His hair was longer. It clipped the tops of his shoulders but was shoved behind both ears as if he impatiently tucked it there often. The only resemblance she could find to Seth was the color of his hair and eyes. They both had beautiful blue eyes, though Seth’s were lighter. And their hair was a darker shade of brown.
“Tell you what,” he finally said as if coming to a decision. “For now, let’s go inside so I can take a look. Until I know what we’re dealing with, it’s senseless to have this argument.”
He reached for her, to help her, but she pushed at his hand.
“I can walk. I’m okay.”
His mouth turned down into an expression of disapproval, but he didn’t press. He simply took a step back and waited for her to get out.
She swung her legs out and tried to get down too fast. Her feet hit the ground, and a moan escaped as the action jarred her upper body. Michael cursed, and before she could protest, he pulled her into his side, supporting her weight as they started for the house.
Once inside, the heat washed over her, thawing some of the numbness in her limbs. What should have felt like heaven quickly became hell as more feeling washed into her arm.
Michael sat her on the couch and knelt in front of her, his intense gaze finding hers. “I’m going out to my truck to get my bag. I don’t want you to move.”
She tried to smile but her lips quivered with the effort. “I thought you were a vet.”
His eyes lightened and he smiled. “I am. But people…animals…what’s the difference?”
She laughed at his joke but promptly shut up when the movement proved too much.
He got up and hurried out and once again she found herself staring around Seth’s house, taking in the smells and atmosphere of a home.
It lacked a woman’s touch, but then she’d seen no evidence that Seth was involved with someone. He’d kissed her. Acted like he cared, though she couldn’t wrap her brain around that. She hadn’t done anything to encourage his attention—she wouldn’t have. She’d spent too much time trying to make herself invisible.
Life was for others to live. It was for her to survive.
Michael returned a moment later carrying a large duffel bag that he set on the floor in front of the couch. He knelt back down in front of her and took her hand in his, his fingers moving carefully over hers in a soothing manner.
“We need to get your sweater off, but I don’t want to pull it over your head so I’m going to cut it away from your arm so I can see where the bleeding is coming from.”
She glanced between her arm and him and then nodded. He seemed relieved by her acceptance and opened his bag to take out scissors.
He started at her wrist where the tattered cuff of her sweater all but swallowed her hand. He worked methodically upward until the sleeve fell apart in two distinct pieces. She sucked in her breath when she saw the blood seeping down the inside of her arm.
“Do you have anything on underneath the sweater?” he asked gently.
“A T-shirt,” she said huskily.
“Okay, good. I’m going to cut away the sweater. It’s not salvageable anyway.”
In a few more seconds, he had the sweater completely peeled away and she chanced another look at her arm. Blood was smeared over the entire upper portion. She blinked, trying to see what was wrong, what had happened, but the world seemed woozier than it had a moment ago.
“Take deep breaths,” Michael said. “And look away. Focus on something else.”
Something else. What? He touched her arm, and she flinched even though it didn’t hurt.
“Sorry,” he murmured “I need to get this cleaned up. What happened out there, Lily? Can you tell me?”
“I don’t know. It was all so crazy. Everyone was shouting and running. There was so much gunfire. I didn’t know where to go so I just ran.”
“Looks like you may have taken a stray bullet,” he said grimly.
Her head swung back to stare at him in shock. “Shot? I was shot? But I don’t remember. I mean I didn’t feel anything. My arm didn’t start hurting until I hid in the alley, but…”
“Adrenaline will do that to you sometimes. You were in fight-or-flight mode. The pain didn’t hit you until you came off that rush.”
“Is it…is it bad?”
He brushed his finger down the line of her jaw and lingered at the dip in her chin. “It’s not too bad. Looks like a graze. I really think I should take you to the hospital. If it’s money you’re worried about¾”
She shook her head before he could continue. “It’s not that. I mean no, I don’t have insurance or a way to pay, but I hate hospitals. I won’t go back there.” She shivered and looked away, causing his hand to fall. “Never.”
He blew out his breath. “I can’t make you go, Lily, even if it’s what I think you should do. I can stop the bleeding—the wound isn’t very deep—but infection is my primary concern. I’ll give you some topical ointment but I’d really rather you have a shot. Do you have any idea how long it’s been since your last tetanus?”
She almost laughed. It was such an ordinary conversation. One she might have with her family doctor. Things hadn’t felt normal in so long.
“I’ll be fine.”
The front door burst open and Seth flew inside, his gaze immediately lighting on Lily. His brow furrowed, and a mixture of concern and confusion crossed his face.
“What the hell is going on?” He rushed over and crouched down beside Michael. “What happened? Are you okay?”
She stared at the two brothers, bewildered by their concern and their caring. She was nobody to them and yet they’d have her believe she wasn’t.
“She took a bullet,” Michael said.
“What?” Seth stared at the blood on her arm and then back at Michael. “Are you crazy? She should be in the hospital. Why haven’t you taken her?”
Lily stiffened and started to sit forward, her objection poised on her lips. Michael gently pushed her back.
“She’s not going to the hospital. She’s fine. I can take care of it.”
“You’re out of your mind,” Seth bit out. “She’s still bleeding, for God’s sake.”
He sounded so worried that she put her hand out to touch his to reassure him.
“She doesn’t want to go, Seth. I tried. Now let me clean this up and get it bandaged so the bleeding stops. It’s not serious.”
