Page 95 of The Trust We Broke
Butcher unwinds the first strip of T-shirt, Grudge the second.
“And he was nailed in the back of the head,” I say.
“Spin,” Greer says, and Grudge does as he’s instructed. She parts his hair and peers at his wound, for a minute.
“You,” she says finally to Grudge. “Yours are worse. Come up here.”
Grudge shakes his head. “Not treating me until you’ve treated Lucy.”
“Zach,” I snap. “Get up here.”
He shakes his head again. “Not happening, Luce. Sooner you get stitched, the sooner Greer can move on to me.”
“No. This isn’t the time or the place for misplaced gallantry.”
“Bug,” he says, an eyebrow raised. “Get the stitches before I hold you down on that goddamn bed and do it myself.”
Greer gestures to the bed. “Let’s get you done, first, Lucy. Knowing these men, there’s no way they’re going to budge until their women are taken care of.”
I shake my head and jump up onto the medical bed. “They’d rather die, first.”
Greer chuckles. “It’s why women live longer—we wouldn’t make such rookie mistakes.”
“I can hear you, you know,” Grudge says.
“That was the point,” Greer says loudly.
I close my eyes while Greer works her magic. It’s uncomfortable. The pinching and pulling. The local anesthetic helps. But the ambulance rocks, and a large hand takes mine. “You’re doing great, Bug.”
“Bug?” Greer asks.
I smile. “Love Bug. That’s what he used to call me. I guess I was clingier when I was younger.”
Grudge squeezes my hand tightly. “Hey. It was nothing to do with being clingy, and you know it.”
“What happened?”
I know something’s wrong.
Grudge takes my hand and tugs me down onto the sofa next to him. “My mom. She’s struggling with Dad inside, I know she is.”
“Struggling in what way?”
Grudge sighs. “Every way. She misses him in her life. And I think money is tight, now that she’s only getting her income plus a stipend from the club.”
“That sucks. How can we help her?”
Grudge cups my cheeks. “We?”
“You and me. I get an allowance that’s more than I need. I can give you some to help her out.”
“You’d do that for me? For her?”
I nod. “Of course.”
He tugs his lips to mine and kisses me in a way that makes me shiver. “I hate that your parents don’t see how good you are.”
“Meh. They see how unambitious I am. But I’m here for you. And your mom. And whatever she needs.”
