Page 58 of Can't Be Love

All they could find was some antibacterial hand gel. It was cold as they squirted it, coating my arms. It burned from the abrasions the bars caused, but it gave a little, then evaporated much too quickly.

The next round they lubed me up, and Samson tried pulling me from behind. I cried out in pain, causing Thomas to growl at him. Patrick decided that was a perfect moment to snap a picture on his cell phone and send it off to Kyle.

“What? Kyle asked me to send a pic as proof you were safe and sound.”

“You’ll pay for that, Patrick,” I threatened.

“Slugger, I know it’s going to hurt, but I really need you to pull your arms through this time,” Thomas said. I could feel his wolf close to the surface. He was going to lose it if I didn’t get free soon.

“Okay, let’s do this,” I said. As soon as my arms were coated once again, I pulled back with all my might. I heard my elbow pop as pain shot up through my left shoulder, but I kept pulling until they both popped free. I looked down and saw the ugly red marks left behind.

Thomas crushed me to him, pulling me down from the chair. I whimpered against him, just before his mouth crushed down against mine. Feeling his wolf begin to calm, I pulled back from him. The edges of my vision were beginning to darken.

“Thomas,” I gasped. “My elbow.”

He carefully examined it, quickly realizing what I was telling him.

“Patrick, I need your help. Please hold Lily tightly, her elbow is dislocated and needs to be set,” he said.

“Why don’t you let me do that?” Patrick offered.

“No, she’s in pain, and my wolf is far too worked up right now. I’ll likely rip the head off anyone who hurts her. It has to be me.”

I shivered at the thought, closed my eyes, and braced back against Patrick as he held me. Thomas straightened my arm and pulled. I didn’t scream, but I wasn’t sure how I’d managed not to. There was an awkward pop again and the pain almost instantly subsided. I opened my eyes, feeling Patrick’s arms relax, and I launched myself onto Thomas.

Having him back in my arms righted my whole world. My wolf growled possessively, and I nibbled at his neck. We were ready to complete our bond, and if my wolf had her way we’d be doing it right then and there.

Patrick’s phone rang and broke the moment. I pulled back a little, my cheeks flushed. I didn’t let go of Thomas, keeping one arm around him and resting my head on his shoulder.

“It’s Chase,” Patrick said. “Sorry Lil, looks like Kyle sent that picture to the whole fecking family.”

“Put me on speaker,” I heard Chase say. With enhanced wolf hearing, he really didn’t need to.

“Lily? Lily, are you okay?” he asked once on speaker mode.

“I’m here, Chase. I’m fine.”

“Aw, don’t be too hard on them. I’m glad you’re safe. I didn’t know any of that was going on, so I’m little angry at them both right now for not telling me you were missing.”

“It wasn’t even twenty-four hours, and there’s nothing you really could have done. One of the guys here helped me. They sent me a note with my breakfast letting me know Patrick was coming with help.”

“They did?” he said excitedly. “What did you do with it? Did the bad guys find it? Please tell me you ate it. Please, please, tell me you disposed of all the evidence.”

Thomas watched, fascinated, as I blushed furiously. I was willing to bet that even my hair looked a shade pinker.

“Yes, I ate it with a banana. I couldn’t let it fall into their hands, and I didn’t know who to trust,” I blurted out as the several remaining people snickered around me.

“And that pic Kyle sent? You were trying to pick the lock, weren’t you?”

“I’m going to kill Patrick, then Kyle, for sending that.”

“Are you kidding? That’s awesome. A few more minutes and you’d have had that lock picked, I’m sure of it. Just like . . .”

I cut him off. “Don’t ever mention that movie to me again! We should sue them for false advertising or something. That shit does not work.”

“We’ll practice when I’m home for Christmas, just in case you ever need it again,” he offered.

“Chase, it’s never happening! Plus, I imagine I’ll be in Collier for Christmas anyway. Maybe you and Jenna could come visit for a few days on your break.”

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