Page 43 of Velvet Corruption

I plucked the last shard free—at least the last oneIcould do anything about—and Ruby let out a shaky breath.

Blood welled up quickly, and I pressed a sterile pad against it, holding her hand in both of mine. This close, I could see the tension in her shoulders, the tightness around her eyes.

I could also see the ridges of her lips, the golden specks in her brown eyes.

“You need stitches,” I said. “As soon as Hannah gets here, you’re going to urgent care. That’s not a suggestion.”

She exhaled hard through her nose, still refusing to look at me. “I can take care of it.”

Right. Of course she could. She always could. But her hand was shaking, her wholebodywas, and still…she’d rather bleed out on her driveway than let me in.

“You shouldn’t have to,” I said.

Her head snapped up, eyes like razors. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Talk to me like you give a damn.”

Her voice cracked on the last word. She tried to yank her hand back, but I held on.

“You think this is an act?” I shot back. “You’re bleeding, Ruby. Forgive me for not leaving you to collapse on the pavement.”

She laughed—a brittle, cutting sound. “Oh, right. You just happened to be parked outside my house. Totally normal, completely not-deranged behavior.”

“I didn’t know you were hurt.”

“But you were outside.”

I gave that a beat to settle…considered being open with her, telling her that yes, I was watching her. I wanted to challenge her, to test her, to see how she would react if I admitted that I’d watched her masturbate last night and knew she was still thinking about me and not her piece-of-shit husband.

I wanted her to confront what I knew we were both thinking.

That neither of us had forgotten how good it felt—how right—when I was inside her.

“I told you, I was passing by,” I said instead.

She scoffed. “Passing by. At nine in the morning. In this neighborhood. Totally plausible. Do you think a jury would believe you?”

I gave her a smug smile. “You and I both know you’re not getting me in front of a jury.”

“Don’t test me, Kieran.” Ruby’s voice rose, her anger spilling out like the blood staining her palm. “You think I don’t know how you operate? You’re always watching, waiting for an opportunity to sink your claws in deeper.”

“I’m the one helping you with this injury. You could stand to be show a little more gratitude.”

“Don’t think I forgot your threat—what, on behalf of your brother? The Callahan empire?”

“That wasn’t a threat. It was just a conversation.”

She was unraveling now, every word coming faster, sharper.

“And you know what pisses me off the most?” she continued. “You act like you’re doing me a favor by being here. Like I should be grateful that you showed up to play hero. But I don’t need you, Kieran. I’veneverneeded you.”

The words were a punch to the gut, but I didn’t move.

Not an inch.

“Yeah?” I said. “You’re bleeding all over your nice suburban shed and shaking like you might pass out, but sure. You don’t need anyone. Message received.”