Page 33 of When He Hunts

She shoved past him and grabbed for Kane. “I meant we had to help yourfriend!”The one who was bleeding everywhere.

Kane blinked at her. Then smiled. “You’re worried about me? That is sweet.”

There was a whole lot of blood streaming down his arm. “You need a hospital.”

“Nah. I can stitch myself up.”

She remembered almost fainting when the needle had first hit her skin. The vet hadn’t numbed anything. But Kane was acting like he handled needles and traumatic injuries all the time. “Who are you?” she asked him. Her hands lifted so she could apply pressure to his wound.

But he stepped back. “Kane Harte. And it really is just a flesh wound. Had injuries a million times worse, and they didn’t even slow me down.” Kane’s gaze tracked to Ronan. “You need to take your lady out of here.”

Ronan’s arm curled around her stomach as he hauled her back against him. “Working on it, but she decided to play Florence Nightingale to you.”

She shoved at his hold. “Your friend ishurt.We don’t leave hurt friends. Or at least, we shouldn’t.”I ran and left Noah. No one ever found his body. Now I’m still running.

Kane threw a set of keys at Ronan. Ronan held her with his right arm still locked around her stomach and caught the keys with his left hand.

“My ride is outside and waiting,” Kane informed Ronan. “Got clothes for you and your charge in the back. Also have an envelope in the glove box that has new identities and a destination for you two. Haul ass, and I’ll handle clean up here.”

Haul ass? “Uh, no,” she said. “We are not leaving you with a dead body. We are—Ronan!” He’d lifted her off her feet and was carrying her toward the door. “Ronan, stop! Your friend needs our help!” She heaved and twisted in his hold as her gaze remained on Kane. A Kane who seemed to be fighting a grin as he bled.

“The dead asshole on the floor hasfriends, too,” Ronan groused. But he did pause on exiting the cabin. His grip remained firm around her as her feet dangled. “Or have you forgotten about the two bozos who were with him last night? I have to get you to safety. That’s the priority. Keeping that sweet ass alive. Remember? Priority one. Now, Kane, get moving. You’re coming with us, and we’ll drop you off when its safe.”

“Nope. I’m not going anywhere. Someone has to stay behind and make sure any other gun-happy jerks get what they deserve.” He smiled. Then he bent to rifle through the dead man’s pockets. Like that was a normal thing. The body was still warm. Also really wet, uh, bloody.

Nausea rolled through her belly.

Kane plucked out a wallet and flipped it open. “Kurt Vail of Atlanta, Georgia. Shocking surprise that he’s from Atlanta, am I right?”

No, it was not shocking.

“Didn’t hear the prick arrive.” Kane tucked the wallet into his own pocket. He arched a brow at Ronan. “Did you?”

“Just heard the growl of your car. Thinking he might have come in at the same time. Would have disguised the sound of his arrival better.”

“Shit.” Now Kane truly looked pained. “You think he tailed me?”

She felt Ronan’s shrug. “Got a call from his boss earlier. The ‘Atlanta Bachelor of the Year’ wanted me to cut off one of Luna’s fingers and send it to him as proof that she was dead.”

Weird fact. Marcus had actually been the “Bachelor of the Year”—a title given by one of the high society magazines in Atlanta.

“Told the prick I was in the bayou. Should have realized he was trying to track me with the call. Call me crazy, but I don’t think Marcus intends to pay my bill.”

Her feet still dangled. “Put me down.”

Slowly, he did. But Ronan did not let her go. “Maybe he got an idea of the location from one of those damn new tracers out there.”

“Declan Flynn’s tech.” Annoyance rumbled from Kane. “And then the dead dick on the floor might have spotted me coming in. Not like there is a ton of traffic out here. Hell, Ronan, I should have seen the tail. My fuck up. Not normal at all for me.” The blood kept streaming down his arm. “I’m sorry.” Stark.

“Uh. Excuse me.” Luna cleared her throat. “You’re bleeding everywhere. Maybe apologize less and stop the blood flow more?”

“Barely a scratch.” He didn’t look at his arm. His attention was squarely on Luna and Ronan. “Before you take her out, I need to check the scene first to make sure those other two goons you mentioned aren’t lurking around.” And then he just—he rushed outside. Blew right past them. As if he wasn’t bleeding and needed medical care.

“Let me go,” Luna snapped as she heaved against Ronan yet again.

“No,” Ronan returned. And if anything, his hold tightened. And he’d made his denial against her right ear. His breath slid over the shell of her ear.

She shivered against him.

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