Page 39 of Savage Thirst

I turn back to her, the taste of blood still on my tongue. "You all right?"

She's just standing there, wide-eyed, staring at the mess I made, her mouth slightly open. That soft look of shock, damn if it doesn't twist something in my chest.

"Oh, don't tell me these assholes were part of your little forest protection program," I mutter, glancing around the carnage.

"No… not really," she says, shaking her head like she's trying to snap herself out of it. "You're shot."

I glance down at my shoulder, blood soaking through my shirt.

"Eh. Perks of being a dead husk—I can take a bullet and still bring the charm." I grin, even though it burns like hellfire. Gotta keep up appearances.

She exhales like she's had it with me already.

"Your words, not mine, sweetheart."

Her gaze darts to the parking lot. "How are you even here?"

I shrug, casually. "Followed you. Obviously."

She frowns. "Obviously."

I glance around the motel. Up close, it looks even more like the kind of place where dreams go to rot. "You're seriously staying here?"

She shrugs, stepping toward the door. "Well, the Ritz was full, so…"

"No, you're coming with me," I say, stepping in beside her. "This place is a dump. And newsflash—dead bodies attract attention."

I nod toward the bodies cooling in the lot. No witnesses yet, just a busted CCTV camera hanging by a wire, like the place gave up years ago.

She throws a look over her shoulder, arms crossed, chin lifted with that too-practiced brave face. "I don't—"

"—need my help. Yeah, clearly." I scan the lot again. "Good thing I wasn't asking, sunshine."

She holds her ground. Stubborn little wildcat.

Could I force her? Yeah. Easy. But I'd look like one of those creeps I just tore through. So instead, I soften the edges just a little.

"I took a blade for you last night," I say, voice low. "A bullet today. What's next, a stake through the heart? Do I need to die three times before you admit I'm not the bad guy here? Not yet, at least," I add with a smirk.

Can't go full soft. Gotta keep her guessing.

She lets out a slow breath and looks at the corpses again. Her shoulders finally slump in something like resignation. "I already paid for the night," she mutters.

"Oh, for fuck's sake."

Before she can blink, I scoop her up over my shoulder.

She yelps, more startled than scared, and pounds a fist against my back. "Kayden! Put me down!"

"Don't squirm. I've got a bullet hole, remember?" I hiss through my teeth, pain flaring white-hot across my shoulder.

I dash in a blur to my car around the corner and set her down on the asphalt. She wobbles, eyes wild.

"Don't do that!"

I grin and step in, crowding her space. She presses back against the car. "Or what?" I murmur, voice rough. Then I lean past her, click the door open. "Get in."

She glares like she wants to throw a punch, but climbs into the passenger seat without a word.