Seth ran a hand through his hair and backed off. He got up and stood for a moment, looming over her and Michael, and then he moved to sit beside her on the couch, watching as Michael continued his careful treatment of her wound.
“You must have been scared out of your mind,” Seth said. “Why did you run, Lily? You could have been here, not downtown in the middle of some turf war.”
The frustration—and sincerity—in his voice startled her. There was a possessive tone that intrigued and frightened her all at the same time.
“I just thought I should go,” she said, not knowing what else to say. She wanted to appease him, but at the same time, it frustrated her that this entire situation confused her.
Michael paused as he placed a bandage over her wound. “Did my showing up frighten you?”
Frighten? That was probably the wrong word. Unsettled. His appearance had effectively popped the fantasy bubble that she’d existed in for the previous night.
“No, not frightened,” she said.
“I don’t want you back on the streets, Lily,” Seth said fiercely.
She cocked her head and stared up at him. “Where do you want me then?”
His blue eyes focused intently on her. There was no guard, no hesitation, no hint that he was speaking anywhere but from the heart. He brushed his fingers over her face, gentle and perhaps a bit shaky.
“Here. With me.”
Chapter Six
Despite her resolve not to allow herself the luxury of the fantasy Seth offered, she couldn’t stop the yearning, the desire for human contact. Affection. Casual conversation. She’d sentenced herself to a life alone, but she didn’t want to be alone. She wasn’t meant to be alone.
Her brain knew that it was time to stop punishing herself, that it was time to forgive herself and move on, but her heart was utterly broken. And how did she repair something like that? How could she ever break free of something so terrible—something she could have prevented?
It was stupid and melodramatic at its core. She knew this. But it didn’t stop the flood of grief, sometimes so strong that she wondered if living wasn’t the worst punishment of all.
She waited—every day she waited for the pain to stop. Everyone said that time soothed all hurts—forgave all sins.
“Lily?” Michael asked in a soft voice.
She blinked and looked down. He was finished bandaging her arm. The gauze was thick and bulky and prevented her arm from lying fully against her side. It ached fiercely but she welcomed it. Somehow it was better than the numbness that seemed to take over more with each passing day.
“I’ll need to make you a sling. I’d rather you not move that arm around much until the wound heals.”
“How long will I have to wear it?”
“A few days. Not too long.”
He turned to Seth. “Do you have any ibuprofen?”
“She needs something stronger than that,” Seth growled.
“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “Really.”
Seth shot her a disbelieving look but left to get the medicine.
“He’s right, you know,” Michael said after Seth was gone. “You don’t need to be out on the streets. Not before. Not now. Not ever.”
She looked away, discomfited by the intensity in his gaze. “I don’t have anyplace else to go.”
“Look at me, Lily.”
Reluctantly, she turned to face him again.
“You do have a place. We’re offering you one.”
“We?”
Michael’s lips tightened for a moment. “Yes, we. I don’t know what’s happening here, Lily. I can’t explain it, but we’ll work it out.”
Her lips parted as her mouth fell open. Seth returned then and took her hand. He dropped the tiny pills into her palm and then held out a glass of water. She swallowed them down and then leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes.
Firm lips pressed against her brow, and she opened her eyes to see Seth bending over, his kiss warm and sweet on her skin.
“Do you want to be down here or in the bed you slept in last night?”
The thought of having to move was excruciating. “Here.”
Seth straightened. “I’ll get a blanket and some pillows so you’ll be comfortable.”
As she watched him walk away, it seemed to her that she hadn’t even considered leaving. Not yet. The idea of going back to her world scared her to death. She could stay here. Just for a little while.
Seth glanced over at Lily who had fallen into a fitful sleep. She stirred frequently, a frown marring the delicate lines of her face. Then he looked over at his brother who watched Lily with absolute fascination.
This was crazy. He didn’t even know how to broach the subject. And what would he say anyway? Back the fuck off? She’s mine? Or, how do you feel about sharing?
As if sensing his turmoil, Michael turned and caught Seth’s gaze.
“I think we should bring her home.”
Seth frowned and motioned for Michael to follow him into the kitchen. “Home?” he asked after they were out of earshot. “I live here.”
“It isn’t home,” Michael argued. “We should take her to the mountain. She’s uneasy here, and you’d have to worry at every turn that she was going to take off again. There…there she could rest. Eat good food and have a roof over her head.”
“Are you suggesting we take her to Mom’s?” Seth asked incredulously.
Michael hesitated. “No. My place.”
Seth’s eyes narrowed. “You’re serious about her. You’re not going to let this go.”
“Would you?” Michael asked.
“Hell no.”
“She needs us. She needs a home, a place she feels safe. You’re needed at home, Seth. Callie needs you. Mom and the dads want you there. It just makes sense that we take Lily back to Clyde.”
Seth ran a hand through his hair. He’d forgotten all about Callie. Forgotten everything once Lily had disappeared.
“What are we doing here, Michael? Are we really considering the kind of relationship the dads have with Mom?”
“I don’t see we have a choice,” Michael said quietly.
“Christ. What about Dillon? Are we going to have to go throw Lily in front of him to see if he loses his mind too?”
Michael smiled faintly. “Are you asking me if I think it’s possible he’ll react as we have?”
Seth nodded.
Michael sighed. “Yeah, I’m thinking it’s possible. Am I going to go shove Lily under his nose and say hey do you like her? Uh, no. But you can be damn certain I’m going to be watching to see how he reacts when he meets her.”