Page 19 of Chaos & Carnage
“Let me get you into reception. Then I’ll put you down.”
Cade moved through the room and out into the corridor that ran up behind the three consultation rooms. Lights snapped on with each step, each movement triggering the sensors and lighting the way.
“Looks like your boss spent his money on something decent after all.”
“Not really. It was because they turn themselves off if you’re still for over thirty seconds. Saves him money.”
I gripped his neck as the strength came back to my arms, but my body did nothing but shake, the sudden rush of heat making me realise how cold I was in those few minutes I lay on the ground.
Cade stopped, adjusting his weight, and then carefully he lowered me into a seat. Begrudgingly, I unhooked my arms from around his neck, from where I could smell that sharpness of aftershave against the clean scent of shampoo and clean leather. He shuffled round in front of me, nudging my legs apart and stepping in between them. And then, he dropped to his knees, so the liquid green and molten hazel of those eyes stared straight at me.
But it wasn’t just how close his face was to mine that distracted me, but the closeness of his body, the feel of the leather pressing against my thin clothes. The jacket that was zipped halfway up his torso brushed against the inside of my thighs, and the sigh drifted out before I had any time to stop it. If he’d noticed, he didn’t show it, pulling the leather gloves from his hands and reaching for my face, cold fingertips swiping the loose hair from my forehead and tucking it behind my ear.
“You hurt anywhere?” he asked, as his eyes roamed over me, searching for more obvious signs of injury.
“Just the back of my head.” I reached my hand up and felt over the hot lump developing on the back of my skull, wincing at my own actions.
“You’d better get that boss of yours to put some salt down.”
“That will cost him money.”
“So will suing his ass.”
“Wouldn’t be much point. He’s got nothing.”
“Sure, he has. Vets are loaded.”
I harrumphed, reacting to the words I’d heard throughout my short career.
“By the time his student loans and all the loans on the equipment in this place are paid, there’ll not be much left. And anything that is, he fritters away on women and gambling.”
“Sounds like many men I know,” Cade shrugged. “What were you doing outside in the cold, anyway?”
“I…we lost a cat.”
Cade pulled back a fraction, his face stilling, apprehension creeping into his eyes.
“Not…”
“Yes, the little black cat who’d just had kittens.”
“Shit,” he hissed, glancing towards the corridor of consultation rooms and the infirmary. “How? What happened?”
“Stu said he wanted to put her back in with the kittens. I said it was too early; she was too weak. He didn’t want to take shifts hand feeding the kittens. He overruled me and had the nurses move her back in with them. And she fed them, like a good mam would. But it was too much for her little body.”
“Bastard,” Cade’s voice was almost a growl, deep and throaty and drawn out. “You ok, Alice?”
“Guess so.”
Cade said nothing more, his hand moving towards me again, cupping my cheek gently, his flesh still cool, and it sent a shiver rushing over my skin.
“You know, all she wanted was someone to look after her?” My voice didn’t sound like me. Strained, laced with emotion, tired.
“Don’t we all, Al?”
“I think she knew I was trying to save her. Like really knew. Right to that last breath.”
I was jabbering, trying to convince myself that I hadn’t failed her. Hadn’t failed her babies. Trying to stop myself from crying into this man’s chest, wiping liquid mascara all over his white t-shirt.