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“She was checking on me,” I tell him, smiling at River. “She cares. Unlike you,” I retort with cold sarcasm.
Doug doesn’t even acknowledge me, let alone my words. Why would he? He hates me, remember?
River touches my forehead with a child gentleness. “Feel better?”
Her touch sends a rush through me, one of pride and adoration that something as sweet and beautiful as her has my blood running through her veins. How can that be?
I wink at River, touching her freckled nose with my finger. “I’m better already.”
“Get her out of here, Amberly,” Doug orders with contempt that forbids further argument. “This isn’t a place for a child.” Then he walks out, taking Rod and the official with him.
I can’t see Amberly’s face clear enough to catch the emotion behind her eyes, but I know it’s there. It has to be. He treats her like shit.
Amberly pats River’s knee. “We should get back to the trailer. I left it unattended.”
I reach for Amberly’s hand, trying to lighten the mood again. “For me?”
She rolls her eyes but keeps our hands together. I look down at it. Then back to her. Christ, she’s falling for me.
I fell for your soul before you touched me.
Fuck me that’s pathetic. It’s the drugs talking. Don’t listen to me.
“Come back to my place tonight.”
“I can’t.” Check out the expression on her face and the apprehension. She’s lying.
“When was the last time you had fun?”
“I tried to, but someone rode a dirt bike through the restaurant.”
I was on the edge of unconsciousness, the opiates flowing through my body, warm and soothing, killing the pain, but I still want her to come back to the house with me. I find that if you fight the meds long enough, they give you a great high rather than sleep. “Come back to the house with me.”
“I can’t. I have River.”
“Sure you can. She can sleep. Willa can watch her.” I motion to Willa who gives me a “fuck you” face. “She’s already on baby watch.”
Willa slaps me upside the head. “You’re a dick.” Then she slaps her hand over her mouth, wide-eyed and staring at River. “Sorry.”
Amberly waves her off. “It’s fine.” Her eyes lift to mine. “Don’t you think you should go home and get some sleep. Who knows if you’re going to need surgery.”
The medic attending to me, poking around at my shoulder, shakes his head. “It’s dislocated.”
I glare at him. “Nobody asked your opinion.” I know, rude, but whatever. Give me a break. I’m injured. I focus on Amberly. “I don’t want to sleep.” I pause for dramatic effect and stick my bottom lip out to maybe seal the deal. “I wantyouto come back to the house with me. . . as mygirlfriend.”
She laughs in my face. “You’re high on painkillers.”
That’s definitely true.
Willa chokes on a gasp. “Did you seriously call her your girlfriend?”
Proudly, I nod—and yes, I’m high. “She agreed to be my girlfriend when she bailed me out of jail.”
While Willa takes a deep breath, Amberly takes River by the hand. “I’ll think about it.” And then she leaves, and I watch her ass as she does so.
Willa knocks my shoulder. The hurt one and I glare. “Sorry,” she says. “Who is she?”
“Amberly. You know her.”