Page 68 of Carnal Urges

Yawning, I prop myself up against the pillows and squint at him. “You okay?”

He makes a noise of disbelief and shakes his head.

“What?”

“You’re the one in the hospital bed, and you’re asking me ifI’mokay.”

“Because you’re the one with a face like someone just told you your grandma died. What’s up?”

“It’s almost time for your next CT scan.”

“Nice try. What’s wrong, Declan?”

He closes his eyes and rests his head against the back of the chair. “Nothing’s wrong, lass.”

“Then why are you hiding from me?”

“I’m not hiding from you. I’m sitting three feet away.”

“Don’t be a jackass. You know what I’m saying.”

He sighs heavily. “I never know what you’re saying. All I hear is an awful noise that does my head in.”

Worried, I stare at him. Though he won’t admit it, I know something’s wrong. He seems different. Depressed. Not his usual hair-trigger-temper, rigged-to-explode self.

“How long have you been sitting there?”

“Dunno. A few hours.”

“Were you able to sleep at all?”

“No.”

“Do you want to switch?” When he cracks open an eye to look at me questioningly, I point to the bed. “I can take the chair for a while if you’d like to get some rest.”

He opens the other eye and lifts his head. Now I’ve got two icy blue orbs glaring at me with piercing animosity.

Bizarrely, that makes me feel better. I smile. “Ah, look. The charmer has returned. Is it hard, living with all those different mean personalities in one body? Must get tense in there. Like an overcrowded prison.”

“Why the bloody hell are you worried about me?I’m your kidnapper.”

He seems really invested in the answer, so I think about it for a moment while he busies himself with trying to burn my face off with his stare. “Hmm. It’s not because I like you, because we’ve already established I don’t.”

He reminds me scathingly, “The feeling is mutual.”

“Exactly. How could you like someone who looks like a camel and smells like regurgitated grass? Unless you’re one of those weirdos who are into animals. You know. Sexually.”

I send him a look that implies I wouldn’t put bestiality past him. He sends me a look back that could liquefy steel.

“Listen, if it makes you feel better, let’s just say I worry about you because it’s in my best interest. If you die of a heart attack or take a bullet or whatever, what’s going to happen to me?”

Without missing a beat, he says sourly, “You’d take over my position, no doubt. Wouldn’t be hard, considering you’ve already recruited half my army to join your ranks.”

“Oh, come on. Kieran and Spider can’t be half your army.”

“No, but there are three more men posted outside that door who mysteriously joined your fan club in my absence. I’m sure it would be easy for you to convert the rest.”

“What do you mean?”