Sins of Mine - Mary E. Twomey Page 0,52
his palm skyward in silent invitation.
I can’t believe he wants to be near me. I murdered his father right in front of him. I’m a mess of a person.
Still, I take him up on his unspoken truce.
Folding my fingers through his grants a peace that words cannot reach. Neither of us knows what to say, but by some miracle, that’s okay. We protected each other beyond what we should have.
I’m not sure I regret it.
Soon the sounds of Rafe’s whines begin to ground me. “How can we help you, pumpkin? I want to take you to a hospital, but I know they won’t treat a shifter. What can I do to help?”
I bang the flat of my hand on the steering wheel, wishing I could smack sense into the bigoted medical system. It doesn’t care or understand that everyone needs help, regardless of who they are, how much money they have, or where they were born.
I’m not sure if Gray can even comprehend me over the pain, but I babble aloud anyway. “The shifter hospital is too far away. We’re driving toward Nurse Jen, who’s closest, but it’s still going to be a while.”
Gray transitions into his man form so he can answer. His panting heightens the tension inside the car tenfold. “Paxton, I need you to pull the bullet out! Rafe’s healing around the bullet, but that’s going to give me a limp for life because the bullet’s going to be stuck in my leg. You have to dig out the bullet!” He claws at the roof of the car, teeth gritted through pain that Rafe could handle far better than any man.
Paxton unbuckles and leans forward to fish in the glovebox. Then he swears. “How does a nurse not travel with a first aid kit?”
Something silver catches in my periphery. “There’s a multitool. If that’s the best we’ve got to a scalpel, that’s what you’ll have to use.”
Paxton groans as he fishes it out. “Why did I have to give up the driver’s seat?” Then, to himself, he forces out a gusty, “I can do this.”
I lean to the left as Paxton climbs into the backseat. It’s all I can do to keep my eyes on the road. I want to help. I want to hold Gray’s hand. Or Paxton’s.
The sound of Gray’s wails as Paxton starts digging into the wound set my teeth on edge. I grip the wheel and keep my eyes on the road, adrenaline spiking afresh because my boyfriend is in agony.
“I’m going as fast as I can! It’s really stuck deep in your thigh, Gray. I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
“Just do it!” Gray shouts, his hands banging on the roof and then the window as the pain becomes too much for him to bear. “Ah!”
Gray is sweating, naked and bloody in the backseat, but Paxton is determined that Gray will not walk with a limp for the rest of his life.
I try not to let my gaze wander to the rearview mirror, but I can’t help myself. I need to be back there with them, but the greater need is to drive them to Jen, who can actually offer some real healing. We don’t need a third person freaking out in the backseat.
Clouds are gathering overhead, letting me know that rain is on the way.
The drive should take forty-five minutes but it feels like three hours. I’m going as fast as I can without raising red flags to anyone monitoring the speed limit. Teal cars don’t exactly blend in.
“Where is Jen? Did you leave her at our house, or is she at her place?” I hate dividing Paxton’s focus, but I need to know where I’m taking Gray.
“She’s at our home. Hurry! I have no idea what I’m doing, and I think I’m about to make it all worse!”
It’s then that Gray howls more pitifully than anything I’ve ever heard. Emotion jerks in my chest, so I bite down on my lower lip to keep from adding to the turmoil.
Gray should never be in pain. He’s a good man, and doesn’t deserve this.
His life was quieter before I came into the picture. He wanted a peaceful existence. Because he latched onto me, now he’s shouting in anguish, hoping he doesn’t have to live with a janky gait for the rest of this life.
“I’ve got it!” Paxton finally shouts, holding the bullet up in triumph.
When we reach the entrance of the camp, a gust of relief wooshes out of me, though I know there’s still