Page 42 of Jessica's Hero

“You’re hurt.” My voice is rough. “You can’t be standing on your feet. Not when they’re all cut up. I need to get you looked at.” Hugging her closer to me, I turn to Kyle. “Are the paramedics on the way? Do you know who’s en route?”

“They are,” he affirms. “Ben and Willow are on the way. They should be here any minute.”

And like he conjured them, another siren approaches.

“Come on,” I tell Jess. “Let’s get you someplace more comfortable than the bathroom floor.” I snag a towel off the rack as I carry her out of the bathroom. Rather than bring her back downstairs to be reminded of the damage to her house, I take her into the bedroom instead.

I set her down on the mattress and crouch in front ofher. Lifting one foot, then the other, I check them for injuries, biting back a curse when I discover two large shards of glass embedded in her skin. I take the towel and put it on the floor beneath her feet so she doesn’t bleed all over the carpet—not because I care, but I know Jess will be upset if it gets ruined.

Taking her hand gently in mine, I pull away the tissue to find a jagged cut across her palm, still bleeding sluggishly.

Rage sweeps through me again.

I’ve been angry a lot of times in my job. I think it goes with the territory. But seeing Jess hurt goes so much deeper than that.

“What happened, sweetheart?” I ask. “You stepped on some glass, I’m guessing. But your hand?—”

“They broke my mom’s lobster,” she blurts. Then she lowers her head and starts to cry again. “Her glass lobster. From Maine. I know it sounds stupid, but it was her favorite.”

Ah, fuck.

Is this how my friends felt when their women were in pain? Like their chest was torn open and bleeding? Like nothing would be okay until they could fix it?

“Oh, Jess.” I lean forward and gather her into my arms. “I’m so sorry.”

“I know it’s just… a little thing,” she says through loud sniffs. “But it was my mom’s. And now it’s ruined.”

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and although I don’t want to take my attention away from Jess for a second, considering the circumstances, I know I need to check it.

Then I read the message from Oliver and wish I hadn’t.

One of the rocks had a message painted on it: Leave town. So I think it’s a pretty clear message.

“Fuck,” I hiss under my breath.

Jess lifts her head to meet my gaze. “What is it?”

Shit. I can’t tell her now. Not when she’s so upset already.

“Just Oliver,” I say vaguely, hoping she won’t push me on it. And thankfully, she doesn’t.

“What am I going to do, Kane?” she asks. “I can’t stay here. The windows… Should I find a hotel? Is it too late tonight? Should I?—”

Relief floods though me.

This, I can fix.

“You can come stay with me.”

Her forehead crinkles in confusion. “Stay at your house?”

“Yes. I’ve got plenty of security, and I’ll make damn sure you’re safe. And I’ve got a good-sized guest room, my mom stays there when she visits, so it’s actually decorated. And I can carry you around so you can rest your feet.”

She stares at me for a few seconds, still with that same confused expression. “But you don’t think it’s too soon?”

“If you don’t want to, we can call Cash and Ari. Their place is safe. So is Ben and Thea’s. Or I could talk to the guys at Blade and Arrow…”

“No. It’s not that. I… I don’t want to stay with them. But I don’t want to push myself on you. I mean, we haven’t talked about us, or what we’re doing, or?—”