Page 104 of Pit Stop

Skye blinks at me, processing it. “But you blocked me. I couldn’t contact you.”

That pulls a growl out of me. “I didn’t fucking block you. You blocked me.”

His eyes widen, and a tear trickles down his cheek. He doesn’t even swipe it away, just lets it disappear into his neck.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you blocked me. I tried to call you, text you, and it didn’t go through. I wanted to check in.”

“Same,” he breathes. “Oh gods. I didn’t block you. I swear it.”

“Shit. And I didn’t either.”

He sniffles and his lips curl up in relief before falling once more. “But who did that to us?”

“I don’t fucking know. Anyone could have. We weren’t watching our phones when we were at the shifters’ place. They could have done it to fuck with us. Ten and Jex seemed like the kind of assholes who’d do that for fun.”

“Or it could have been Forest,” Skye adds, but I shut him down.

“He wouldn’t do that.”

“We don’t know that. He could have.”

“He has no reason to hurt us. No fucking reason.”

Skye shrinks back and nods, turning his gaze to the wall.

“Fuck. Skye. You’re unwell,” I finally say, and he nods.

“I ache. Everything hurts. It hurts to breathe.”

“Me too.” I shift closer to him and reach out, touching his hand. He winces slightly, but his fingers still tighten around mine.

“You look fine,” he replies, his gaze moving to me, roving across me almost hungrily. Fuck, that stare. The way he looks like he wants to devour me.

My cock stirs for the first time since we broke the bond. I haven’t been able to get hard, haven’t even wanted to. Everything reminded me too much of him. Of what we had, whatIhad, and what I lost.

“I’m not fine,” I finally say. “I don’t feel like it, anyway.”

He wets his lips again, and I squeeze his hand, wanting to lean forward and rub my face against his neck, but before I can, the doctor comes in, interrupting us.

“Well, well, seems we have a broken shoulder, yeah? Gotta get that set for ya before things get worse. Let’s get an X-ray to see what I’m working with.”

It’s a quick procedure. When the X-ray is done being processed, the doctor shows us the break and how he’ll fix it. And then with a twist of his wrist and a shocking snap, Skye’s arm is set and wrapped in a sling.

It was a lot less dramatic than I thought it would be.

“Now, you need someone to watch after you for the next few hours. If any numbness is present, come back in immediately,” the doctor says.

Skye nods, and so do I, and then I’m helping him off the table, my arm snaking around his waist, pulling him into my side.

“And the nurse said something about toxic unbonding. I suggest you two spend time together to help the body process it. It needs time. A recovery of sorts.”

Skye nods and leans into me, letting me guide him out of the emergency room and into Rob’s waiting arms.

“You okay?” Rob asks, glowering at me over Skye’s shoulder. “I can’t believe they didn’t let me go back there with you. I might not be your mate, but I’m your best friend.”

“I know, but I’m fine,” Skye says and then turns to look at me, almost shyly. “I can go home now.”