Page 73 of Flock Around and Find Out

That light—wherever it came from—started to dim as we walked.

Porter peered around, slowing his steps. “We should probably wait here. I don’t know how dark it will get and trying to travel without light isn’t ever a good idea.”

Galen stood near the front, stopping but not turning toward us. Just staring at him told me that he wanted to go, that he didn’t want to stop. In fact, I suspected it took all his control not to go at a full run—and I’d seen just how fast that bastard could run.

I called his name as I approached, but he didn’t move. Did he even hear me?

I reached out and touched his back with the flat of my palm, trying my hardest not to scare him, but he didn’t seem to even notice me.

Sure enough, as soon as I made contact, he jerked away and spun. Pain echoed through my wrist, and it took a moment to realize he’d swung his hand to knock me away.

His eyes were wide, the color having shifted to a bright amber, which was sonota good sign.

I tucked my hand behind me, not wanting him to see that it hurt, that anything had happened. “Hey.” I kept my voice steady, as though everything were fine despite the fact that he looked as ready to take my head as a Karen who couldn’t use her coupon. “We’re setting up camp until the light comes back.”

He blinked rapidly, as though the action could clear his head. After a long, tense moment, he nodded. “Right. Sure.”

His gait was uneven, forced as he turned to follow Ruben, trailing behind the Justice like a puppy who’d gotten in trouble. It would have been funny at any other time.

It wasn’t that funny right now, not with the throbbing of my wrist.

“Let me see.” Kelvin’s voice was dark.

“See what?”

His expression proved to be darker still. “Come on.” He turned his back and headed off in the opposite direction as the others, and I had a feeling if I refused, he’d just put me over his shoulder.

Of course, not having to walk any farther might have just been worth that. I didn’t understand people’s hatred of being carried. Seemed like a benefit, if anything.

We didn’t go far, just enough that the trees would muffle our voices and give us some privacy.

Kelvin pointed at a rock. “Sit.”

I did so, like a good little pup, and even managed to keep the smart-ass comments inside my head.

He kneeled before me and held his hand out, waiting. His grip was cool, as usual, when I put my hand in his.

He turned my hand, examining it, running his fingers along the wrist joint, moving it to see what hurt. He didn’t ask me anything, seeming to instead take his cues from my reactions—no matter how hard I tried to keep them from occurring.

Finally, he sighed. “It isn’t broken, but it’ll bruise. Why’d you hide it?”

“You saw him—he didn’t mean to.”

“So? If I dared to bruise you, you wouldn’t just let it go. You’re far more vindictive when it comes to me.”

I blew out a long breath as I stared down at where Kelvin held my wrist. “It’s not like that.”

“Isn’t it? You’ve always held me to a higher standard.”

“Or maybe you’ve just always managed to fall beneath that line of acceptable behavior time and time again?”

He held my wrist, and I realized after a moment how nice the coolness was against the throbbing. Was that why he did it?

Then again, that felt quite like Kelvin. He was rarely outright kind, rarely did things anyone would think were romantic or sweet, yet he managed to be there for me in a way that actually mattered.

Not that I trusted much else he said or did…

It got me speaking more honestly. “You’ve never been out of control,” I said. “You’ve never been out of your mind like that, so I’ve never needed to forgive you for something like that.”

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