Page 65 of Bonded

“What the fuck actually happened here?” His jaw drops, and he swallows. “Did you two bond?” He frowns, taking a deep breath. “Holy fuck… You did it! Shit! Okay, okay, I um…” he gasps as the enormity of what happened sinks in. Now he understands why Digby’s being so irrationally defensive, and he intervenes. “Diggs, you need to calm the fuck down, man. As she said, it’s just a misunderstandin’. C’mon man, just come with me.”

“Ryan, please listen to him.” Kat pleads. “Ryan… Ryan, look at me. Baby come on, just calm down. This is not Riley’s fault; he’s just trying to help.”

“Help? What by maulin’ his paws all over you? Yeah really, that’s not fuckin’ helpin’”

“Okay, you’re right. But that was on me. That was my fault, not his. You need to calm down and we all need to get a grip on this. Please just stop.” She makes a low growl in the back of her throat and Luna stares at him. As she does, he calms and lowers his head—his eyes look away as he submits to her command.

“Sorry…” he sighs. “I never meant to do this, any of it. Fuck! I’m so sorry.” He rubs at his head and walking away—he paces the room.

“C’mon it’s okay. It’s fine.” She wraps her arms around him, holding him. “This has been a little too much excitement, for everyone.” Taking a deep breath, his scent overwhelms her nostrils. Then, suddenly aware of her lack of clothes, she smiles, “I think I need to go clean up and maybe put some clothes on.”

“Yeah, sorry.” He pulls his hand through his hair, taking deep breaths.

Zak places a hand on his shoulder, “Let’s take a walk, get some fresh air. How about we go home and then I’ll send QT back to pick Kat up?”

“Yeah, that sounds a good idea. I’ll be fine.” she smiles, wrapping the blanket around herself. “We just need to finish up here, by that time QT can be back to take me home.”

“Zak’s right… Go home!” The loud voice in the doorway makes them all lookup. “But first… someone wants to tell me what the fuck is going on?”

“Darius man, I… Hey, how the hell did you know we were here?” Digby frowns.

“Oz called. Told me Zak had left for the hospital because you two screw-ups were here. What the hell were you thinking, bringing her here? You know Digby, this fuck-up is impressive even for you.”

“What the hell?! Look, I don’t know… hell, it just all just happened so fast and at the moment… well, there was blood everywhere and I panicked. I thought she was gonna fuckin’ die. Shit!” Digby gasps. Apprehensively pacing the room, his hand constantly pulling at his hair, he turns to face Darius. “I couldn’t think straight so when she said we should come here; well, I just did. But I can see now how that was a pretty dumb idea.”

“Yeah, too right it was. That’s your problem, Digby, you never think about the consequences. Guess that’s why I’m in charge and not you. Now, I have to cover for your fuck-up again.”

“No… no, don’t you fuckin’ dare! You think you’re so fuckin’ clever, don’t you? Just remember, you’re not Mr. Fuckin-perfect and we all know it. At least I was here for her when she needed me, not like you… You were—” He closes his eyes and bites his tongue. “Shit! Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that—I take it back. Darius, I didn’t mean to say that man, I was just angry. I’m sorry. It’s been a shit day and… Fuck!”

“You know what Zak, get him the fuck out of my sight before I kill him. I swear to God Digby, one of these days, you will push your bullshit too far. Zak, I said get him out! And don’t bother calling QT—I’ll drive her back.”

The hiss in Darius’s voice scares even Zak and he quickly gathers up Digby. Handing him a tee-shirt, he pushes him towards the door and leaves the bag of clothes for Kat on the chair. “Diggs man, c’mon let’s get you outta here.”

“Zak…” Darius calls him back, “you take him straight home. No stop-offs at the bar for some bullshit celebration. Do you understand me?”

“Yeah, yeah, sure. Don’t worry we won’t.”

“No, you won’t. Now get gone.”

As they leave Darius calms himself, closing his eyes taking a deep breath while Kat helps Riley to his feet. “What the hell was that about?” she asks.

“Nothing.” Darius sighs. “So… you’re Riley?”

“Mm-hm… yes, I am. And you are?”

“Darius… Jackson. I’m Kat’s team leader. Is she going to be all right?”

“Uh, yeah, I just… I just need to get an antibiotic shot and finish cleaning up. But then she should be good to go. Though um…” His lip quivers and he can feel his hands shaking from the surge in adrenaline. “For what it’s worth, I told her she should report this?”

Darius frowns and turning around, he opens his eyes and glares at Riley. “Report this to whom exactly?”

Riley gasps, slightly afraid, as the purple of Darius’ eyes stare intently at him. “Uh… oh um…” he gasps. “Alexandra Genesis,” he whispers under his breath, “uh… oh, no, I won’t tell anyone. I just… I mean what he did…” Riley gulps nervously, unable to stop staring at Darius’s eyes—hypnotized by them. “God, they really are purple. Do you know I’ve never really seen them for real, some people say they’re a trick of the light but…”

Kat sniggers, a smile fills her face, and she has to bite her lip to stifle a full-blown laugh. Considering how angry Darius is right now—for reasons even she’s not clear on, the only thing Riley can focus on is his purple eyes. It makes her laugh and as Darius turns looking at her, she shrugs.

She immediately regrets doing it as pain shoots up her neck and into her shoulder. “Urggghh… fuck! I so shouldn’t have done that.”

“You okay?” Darius frowns, turning to Riley. “Is she all right?”

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