Page 32 of Toxic

“No shit?” Grandpa asked. “Where?”

“My best friend’s old lady has a pet bobcat.”

I seethed in the backseat as they spoke about a bobcat named Miss Murder Mittens. I didn’t speak even though I was dying to ask if I could meet her. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

Managing to stick to my guns, I remained quiet the rest of the drive home. Toxic asked Gramps about what he’d seen the day of the attack, but unfortunately, nothing new had come to him while he’d lain in the hospital. He still didn’t know the men who’d nearly killed him.

As soon as Toxic pulled to a stop in front of the house, I was out and hovering as Gramps got out. He didn’t complain this time. He secretly loved the attention. I could see the exhaustion on his face, which was still mottled with bruises.

Guilt spread through me every time I saw the bruises and cuts on his face and arms. I should have been there to help him. It didn’t take me long to get him settled into his bed. “I’ll come back and wake you when it’s time for your pain meds,” I told him, bending to kiss him on his forehead.

“I like your fella.”

“Gramps,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “He’snotmy fella.”

“Like him anyway,” he said, closing his eyes.

I backed out of the room and shut the door. I found Toxic in the kitchen. We always used the kitchen door to go in and out of the house and he’d picked up the habit as well. “Thought you’d be out feeding the animals,” I said when I saw him. The words came out a bit waspish and I winced. “Sorry. Thank you,” I said, giving him a grateful look, “for picking us up.”

“No problem.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, eyeing me.

“What?” I asked. It may or may not have been more snapped at him than asked, but I was giving myself grace here.

“You’re in a mood today.”

I sucked in a breath of disbelief. “A…mood?” I asked through gritted teeth. “What doesthatmean?”

He tried to bite back the smile, but it wasn’t working. His lips were still twitching upward, making me want to hit him. “You get any sleep last night? Maybe you should go lay down for a nap.”

“I don’t need anap, Toxic. I’m a grown woman, not a toddler.”

His eyes tracked down my body, making me prickle even more at the audacity. “I can see that, Lightning.”

“Lightning?” I asked, completely confused. “What-”

He walked over and tugged on a thick strand of my hair. “Better go feed the animals, or they’re going to be just as grumpy as you.” He walked out the door.

I stood there, mouth open in complete shock. He may have helped take care of me while I was sick, but that didn’t mean he was going to keep getting to boss me around. And hedidn’tget to call me grumpy. I glared at the door. I was going to set the man straight right now. There were rules on Cholla Summit Ranch and he was going to learn them.

CHAPTER 12

Toxic

Igrinned as I heard the door slam shut behind me, but I kept walking. “Incoming,” I muttered as I passed Butcher. The other guys were just getting out of the cage rides. Butcher had stayed here last night so that I could get some of my shit from my room at the clubhouse. I’d be staying here until everything was settled.

“Huh?” Butcher asked. Then his eyes strayed to the angry woman stomping after me and the confusion on his face cleared right up. “I forgot something in the truck,” he said with a devious smile.

“Coward,” I told him.

“Notmywoman. I don’t need to be yelled at again this morning.”

“Again?” I asked, but the storm cloud following me had caught up. I turned and smiled at the pissed off woman standing there with her hands on her hips. “Hi, Buttercup.”

“Rule one,” she snapped. “No more nicknames.”

My brows shot up. I knew she was pissed as hell, though I wasn’t exactly sure why. This was a far cry from the woman who’d been so docile in my arms over the last few days. That wasn’t a problem for me. I enjoyed my women feisty. “Want to tell me what’s wrong?”

“Oh,” she said, gearing up for a rant. I could see it coming. “I’ll tell you what’s wrong.”

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