Page 45 of Knot For Keeps

Rummaging through, I was happy to find it quite well stocked. I grabbed some rubbing alcohol, doused a cotton ball, and dabbed the wound clean. Kane didn’t even flinch even though it must have stung. The last time I’d done the same to a scraped knee it had hurt so badly I had teared up.

Once it was clean and the bleeding significantly less I located some butterfly bandages and gently placed them, keeping the gash closed so it could heal a bit easier. Happy the wound was cared for, I then turned my cotton ball of rubbing alcohol to the blood stain running down Kane’s face, taking my time to clean it away gently, ensuring there were no more traces of blood. It took several cotton balls to clean it, but I worked slowly and methodically.

I didn’t mind cleaning up blood and I was practical and precise with it—I would have made an excellent serial killer.

“All better.” I gave him a small smile, stepping back. Kane’s hand snaked around my hip, keeping me close. I leaned into the touch, relishing in the leathery smell for a second. Who knew when Lane would be this nice to me again? I enjoyed it, probably a little too much.

Not the time to get horny, Lavender.

“Thank you,” he said, looking up at me.

“You’re welcome,” I replied softly, heat rising in my face.

“So why did you guys get beaten up today?”

“We were found trying to track something down we shouldn’t know about,” Kane answered, exhaustion heavy in every word.

“Are you safe now?”

“Yeah, no one’s left who knows what happened.”

I was confused for a moment, then realised he probably meant that those who found them were nowdeadand no longer an issue.

“I’m not judging, I'm just curious. You guys have so much to lose. I don’t like seeing you hurt.”

“You’re too kind, you know that?” Kane asked.

“I clubbed Theo with a lamp the day I met him,” I reminded him.

Theo laughed from the counter where he was cleaning first aid supplies. “I still have the scars to prove it.”

“It wasn’t hard enough to scar!” I gasped. “Was it?”

Theo’s joyful laugh told me that he was just joking with me.

“Asshole,” I mumbled under my breath, making Kane smile up at me. It was a beautiful sight, one I wasn’t used to seeing. Despite the scratches and bruises he was beautiful. His green eyes were bloodshot and he had bruising clearly visible under his buzzed hair.

“I may be an asshole, but you like me anyway!” Theo smirked. “Would you go take some of these ice packs up to Gage while I start dinner? He always forgets to ice his injuries and gets stiff the next day. I would take them, but he’ll just shout at me. I doubt he’ll be anywhere near as grumpy with you.”

“Sure,” I nodded, holding my hand out for the ice packs. Theo wrapped them in a tea towel before handing them over.

“Good luck,” Kane chuckled as I headed towards the stairs.

ChapterTwenty-Four

Gage

Everything had gone to shit. We went to buy an omega, and yet somehow we were jumped and had a lot of the shit on us stolen. My ribs screamed in pain from the kicks, but we had all got out intact, and that’s what mattered.

A soft knock on my door disturbed me from inspecting my bruised knuckles while sitting on the edge of my bed.

“What?” I answered gruffly, thinking it was Theo coming to mother hen me. Taking that as an invitation to enter, Lavender let herself in. Her brow furrowed when she looked over my injuries again. Was she worried? She had no reason to worry about us, yet it was clear as day she was worming her way deeper into our lives.

But her worry warmed me. Part of me wanted her concern, her care. Someone to confide in, to care for me like I had to care for the pack as its leader. LAvender was both soft and comforting and strong, she could handle a pack like ours who had rougher edges.

“Theo asked me to bring you some ice packs, he says you always forget to ice your injuries.”

I barked a humourless laugh. “He’s right, I usually just grin and bear it.”

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