Page 100 of Slay Ride

The bathroom door squeaks open just far enough to reveal Cat’s head. “I would actually prefer thatno onelook atanything on my body. Thanks. Can’t she just tell me how to pull it out?”

I look at Maudlin Rose. She shakes her head and grabs Grim’s hand, then does something with her finger on his palm.

“She says . . .” He looks at her for confirmation, and she repeats the motions on his hand. “She says no.”

“Why?” Cat whines.

“Don’t panic, kitten,” I say. And then I kick myself for talking sweet in front of other people, especially when Grim looks like I just ejected a horde of bees from my cock. “Oh, fuck off. You make googly eyes at Rosie all the time.”

His cheeks flush, and I try to brush back my own embarrassment. Then again, if I want Cat—if I really want her—this is something I’ll have to get used to.

“As you two can see, we are . . .” I fumble for the words, but Cat saves the day.

“We’re exploring a connection,” she says.

Rose clutches her hands beneath her chin and smiles down at Cat. It’s all very sweet, aside from the fact that Cat has a fairly large poultry appendage protruding from her ass. Well, not so much protruding as peeking, I guess.

“Can you help her or not?” I ask Rose.

The woman holds up a finger and goes to the bed. When she sees the massive wet spot, her eyebrows rise and she offers us a round of applause. Then she grips one of the pillows and pulls the white casing away. She lays that on the bed—careful to avoid the wet spots—and begins folding it until it’s a long, thin strip. Satisfied, she returns to me and Grim.

After draping the cloth over his shoulder, she motions for his hand, and he provides it. From this angle, I can see her hands more clearly. She alternates between signs, touches, and eye movements to get her point across, and he hears her, loud and clear.

Grim nods at her and turns to me. “She will blindfold me so that I do not see your mistress, and she will communicate with the patient through me. Does this satisfy you?”

No, not really. Even the thought of Grim being in the same room as Cat when she’s in a vulnerable position?—

“Yep, that works,” I say.

My clawing need to save her overrides my fierce need to possess her. Especially when I look down and see the way she’s panicking on the inside. The girl is great at hiding it, but she can’t hide it from me. Not now. And not ever again.

Once Rose secures the blindfold around Grim’s narrow head, we all file into the bathroom, careful to step over the prone patient. Cat stares at the ceiling, probably dissociating.

I kneel beside her and take her hand in mine. “Hey, I’m really sorry,” I whisper, but not low enough, apparently, because Grim’s jaw falls open.

He hurries to close it, but I saw, and his shock doesn’t surprise me. Pet names and apologies aren’t in my wheelhouse, and this isn’t a side of me most people see. Hell, I didn’t even know it was in me in this capacity. It feels kind of gross, but then I look at her and it just feels kind of . . . good.

Fuck it.

I clear my throat and brush away the little strands of hair that always seem to fall across her perfect face. “I’m sorry. This is my fault, and if you never want to fuck me again, I completely understand.”

“Can we do this after we close down the KFC joint between my fucking legs?” Cat asks.

Grim shifts on his feet. “KFC is not turkey. It is chicken.” He must feel my glare, because he raises his hands and says, “Rosie speaks these things, not me.”

I look at Rose, but she doesn’t crack a smile. She just gets on her knees in front of Cat as if she’s about to deliver a fucking baby. When Grim doesn’t sit beside her, she gives his gray slacks a light tug, and he feels around until he finds her. He plunks down a little too close to Cat’s leg, but I just grit my teeth.

Let her get some help, jackass.

“Ow, you’re squeezing me,” Cat says, and I realize she’s correct. I’m squeezing the fuck out of her hand. When did that happen?

Rose pats Cat’s knees and motions for her to spread her legs. Cat closes her eyes and pouts before doing exactly that. Rose purses her lips and blinks down at the disaster zone.

“What? Is it bad?” I ask.

She feels for Grim’s hand and relays a message.

“It is certainly notgood.” He waits as she finishes her missive. “But this is not bad.”

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