Page 86 of False God

We walk toward the car park in silence. Lili seems lost in secret thoughts, and I’m focused on pulling in plenty of clean oxygen that’s not tinged with the chemical taste of antiseptic.

Almost to my convertible, she abruptly asks, “Can I drive?”

I stare at Lili, contemplating hustling her back inside the hospital and demanding they take another look at her head.What is she thinking?“No bloody way.”

“Why not?”

Her pout would be effective under any other circumstances.

“Why not?” I repeat in disbelief. “You’re drunk, injured, in a foreign country, and?—”

“My blood alcohol content is point-oh-four. They tested it. My head is fine, and the cuts are going to hurt regardless. I know which side of the road to drive on. Please?”

Her blue eyes are pleading. Hypnotizing.

But my, “No,” is firm, and her face falls.

“Fine,” Lili snips, pulling her phone out of the pocket of my jacket. “I’ll just call a cab.”

I blow out a long, irritated breath. “Why the fuck would you do that?”

“Because I don’t want to ride in a car with you.”

That stings, but I don’t let it show. “But you want todrivea car with me in it?”

“Yes! Then, I’ll have something to focus on as a distraction. I won’t have to just sit there and think about how I missed most of my best friend’s wedding reception and how?—”

She stops talking suddenly.

“And how …” I prompt.

Her lips stay stubbornly shut.

I sigh again. “Tell me, and I’ll let you drive.”

Her eyes widen. Then, she sucks her bottom lip into her mouth, and I have to focus on reminding my dick that now’s not the time to get hard.

There’s dried blood on her dress. Black smears beneath both eyes from her makeup running. Her lipstick is gone, and strands of hair are steadily escaping the fancy twist it’s partially pulled back in.

But Lili’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, swimming in my jacket and wearing a pair of oversize flip-flops.

“I shouldn’t have asked for someone to get you, but I was just hoping to avoid coming here. I didn’t think you’dinsiston a trip to the hospital, and I definitely didn’t mean to force you to come here with me. I appreciate you driving me, but I can’t handle another silent car ride back to Carys Park with you thinking how stupid I am to have tripped and ruined your whole night.”

I stare at her for a few seconds, Lili’s cheeks turning redder the entire time.

She thinks she ruined my night. Thinks I regret coming when she asked for me, that I wish I were somewhere else right now.

She couldn’t be more wrong.

“You didn’t ruin my night. And I don’t think you’re stupid. It could have happened to anyone.”

“Could have. But it happened to me.”

I release a long breath. “My dad died in a car accident, Lili. This is the hospital they brought him to. That’s why I didn’t say much, driving here—because of shit from the past. And because I was worried about you. You didn’t force me to do anything, and I would’ve been bloody pissed if I’d found out you’d gotten hurt and no one told me. What side of the road should you drive on?”

Blue eyes blink at me, filled with shock. Sadness. Sympathy. And … a softness that makes the back of my neck itch.

There’s a very short list of people I’d show up at a hospital for—let alonethishospital—and Lili looks as surprised as I am that she’s included on that list.

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