s underground garage. He’d ransacked it after he’d plucked the lead out of her shoulder and had sewn up her wound. She didn’t have much. It looked like she’d been traveling a lot though because there was a suitcase full of clothes and girlie shit in the back while numerous fast food bags and wrappers littered the floor. He’d found her tasers under the seat. There were also a couple of knives stashed in the glove box, but aside from her suitcase, he’d left everything else in the jeep. He’d also stripped Cersi of the weapons she’d hidden on her body. Damn little Badass outfitted herself like she was a goddamn assassin.
Suitcase in hand, he carried it effortlessly back down the hall and rapped his knuckles on the bathroom door.
Cersi opened and poked her head out, but his eyes instantly went to the bare skin of her shoulders that was exposed.
“A little too trusting, aren’t we?”
She snaked a bare arm out the door and reached for her suitcase, which he pulled back just out of her reach.
“If you wanted me dead,” her fiery eyes snapped up to his. “I would be. And if you wanted to rape me, you had two days to do it.”
True. But still, her parading around half-naked in front of Monster wasn’t going to work.
Thrusting her suitcase toward her, he waited until she gripped the handle before saying, “Fully clothed at all times while in my presence. Understand?”
She smirked and made to jerk the suitcase inside, but he held firm. He needed to hear the words.
“Understand?”
Looking almost bored, Cersi gifted him a mutinous look. “I understand.” When he turned to leave she continued, “And don’t worry your delicate sensibilities. I have no intentions of running naked through your suite.” Her eyes slowly tracked down his body and then back up. “I know people who are gay. I respect your choice. I get it.”
The door clicked shut before the shock of her words even wore off.
Gay? Gay! What? Who? Him!
Son of a motherfucking fucker, she thought he—Tyson BloodMoon—was gay?
Half tempted to shove his way into the bathroom and prove her wrong, he stood in the hallway fuming. It took much more effort than it should have to convince Monster to stand down. Poor sucker didn’t really comprehend the idea of copulation without the intention of procreation, so he was staring at Tyson with a ‘what does that mean’ look on his face. Tyson had zero intention of trying to explain.
Turning, he stalked angrily down the hall, hands fisted as he shook his head. Gay! He looked down at his clothes and then stopped as he passed a mirror to study himself. He didn’t look…gay…did he?