“Here, wrap this around it. You probably need some stitches.”
“What’s your name?” He took the red scarf and tied it around his hand, using his teeth to tie it off.
“Emery.”
“Emery, you tell Wheels I said you did good.” He handed her the tray then held up his hand. “I’ll buy you a new one of these.”
He didn’t wait for her to agree or shit, say anything. Tiana would probably already be at King and Ayesha’s place, which would mean his trek through the damn woods would be for nothing, but he’d already decided his night was over. He wasn’t going to take any of the women up on their offers and getting shitfaced had lost its appeal.
TIANA COULDN’T BELIEVE how stupid she’d been. When she’d seen him sitting all alone at the table in the corner, she’d had to work herself up to go talk to him. Of course, she had to talk Traeger into letting her in the damn door, but he’d seen the desperation on her face. Or maybe he’d taken pity on her. Either way, she’d obviously made the mistake of going to the bathroom first, giving the new waitress a chance to make her move, the little bitch. Ugg, that’s not fair. Any woman would make a move on Mick. He was tall, dark, and sexy as fuck. All things a girl wanted in a guy. Add in the fact he was protective and clearly knew how to shoot a crossbow and bam, he was every girl’s dream. If only she hadn’t taken that ten minutes to work up the courage, then it could’ve been her he was holding instead of the skank-ho. Ugg, there she went again, calling the girl, who was probably really nice, names in her mind.
“I’m so stupid,” she muttered, circling the house for the fifth time. She absolutely couldn’t go inside and risk hearing her sister moan or scream, again.
“Why do you think you’re stupid?”
“Fuck me,” she screamed, jumping backward as she reached for the gun in the back of her pants. She’d gotten used to always being armed since—since she’d been rescued.
“Ah, I don’t think you should be pointing that thing at me. It’s me, Mick.”
The object of her fantasies stepped forward with his arms raised. She noticed he had a bandana wrapped around his right hand. “What the hell are you doing out here?”
What she really wanted to ask was where was...the woman he was talking to. She wasn’t going to ask though.
“I might ask you the same thing. Also, how many times you gonna circle the house? We don’t know who is out there trying to take out King, T. Do you think it’s really safe for you to be out wandering around by yourself?” Mick looked up at the trees.
Tiana glanced around, wondering if they were actually alone. King was very diligent about her protection. “I’m safe as long as I’m inside the compound.”
“You gonna put the gun away, or you planning on shooting me?” Mick moved closer to her, his chest brushing the nose of the gun.
“Do you need shooting?” she asked but lowered her arm. She hadn’t taken the safety off, but she wouldn’t tell him that either. At the rate she was going, she was racking up the secrets.
Mick laughed. “Many would say yes.”
“What happened to your hand?” Tiana noticed the handkerchief was dripping with what appeared to be blood.
“I broke a bottle.” He lifted the hand in question, staring at the blood-soaked fabric.
Tiana gasped, pulling his arm down. “Oh my god, you probably need stitches. Let me call Doc or someone.” She didn’t think the older man would be too keen on coming up just to sew up one of the brother’s hands.
“T, I’m fine. Trust me, I’ve had worse.” Mick tried to pull his hand away, but she held onto him.
“If you won’t let me call someone, at least let me clean it, and see for myself. Come on and don’t fucking say you’ve had worse.” Tiana tugged him toward the front of the house she shared with King and her sister and now her nephew.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Mick said.
Tiana ignored his words, holding onto his arm with her hand, knowing he could easily escape her if he wanted. They entered the house, which was silent except for music coming from the television she’d left on in the front room before she’d left. She pulled him into the kitchen, feeling his eyes on her back the entire way.
“Have a seat. King always keeps a first aid kit under the sink in here and in the bathrooms.” She was proud of herself and the fact her voice wasn’t shaking. With her back to the man who held her heart, she took a few calming breaths, hoping he couldn’t hear. Next, she got a bowl out of the cabinet and filled it with warm water, and last, she grabbed two black towels from the stack beneath the sink that looked as though they’d been washed a lot. Shit, the brothers must be used to injuries with the first aid kits they kept. Her sister had told her after about six months that the MC would ensure their safety at all costs. She’d seen that firsthand of course, but she’d also seen many of the hardened guy’s limp in and out while she was ordered to stay in her room or away from the clubhouse. At nineteen, she didn’t have the right to say or do anything that her sister or King didn’t allow, even though she was technically an adult.
“Let me rinse my hand.”
This time when his gruff voice was so close to her ear, she didn’t scream. It had taken her over a year before she’d stopped jumping at shadows and whimpering like a baby whenever a man got too close for her comfort. Well, any man except Mick who didn’t get close enough, but she was sure she’d let him.
“Okay.” She turned to the sink where the water was already running, checking the temperature before holding her hand out for his.
“You planning on going into the med field or what?” Mick asked, settling his hand in hers, letting her move it under the water.
She snorted and kept her eyes on the hand she held. “Absolutely not.” She could handle blood and all but had no plans to do so on a daily basis.
Chapter Four
Tiana finished cleaning Mick’s wound then placed a couple butterfly bandages over it.
Both his hands looked as though they’d been through a few battles with scars marring the tops of his knuckles.
“You know this is dangerous, mi cielito,” Mick murmured.
“What does that mean?” she asked, licking her suddenly dry lips.
Mick brought his uninjured hand up, rubbing his thumb across her bottom lip without answering her question. She got lost in his dark eyes, hoping, praying he’d lean down the few inches that separated them and kiss her like she’d been wanting him to do for the past two years. Oh, she understood why he hadn’t when she’d been seventeen and even when she’d been eighteen. However, she was nineteen and no longer a young girl who didn’t know what she wanted. She licked where his thumb had been, tasting what she thought was a bit of his salty flavor.
“You’re playing with fire that could get me killed,” he growled, taking a step away.
Her body shivered from the sudden loss of his heat. “I’m not a...a little girl anymore, Mick. I don’t need anyone’s permission to kiss who I want, when I want.”
Mick laughed, the sound grating. “You keep telling yourself that, kid. Thank you for tending my hand, but I think it would be best if you steer clear of me in the future. I’m not the man for you, and you sure as shit aren’t for me. You need to find out there’s more to life than what I can offer you, pequeñita.”