Page 16 of No Broken Promises

I close my eyes, just for a second, and hear Artie trying to talk the other woman into leaving.

“Let me walk you out,” he says gently. “You can eat across the street at The Trolley.”

She doesn't want to go, but Artie has a way of handling people and making them do what he wants. He must have left with her because I don’t hear him say anything else.

When I feel Violet probe at the back of my head, I wince. “Don’t do that. My head hurts.”

“I imagine it does,” Violet whispers close to my ear. “That bitch shoved you over when you were trying to walk by her.”

“Gonna ’av ta file report,” I start to slur, and the throbbing ache in my head turns into a full-blown migraine.

With a yawn, I decide now is as good a time as any to take a nap. At least I think it is until Violet grabs my cheeks with one hand and squeezes.

“Nope. No sleeping. You’re bleeding from your head and showing clear signs of a concussion.”

“Fuck,” I groan. “It hurts.”

“Ambulance is on the way.” Violet sniffs, feigning indifference. “You’re just gonna have to deal with it.”

I open one of my eyes to make sure I give her the evil eye with sufficient enough poison. “I’ll get revenge.”

She smiles impishly at my side and shrugs. “Yeah, but you’ll be alive.”

“I guess,” I mutter. “Will you make sure that Nox gets off the bus okay? You can call Emma or Rose to come get him.”

“That’s okay,” Kennedy Townsend, one of my best friends, says as she pops up out of nowhere. “Not nowhere.” She laughs as I realize that I must have said what I was thinking. “I was eating lunch with Mom when I saw the crazy lady try to kill you. If Vi hadn’t stepped in, I would have.”

Damn, I really hadn’t been paying attention to where I was going during my escape from the uncomfortable conversation with Artie.

“Thank you.” I blink at Kennedy, trying to figure out why I am thanking her. “Oh, Nox.” How can I forget my son?

The sharp pain coming from the back of my head gives me my answer, and I groan against the onslaught. I really want to go home and snuggle with my blanket.

“What the fuck happened to her? Is she okay?”

I turn around to see Remy standing in his uniform, tattoos snaking down his arm from under the sleeve and a familiar-looking bracelet on his wrist, standing out against his tan skin. I really must have gotten hurt, because the image of Remy naked in my bed just flashes through my mind like it belongs there. Staring at me with his stupid and beautiful eyes and the beard rubbing against my thighs.

Damn. I wonder what he tastes like.

My face flames, and I freeze as I realize I said it out loud.

“Definitely a concussion,” Violet murmurs at my side. “Don’t worry, he couldn’t hear you.”

Either I am hallucinating on top of the concussion, or the look Remy shoots in my direction says that he had. For a second, I swear it looks like he doesn’t hate me.

Just a second, though, and then the asshole I’ve come to know since high school pops back up. “She probably deserved it.” There are several gasps around us as the women present take offense to his poor excuse for a joke, but I know Remy.

Yep. Still an asshole.

7

REMY

Daisy pushes her way into the hospital room the nurse points me in the direction of, growling under her breath before I can even open the door all the way.

“Hold, Daisy.” She immediately sits back on her haunches and waits, but the irate look in her eyes makes it very clear she is not pleased with me.

Yeah, my pillow is definitely gonna end up her chew toy again. There isn’t much I can do about it, either.

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