Page 93 of Love Collided

“Fox filled me in. Said you tried to kill the man that hurt me.” He gave a weak smile as he squeezed my hand. “I was a little pissed off at first, but he said they took care of it.”

“I might have been more successful if I had my knife.”

“The one time you forget it,” he clicked his tongue before he tried to pull me closer. He glanced down and his face fell. “Why is your neck red?”

My hand flew up, covering the sore skin. “What do you mean?”

“Your neck is red. Why?”

“You said Fox filled you in,” I said.

“He told me you all showed up at Jesse’s, kicked his ass, and then they finished it. He didn’t mention you were strangled.”

“Jesse got me. Only for a second, and then Kye threw him off.”

“Hegot you? I swear if they didn’t fucking kill him, I’m going to.” He moved to the edge of the bed, looking me over more. He pulled my hands up, looking them over, before inspecting my arms, and then moving over the rest of my body. “Where else did he hurt you?”’

“Nowhere. The guys got there and nothing else happened.”

“What happened to Jesse?”

“All I know is he got kicked a few times, and then I left him in the house with the guys.”

“Good. Hopefully, they did everything I’m currently wishing I could do if they saw him hurt you.”

“He’s not in great shape because he hurtyou.” I reached up, running a finger above the stitched cut and down his bruised jaw. I tried to be gentle, but another round of anger rolled through me that Jesse ever thought he could do this.

“Oh yeah? You all protective over me now? Why’s that?”

I shrugged, trying to take a deep, calming breath. “I kind of like you hanging around, and I don’t exactly want people outside of our group to mess with you.”

“No? Only you?” he asked.

He sat up more, and swung his legs off the bed before moving me until I was pressed between his legs, his lips nearly against mine.

“Yeah, only me.”

He reached up with his good hand, running a thumb over my bottom lip, and then down my arm. His fingers moved over the spot Jesse had bruised me from grabbing my arm so hard and I jerked my arm back.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m better now.”

“Scout, you just got into a fight with your ex for me. A physical fight. You’re allowed to not be okay.”

“I might not be later, but for right now, I’m okay.”

“My little Hellcat. Avenging me as I’m laid up in a hospital bed.” His hand cupped my face. “And while I think I appreciate it, I never want you to do that again, Scout. I don’t care what is happening to me. I never want you to put yourself in harm’s way because of me ever again.”

My eyes roamed over his bruised face. Even turning shades of purple, it was easy to see how good looking he was. His hair was disheveled, and the stitches above his eye looked bad, but none of it took away from his smile.

I thought back to the night I met him and how badly I wanted to mess up his hair that night. I tried to hide my laugh as I pushed a hand through it now.

“I wasn’t joking.”

His face was hard and serious, but mine softened. “I know. I was just thinking of how perfect you kept yourself before you met me, and now here you are, probably more of a mess than you ever have been. I’m sorry he did this to you, but I will always,always, protect my friends. Especially when it’s my fault.”

“Nothing Jesse has ever done is ever your fault.”

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