Rounding the bed, Crow grabbed his arm, but Rebel was ready, he lifted his knee hard, but Crow deflected it. It bounced off the fucker’s rock-hard thigh. Rebel went for blood with his teeth. He’d bitten into a man’s neck before to keep the guy from killing him.
Crow grabbed him around the throat and kept his teeth away from his skin.
“If you don’t want me to gag you, then settle down.”
“Fuck you! Why the fuck am I here?” Rebel spat.
“You’re here because some people want to give you a chance.”
The man’s growl was low and lethal sounding and as much as Rebel wanted to spit in the guy’s face, the low rumble punched a knot of fear into his stomach.
That had to be a lie.
Nobody ever wanted to give him a chance.
Crow felt the fight go out of Rebel and released his grip on the younger man’s throat.
The red on his neck where his hand had gripped him stood out starkly and Crow grimaced.
The man stunk, literally. He had packed smaller-sized clothing before leaving Nevada and went to his pack to pull out the pair of black sweats along with a gray t-shirt, new socks, and a pair of briefs.
Rebel stared at him and then the clothes in his hands.
“If you promise not to act like a wild animal, I’ll release you and you can shower and change into clean clothes.”
Crow could see the hesitation in Rebel’s eyes and knew he was going to be told to fuck off in a second, but he cut in.
“I’ll order food if you behave.”
Rebel’s eyes flew wide and the curse words died on his lips.
Crow wanted to smirk, but now was not the time. He gave a hard stare at Rebel and waited.
With a slow nod and a wave of his free hand, Rebel looked away and held up his bloody wrist with the zip cuff.
Crow took out a pair of nail clippers and Rebel scowled.
Now, Crow smirked and clipped at the one around the headboard. “You seriously think I’m going to use a knife you’ll try to take from me?”
“Asshole,” Rebel hissed, but when the first zip-tie broke away, Rebel didn’t strike out at him. Instead, the young man held out his wrist with the zip-tie still around.
Crow stood up from the bed and shook his head. “I’m not removing that one.”
Rebel glared.
Crow gave the kid a dead stare and pointed to the bundle of clothes on the bed. “You have ten minutes. If you’re not out by then, I’ll come in and get you.”
He wasn’t worried about the kid escaping, there wasn’t a window in there. What he was worried about was Rebel locking himself in there and harming himself.
“Like I said, asshole,” Rebel snarled.
Crow pointed to his wristwatch. “Time’s ticking.”
Rebel marched into the bathroom, slammed the door, and then turned the lock with a loud click.
Crow snorted on a half laugh and pulled up the app on his phone to order food.
Perhaps burgers and fries would be the way to calm Rebel down.