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Strands of hair had come loose around her ears, and her bangs had been freed. The headbutt bruise was already lightening. Her brows were well-groomed and looked even better when they weren’t furrowed in defensiveness. And her lips? Damn, I wanted to kiss them, the way they were parted just slightly, soft, even if the lower one was still split. It looked a hell of a lot better. Kissable.
Just as I reached to brush a stray hair off her cheek with a knuckle, my phone buzzed in my back pocket.
Caroline immediately stirred. “Who’s calling this early, like you’re so damn important?”
I snorted softly. “Go back to sleep. I’ll talk outside.”
“No. Stay.” One hand grabbed my shirt while the other rubbed at her eyes, blinking at the sunlight. It made a hazy glow around her blonde hair like a halo. “It’s fine. I’m up.”
The buzzing was insistent. I looked at the screen, annoyed. It was Grant.
I answered and put the phone to my ear. “Toke. What’s up?”
“Not much,” he said from the end of the line. “Your voice is all scratchy. Did you smoke a few packs last night or what?”
“No, I’m just waking up, dildo.”
Caroline sat up, stretching luxuriously, arms above her head. My eyes wandered. If she noticed, she didn’t berate me.
“Can I hear sheets rustling in the background?” Grant asked. Then he whistled. “You dirty dog. Tell me you didn’t.”
Caroline must have heard Grant’s banter because she shot me a reproachful glare.
“I didn’t sleep with Caroline,” I said defensively.
Grant clearly didn’t believe me. “Hey, Gabe! Knox fucked Caroline Bates.”
I bolted from the bed to the other side of the trailer. “Keep your fucking voice down,” I snarled, glancing at Caroline. If she heard, she didn’t show it. She just tugged the rubber band out of her hair, wincing when it threatened to yank her whole head off, to fix all the strays.
Grant just laughed at my expense. “Panties in a bunch? If you’re still wearing ‘em. Definitely sounds like you’ve been a bad boy. Fuck. If Jackson ever found out you?—”
“I didn’t,” I growled. “Besides, she’s leaving town tomorrow. I have a plan to get her out without anyone knowing. She’ll have two thousand miles between her and Bates by tomorrow night.”
“And we’ll put this whole thing behind us before Black Jack finds out.”
I didn’t hesitate to answer, “Yeah,” but mentally, I hesitated big time. I met Caroline’s gaze. She was sitting cross-legged on the bed. Either she was waiting for me to come back and join her, or waiting for me to move so she could escape the trailer.
“Damn, must’ve been a good fuck in order to buy her that kind of Uber.” Gabriel snickered, closer to the speaker, clearly in on the conversation now.
“Are you on speakerphone, you dicks?” I asked Grant sharply.
“Nah,” said Gabriel, “I just have super hearing. So, was she a?—”
“I’m hanging up.”
“No!” Grant damn near yelled. “Hold on. Sorry. Get out of here, Gabe.” I heard some pushing and shoving, and a few laughs. “He’s gone, Knox. I called to make sure she didn’t gut you while you slept.”
I smirked at Caroline. She gave me a suspicious look. “No need to worry about that, Toke. She’s got claws, but she’s a tame Wolverine once she sheathes ‘em.”
Caroline purposefully inspected her still-perfect nails. It warmed my trauma-scarred heart to see her playing along.
“Just keep you and Joker’s blabbermouths shut for the day, and I’ll tell Jackson everything once Caroline is at least a couple of states away. Okay?”
“Okay,” Grant agreed, but there was a note of doubt in his voice. “I haven’t heard anything from him today, but he’ll expect all of us to show up at the Well tonight as usual. You better show up, ‘cause I don’t have an excuse not to dredge up suspicion.”
“I know, I know. It’ll work out.”
“It better, Knox,” Grant said darkly. “Your loyalty is to the Devil’s Luck, not a wayward Wolverine princess.”