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“Don’t take me to the hospital.” Wiggling her wrist out of my grip, she pushes slowly to her feet. With every movement she makes, Nardi winces harder.
I glare at her back.Why is she being so damn stubborn?
Studiously avoiding my stare, Nardi commands, “Josiah, help me pick up the tent pieces.”
Her little brother pinches his lips in concern, but he does as she asks.
“I’ll help too,” the homeless man says.
“Thank you, Ebidiah.” Nardi’s voice is a whisper now. She limps to the chair off to the side, still cradling her wrist.
My chest rearranges. I used to think being stuck in an unwanted conversation was the worst form of torture.
I was wrong.
Seeing Nardi in pain drives me out of my mind.
Jenna steps in front of me. Her sudden appearance is so unwanted that my first instinct is to push her away like a rag doll.
“Ronan, I can take her to the hospital in my car if you want,” Jenna offers, her smile weak and nervous.
“You’re still here?” I barely turn my head to her. “I told you to go home.”
Jenna stumbles back, stunned.
I stalk past her, my eyes intent on the woman with the wind-swept hair, pain-filled eyes and tough facade.
Nardi’s hunched in the chair, her gaze on the ground. Every little breath makes her nostrils flare and sweat is beading along her forehead. She’s doing a piss poor job of pretending tonotbe in pain.
“I’m taking you to the hospital,” I say in a low, firm voice.
Nardi stubbornly keeps her eyes trained away from me. “Are you asking or telling?”
“Let’s go.”
“I guess you’re telling.” A stubborn line etches into her dark forehead. “I’m not your employee, Cullen, so leave me alone. I will not be—eep!”
A bleating sound escapes her as I scoop her in my arms. I try to be as gentle as I can so I don’t jostle her wrist or apply pressure to any of the bruises that formed from the fall.
Nardi slides all the way down until she’s pressed against me. We’re connected from the entirety of her left shoulder down to her hip bone. With so much of her body against mine, I almost forget my annoyance.Almost.
“Put me down,” Nardi protests.
I ignore her and carry her steadily.
“Aren’t you too sick to hold me? What if you get vertigo like you did last time?”
“I’m recovered enough forthis.” Besides, she’s not that heavy. If I had to carry her a long distance, it might have been more dangerous, but there are only a few steps until we get to her car.
She kicks her feet. “Put me down before the both of us fall, Cullen.”
My fingers instinctively dig into her thigh instead. “Enough, Nardi.”
“Who do you think you’re talking to? Don’t raise your voice at me.”
“I’m clinically incapable of raising my voice. Stop trying to pick a fight, woman.” I enter through the chain link fence that surrounds the abandoned parking lot. “This is not the time to pretend you’re tough.”
“Who says I’m pretending. I’m tough enough to punch you in the face with this bum wrist,” she grumbles.