Page 42 of Shots Fired

All I want to do is pull her into my arms and ask what she needs. That’s not how this girl works though.

“You c-called m …” She heaves in a deep breath.

I’m unable to stop myself as I wrap my arms around her small frame, smoothing a hand down the back of her head. “Takea second, Doll.” I close my eyes. She smells insanely good, even when she’s sick. “Don’t get worked up. You’ve got an infection.”

A few more beats, and the coughing fit subsides. She looks up at me, blue eyes still big and gorgeous, even with a dull sheen to them.

Fuck me. She’s not doing well.

“Do you need to see a doctor?”

She shakes her head slowly. “I’ve already been, and I have the antibiotics I need.”

Darcy breathes out against my chest, nuzzling into me. I know she’s vulnerable and searching for comfort, and right now, she’s finding that with me. My lungs inflate for the both of us.

“Some people get throat infections or repetitive migraines; I get chest infections. A few days and a course of medication, and I’ll be fine.”

My hand comes under her chin, tipping her face up to look at me. “You aren’t fine. I’m worried about you.”

I can tell she wants to roll her eyes.

“I’m a big girl, Archer.” Darcy turns to look down her hallway. “And I’m not your girlfriend either. Elsie speaks to my mum when she visits and could drop us both in the shit.”

“It’s fine. If asked, Elsie would describe me as a tall, dark-haired guy, and that’s hardly narrowing it down. Aside from my incredible looks, there’s not much else that sets me apart.”

She deadpans and takes a deep breath, trying to force oxygen into her lungs.

The temptation to brush my mouth over hers is too strong, and I do exactly that.

“Your lips are dry. When did you last take on fluids?”

She rubs them together, swiping her tongue over them. “Why are you changing the subject?”

I wrap my arms under her ass and carry her into a room just off her small living space. I presume it’s her bedroom since there aren’t many other options.

“Archer,” she continues, “you aren’t my boyfriend, and you just told Elsie you are.” Her voice is more prominent, demanding an explanation as I lay her down on the king bed and pull a pale pink duvet over her body.

“I know I’m not your boyfriend, but you weren’t answering the door or my calls, and I panicked. Elsie asked who I was, and I figured she’d already met your brother.” I wink.

Darcy sits up in bed when I pick up an unopened bottle of water and unscrew the lid, handing it to her.

“You play with fire, Thigh Boy.”

I low chuckle. “Thigh Boy? Where the fuck did that come from?”

Her eyes drop to my gray sweats. “I think the clue’s in the name, don’t you?”

Another coughing fit overtakes her weakened body, and, fuck, I feel so goddamn helpless.

“Get some rest.”

Nodding, she takes a sip of water and sets the bottle on her nightstand, sinking down into the bed. All I want is to be lying next to her, making sure she’s okay.

“You should go,” she whispers, already falling asleep. “When I’m sick, Mum usually visits a couple of times a day. Jack said he might stop by, too, and there’s no way I can hide your six-foot-four ass in my tiny closet.”

“I’ll stop by again tomorrow after morning skate.”

She shakes her head, face down into the pillow. “No. It’s too risky. You will one hundred percent be caught, and I can’t be doing with a pissed-off brother, alongside an infection from hell.”