Page 11 of The Edge of Never

“The fuck I was. Am taking care of them like ye asked. No mah fault they cannae stay on their damn feet.”

Callan shook his head.

“Am sure ye were daeing what ye dae best.”

“And that is?”

“Pushing people’s buttons.”

I growled at him before stomping away. The wee fucker was doing my head right in.

First, he partners me up with Kit, who was definitely sent into my life to irritate me. Then he gives me shite for trying to do what he asked. I wasn’t that abrasive… was I?

I cared about Kit learning the right skills, so when we attempted to summit the mountain, provided the weather held out, they’d be safe. We all needed to be safe. I wouldn’t be able to deal with another outcome. Not after what happened with Jenna. Wanting to protect everyone around me because of it wasn’t rational. Especially not people I barely knew. But I didn’t care for rationality in this respect. I would keep Kit safe. They were in my care now. I didn’t shirk my responsibilities no matter how annoyed a person made me.

With that thought, I made my way down the slope to where they stood, staring out over the landscape.

“Ye done proving a point?” I asked as I came to a stop next to them and crossed my arms over my chest.

Kit’s pretty ice blue eyes were guarded as they glanced at me.

“And what point would that be?”

“Ye can dae it withoot me.”

They snorted.

“I think almost falling over proves I can’t.” They waved their hand around. “Or maybe, just maybe, the blame should be placed at your door for, you know, antagonising me just a little bit.”

The fact they had no issues telling it like it was had me struggling to keep a straight face. I wanted to smile, but giving Kit the satisfaction of knowing they got to me wasn’t something I was willing to do.

“Am giving ye practice for every eventuality.”

They blinked behind those cute fucking round glasses and wrinkled their nose. Why did I find that endearing? They were a menace to my thoughts. I swear they were going to drive me to distraction and for reasons I disliked immensely.

“Huh, so what you’re saying is the most dangerous thing out here for me is you. Is that it?”

“Mibbe.”

The way they outright laughed at me made my skin itch.

“Oh, you’re something else. I’m inclined to agree right now since I’d rather take a tumble down the fucking mountain than spend another minute near you.”

They kept laughing.

I scowled and tore my gaze away from them. That mouth would get them in trouble one day. If you looked at Kit, you wouldn’t expect them to be the type of person who spoke their mind. Just goes to show you couldn’t judge a person by their appearance. Kit might look small and cute, but their mouth could cut you if you weren’t careful.

I didn’t care what they thought of me. Only that they got through this course accident-free. That was my priority. If it meant putting up with their sharp tongue, then so fucking be it.

“Mibbe I shouldnae have saved ye from making an eejit of yerself,” I muttered.

“Ha, as if. Overprotective boar doesn’t do you justice. Reckon you couldn’t help yourself if I was in danger.”

“Aye, and ye should be fucking grateful for it. Ye can barely stay on yer feet for five minutes withoot needing rescuing. Dae ye even have any experience in hillwalking or did ye think ye could wing it oot here? Is it any fucking wonder Callan thought ye needed a babysitter? Am daeing ye a favour by looking oot for ye, so mibbe ye should quit yer fucking complaining and accept mah help or ye’ll end up needing airlifting oot of here or worse. These mountains are dangerous for the unprepared. People die. And am here tae make sure ye’re no a part of that statistic.”

I turned my eyes back to them in time to see their gaping mouth and indignant expression. Internally, I cursed myself because Callan was right about one thing. I did push people’s buttons. Usually, they wouldn’t push right back, but Kit had been from the moment we met. And I wasn’t sure they’d let up now I’d given them a hard time over their attitude towards me.

“I have… some experience.”

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