Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 137004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
His instinct was to scoop her up, hold her to him, and get her inside, but he wanted to be sure that the bullet was out first. If it was lodged somewhere sensitive, moving her might jostle it around painfully.
“I’ll go make sure Grace has the examination room ready,” announced Marcus.
Dante merely nodded, focused on Jaime, concerned and angry in equal measures. He would bet he was more ashen than she was right now. His attempt to examine her leg failed when her body jerked and she cried out. Seeing her wrapping her arms around her stomach as she tried to curl up, he knew what was happening. He collared her throat. “Stop.”
Jaime tried to pull his hand away when she sensed that his display of dominance was only increasing her wolf’s anger. The combination of Jaime’s shock, pain, anxiety, and anger was enough to massively agitate and panic her wolf. The fact that the threat could still be nearby only fueled her wolf’s state. She wasn’t in a receptive mood right now and only viewed Dante’s action as interference. The dumb-ass, however, didn’t release her.
“Stop,” he ordered again, flexing his grip on her throat. When it still didn’t work, he brought his mouth down hard on hers, forcing his tongue into her mouth and seeking her own. It was a devouring, forceful, urgent kiss that demanded attention, demanded a response. When he got that response, he softened the kiss, hoping to calm and reassure her wolf. “Better?” he asked hoarsely when he pulled away.
Jaime nodded, though she was very aware that it wouldn’t take much to have her wolf fighting to surface again.
“Good. Now I need to get a better look at your leg. I’ll be careful.” He cursed when he saw that there was no exit wound. “It’s already starting to heal, and if we don’t get the bullet out soon, it’ll be permanently embedded there.” Quickly Dante whipped off his T-shirt, tore off a strip, and tied it around her calf to add pressure to the wound. “Sorry, baby, but I need to move you.” As he scooped her up, Jaime gritted her teeth against the pain. She knew he was being as careful as possible as he carried her through the trees to the caves, but every single movement made her wince. She did her best to keep quiet, but she couldn’t help hissing as they ascended the stairs of the cliff face. They found a concerned Grace waiting near the door.
“I’ve prepared the examination room, and I’ve got Lydia there already waiting,” Grace told them as she walked at Dante’s side through the maze of tunnels.
Inside the examination room, he gently placed Jaime on the bed, even though what he really wanted was to hold her against him. Needing to touch her, he placed a hand on her shoulder. “She’s been shot in her calf. The bullet’s still in there.”
“I’m going to need you to stand back, Dante,” said Grace.
Dante couldn’t help the growl that escaped him. No one kept him from Jaime, no one, especially while she was hurting.
Grace eyed him warily, but she remained firm. “I know you’re worried about her, but I’m going to need the space. Let’s face it, you take up a lot of it.”
“Dante, it’s okay,” said Jaime.
Her soft words smoothed over the jagged frays in his control. Grinding his teeth and clenching his fists, he grudgingly moved aside, not once releasing Jaime’s gaze. Being apart from her while she was hurting went against every instinct he had. He wanted to lie with her, feel her skin, bathe in her scent, and give her whatever comfort he could. Not that she’d accept any comfort, the stubborn woman, but he needed the contact just as much as she did. The thought of anyone even wanting to hurt her made his blood boil. His wolf was growling and pacing, anxious, enraged, and wanting vengeance.
Every time Jaime cried out in pain, he moved toward her only to receive a “stay back” look from Grace. Though she was one of the kindest souls he had ever known, Grace was also a hard-ass when she needed to be. That didn’t stop him from growling at her for keeping him apart from his female, even if it was slightly irrational, considering that she was tending to Jaime’s wound.
“Dante.”
Hearing his Alpha call him, Dante froze. The Beta in him urged him to answer the summons, but he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t walk away from Jaime. A part of him knew that he was overreacting by not wanting to move from her side. That same part of him acknowledged that she would heal and be absolutely fine—no other outcome was allowed. But another part of him was raging; this was Jaime, his Jaime, and she had a hole in her fucking leg. She was bleeding and in pain, and that was absolutely unacceptable.