Page 43 of Saving the Rain
“It’s nothing.”
“Kayce.” My stomach always does this stupid thing when he says my name. It’s so rare he does, that when it actually happens, the sound of those letters dragging over his tongue is unsettling. “I’ve had to leave a hot piece of ass drooling for my cock to come and deal with this horseshit. So tell me what the problem is.”
His fingers flex around the top of the shifter.
“I fell.” It tastes like broken glass to say those two words.
Raine never falls. He never messes up. Every ride, he’s strong and sure of himself, and makes it look easy.
“Christ.” Pinching his brow, he tips his head back, and from the corner of my eye, I see the slope of his throat. It’s stubbled with a two-day-old shadow of dark hair, and his Adam’s apple protrudes forward. Like everything else about him, it’s perfectly proportioned to his neck and jawline. My pulse flutters low in my belly, and I quickly drop my eyes to look at the faded strap of my bag nestled between my knees.
With a loud rev of the engine, we start moving, and I stay braced in that position. Not daring to flinch or allow my attention to wander to the side. Refusing to look or breathe in his direction, because my eyesalwayswant to drift to him. The last thing I need right now is to have my lights punched out by my stepbrother. He’ll probably think I’m gay or something if he catches me sneaking a glance.
I don’t understand it, but I can’t ever seem to stop myself from watching him. There’s a certain energy he has that feels so damn frightening, but not in a terrifying way. Not in the way his dad scares the shit out of me—to the point I never want to find myself left alone with that man, always locking my bedroom door if he’s in the house.
When I’m with Raine... he feels like the idea of getting on a roller coaster for the first time.
Like there’s a hidden part of me who wants to enjoy the thrill, but my rational mind keeps yellingcan’t you see the danger?A default sense of self-preservation tugging on my limbs. Warning me that I should run in the opposite direction from this hypnotic, uncertain sensation.
Of course, my stepbrother would happily bust my nose ‘til blood soaks my shirt and watch me slam into the dirt a hundred times, just for fun. So I listen to the part of my brain that hauls me to safety. I keep my chin lowered and struggle to ignore how much my arm hurts.
The car jerks to the side of the road, and we turn off unexpectedly. Even though I haven’t paid attention to anything under the streetlights whizzing by outside this vehicle, I do know the route back to our apartment—it’s imprinted on my awareness like an invisible roadmap. Wait at this set of lights. Take the third right. Slow down for the cops parked on the corner of Smith and Easton.
This isn’t the way home.
What greets me when I lift my head is a big sign, all lit up in red and white. Rows of lights glow outside a maze of buildings. Cars half-fill the lot. An ambulance is parked in the covered bay, waiting for its next assignment.
“Hurry up.” He slams out the door; impatience colors his voice to an even colder tone than normal.
The next parts all go by in a blur. Nurses and waiting and more nurses followed by more waiting. Unforgiving seats and harsh lighting. Disinfectant smells and hushed conversations. My stomach knots itself, and a creature gnaws away on the inside with hunger throughout all the examinations and X-rays. I’m pretty sure I fall asleep in my seat at one point. It’s only when Raine shoves my knee and grunts at me to follow the doctor that I lurch to my feet and stumble after her, rubbing at my itchy eyes.
She’s got a nice energy. Kindly. Wears a soft smile as she puts the plaster on my wrist and forearm to immobilize the fracture and tells me about her three cats.
By the time we get back to the car, I have no idea what time it is, and my stomach lets out a long rumble of protest. My cheeks grow hot as I feel those dark eyes drill into me from across the flaking paintwork on the roof.
“Sorry.” I’m not even sure what I’m apologizing for. All of it? This whole night? For being born in the first place and just being a giant goddamn burden on everyone’s lives?
“Just get in.” He’s already sliding into the driver’s side before the words are past his lips. Wrenching the door shut and starting the motor in quick succession.
I curl into my seat and don’t know what to say. I’m gonna be unable to ride for a while, not until I get this cast off. And it sucks so bad. Why did I have to go messing up the one positive thing I’ve got going on? My grades suck. I’m useless at school. Rodeo is the only thing I feel like I’m any good at. The bright spot at the end of my day when I can forget about everything at home.
Hopefully, I can still hang out at the arena and offer to groom the horses for free. The stables next door give me a bit of cash, but I’ll do it without pay just so I can go there rather than straight homeafter school. At least that’s a job I can do with only one hand, surely?
We continue a few blocks before turning off again. This time, we pull into a drive-through, and Raine doesn’t bother asking me what I want. Just orders for us both, two identical sets of burgers, fries, and drinks, before we park up to eat.
The smell is so fucking good; my mouth is watering before I’ve even peeled back the greaseproof paper. We sit there in a weird sort of mutually famished silence, a temporary truce brought about by our hungry stomachs. The two of us chomp down our takeout with a dull thudding baseline to accompany the moment. Some sort of eighties hair-band rock vibrates through the speakers as a backing track to our meal.
“You done?” Raine bunches up the wrapper and used napkins, tossing them in the bag, before holding it open for me to do the same.
“Th—thanks.” I hurriedly swallow the last mouthful of fries and shove my trash in the offered bag.
Of course, my stepbrother has much better things to do and more important places to be than in this car with me any longer than necessary. He makes quick work of jumping out to toss our trash before getting back in his seat. We’re on the move before he’s even put his belt back on.
As we pull onto the main road, Raine scrubs a hand over his mouth. “Just... take it from me...” He pauses, leaving me hanging on those words with too much anticipation for my own good. “The swelling will go down in a day or two. You’ll have to get the cast re-fitted, or else it’ll be loose.” His words are curt. I notice him roll his wrist absently as he speaks. I don’t know if he realizes he’s even doing it.
“You’ve broken your arm before?” I peek a longer look at him. With a hot meal now taking away that stabbing, empty feeling in my stomach, I feel bold enough to dare a proper glance across to take in his side profile. It’s stupid and foolish, but I do it anyway.
“Yep.” His tongue pokes against the side of his cheek.