Page 28 of Rami

“I helped her and stayed in my underwear the whole time.” He let go of his friend and tapped his own temple. “You need to get your head examined. Not sure what kind of asshole you think I am.” He strode back to the bathroom and knocked.

“Come in,” Ivy called, her voice shaky.

He entered and untwisted the cap. A little bit of color had returned to her cheeks.

She dipped her chin and clutched the material around her body. “Thank you.” She accepted the bottle.

“Clothes and toothbrush are here,” he said, nodding at the bags on the floor. “Call me if you need a hand.” His voice was sharp. He still wanted to put August’s head through the wall.

Uncertain eyes drifted up to his full height. “You’re angry.”

He tunneled his hand through his hair and summoned a calm he didn’t feel. Yeah, he had every right to be pissed at August—but maybe not this pissed. “Sorry, it has nothing to do with you.”

It had everything to do with her but not in the sense she thought.

“All right.”

“I’ll check on you in a few.” He left the bathroom and stormed to the foot of the bed, where he’d left his backpack.

August sat in the chair, fingers laced together. “Sorry man,” he said. “I just—I know how you are with women and—”

“Stop right there,” Rami commanded. He pulled clean clothes from his bag and dropped them to the bed. His temples throbbed. After the high of adrenaline and the crash of watching Ivy fight for her life, he was in no state to keep his temper in check. Sleep was the best option, but once again, the idea of leaving her side made his chest lurch. “Don’t even act like you’ve got a stable track record with women,” he whispered. “And obviously something went down between you and Gigi—chick wouldn’t even look at you.”

August made an annoyed sound from the back of his throat. “Just be respectful. She’s been through a lot.”

“Which is why I stayed in the shower with her. Poor thing needed to get clean and could barely stand—can you imagine what that feels like? How dirty she was? Christ, have some sense.” He whipped off his towel and kicked off his briefs not caring if August got an eyeful. He’d gladly emasculate the jerk right now.

“So no. I didn’t touch her,” Rami continued. “Not that I need to justify myself to you.” His voice rose dangerously close to a normal level.

“Fine.” August held up a hand. The tension in the room abated.

Rami stepped into dry briefs and jogging pants then pulled on a white T-shirt. “She seems to trust me,” he conceded. “So from here on out I’ll stay close to her. If you’ve got a problem with that, get on a plane and go home.”

CHAPTER 9

Ivy sat on the bathroom floor. The cotton jogging pants and long-sleeved shirt felt as smooth as butter on her abused skin. She jiggled the toothbrush around her teeth and foam filled her mouth, threatening to induce another puking episode. But it felt too good to stop. Her breath probably smelled like a corpse’s.

So embarrassing.

At least after she got home, she’d never have to see Rami’s handsome, invasive face again. Surely her rescue would fade from his memory and he’d forget showering with her and holding back her hair while she puked.

A gentle knock sounded on the door.

“How are you making out?”

She rose to shaky feet, hanging on to the counter for support, and spit a mouthful of toothpaste into the sink. “Almost done.” She wouldn’t admit she’d been brushing her teeth for five solid minutes. Glancing in the mirror, she felt her stomach twist. She’d avoided looking at herself until now.

The person staring back at her was a complete stranger. Her eyes were sunken and her face pale and gaunt. The skin around her left eye was a deep purple. She lifted her fingers to touch the spot and winced as pain spread across her brow and cheekbone.

She knew that as the weeks and months went on, she’d get her physical appearance back, but there was no way she’d ever be the same again. The familiar rush of self-pity tightened her throat.

She pressed her dry, cracked lips together to hold back the tears. A wave of homesickness washed over her. Looking at her reflection reminded her of Gigi. She turned to the door and smothered a wave of sadness. Now that she was somewhat more awake and aware, she needed to call her sister. She popped open the bathroom door and walked into Rami’s hulking chest.

“Oof.” She staggered back an inch and he caught her wrist. He’d put on clothes since he left the bathroom—thank god. Now her eyes could focus on his face instead of all the hardened muscle that stacked his frame. Like, did rescuers need that much mass?

Instantly his eyes swept over her, examining. His deep, pacific blue irises were ringed with yellow. The most interesting, brightest combination she’d ever seen. “What’s wrong?”

That was a loaded question. Everything was wrong, but she also wasn’t going to admit that she was hovering on a mental breakdown and she’d been caught up in his soul-sucking eyes. “Nothing. I’d like to call my sister, if you don’t mind.”

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