Page 76 of Kiss Me, Sweetheart (Something Borrowed 2)

Rylie pulled back in time to see Dustin take something from his brother, a small rectangle. On the back in black sharpie was a single word.

WHORE.

The blood chilled in her veins. “What is it?”

Dustin handed it to her, and when she turned it over, her stomach churned.

It was a photo of Dustin and Rylie in the pool last night. They were kissing, her arms locked around his shoulders. Seeing one of her most treasured, intimate moments captured and used to terrorize her brought bile up the back of her throat.

“It was tied to a brick. It’s what he used to smash the window,” Charlie said.

“He? Who?” Then it struck Rylie who Charlie meant. “You think Asher did this?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Dustin growled.

“Of course, it matters. If he did do this, then he destroyed your home because of me. This is my fault—”

His arms tightened around her. “This is not on you. The door can be replaced. We need to get you to the hospital and get your foot taken care of.”

“You’re going to want to stay to talk to the cops,” Charlie said.

Rylie’s head was spinning too fast to follow the rest of their conversation. Asher hadn’t bothered her since the flowers. She’d ignored every call, had told him that nothing he said would get them back together. There was no reason for her to follow them. To take pictures and break a window. None of it made sense.

“Hey, hey. You okay?” Dustin asked, peering into her face.

She shook her head, just before everything went dark.

* * * *

“I can’t believe I fainted,” Rylie said hours later.

Dustin grinned as he carried her up the stairs of his house. He’d held Rylie as she passed out, terrified she’d hit her head on the counter. Then he’d taken her back to the bedroom and laid her down on the bed to wait for the paramedics. He’d stayed with her, checked the cut on her foot and though it was deep, the bleeding had stopped.

Once reinforcements had shown up, Rylie had come to as the EMT was examining her wound. They’d offered to drive her to the hospital to get her stitches, but she’d balked at the expense of an ambulance ride. He’d offered to pay and of course, that had only earned him a scowl.

He’d driven her to Marshal Hospital in Placerville, and after several hours of waiting, and a lot of hand squeezing, they’d headed back here. Dustin was shocked she hadn’t passed out again after they’d given her a pain med in her IV. She’d been loopy but awake the whole drive.

“I was impressed with your constitution. I almost lost it when they were sewing up your foot.”

“I was just glad I couldn’t feel or see it.” She laid her cheek against his shoulder with a sigh. “These pain meds they’ve got me on are magic.”

Dustin set her down on his bed and pulled the covers back so she could get in. She turned on her side, and he was able to get the blankets over her without hurting her foot.

Tucking the comforter under her chin, he said, “When the pharmacy opens, I’ll grab your pain meds and antibiotics, but the doctor said you should be good until then.”

“Mmmhmmm.”

Dustin’s hand brushed over the tear stains on her cheek and he was so glad she hadn’t cried for long.

“Hey,” Charlie called from the doorway. “How’s the patient?”

Dustin stood up and faced his brother. “She’s a little loopy right now, but no surgery was needed. Just pain meds, antibiotics, and lots of rest.”

“I can sing though, right?” she mumbled.

“All you want.” Dustin snorted. “Apparently, they gave her the good stuff.”

“Lucky girl.” Charlie shot Dustin a meaningful look. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

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