Zach looks from her to me, his eyes tormented and torn about what’s best to do for her, but I don’t miss the anger and accusation within them. I fear that whatever act we’ve been putting on might just have been shattered.
“Spike?” he asks, fury dripping from his words.
“Not now,” I snap, standing closer to take the decision out of his hands. I pull her to me and she immediately wraps her arms around me, tucking her head into my shoulder.
Zach’s jaw pops with frustration, but he doesn’t say anything. Not that anything he could say would make me give her up right now.
“Let’s go.” I take a huge step forward, more than ready to get away from this war zone. I turn back at the last minute and plough my booted foot into Jet’s ribs. He might already be dead, but my need to get my own bit of vengeance for how he’s treated Kas gets the better of me.
I pass D, who’s talking to his brother while his men begin to clean the place up. I don’t bother to attempt to hear what they’re saying, I just need to get her away.
We’re already in the back of Zach’s car by the time the three of them join us a few minutes later. Kas is curled up on my lap. She’s not said anything since her refusal to have Zach hold her, and she still hasn’t opened her eyes. She’s breathing, though, so I take that as her telling the truth earlier and that she isn’t hurt. Not physically, anyway.
“Where to?” Zach’s voice is rough, his eyes zeroing in on me through the rearview mirror.
“Home.”
“But—”
“No buts, Zach.”
“Okay, I’ll call Biff to meet—”
“No,” I spit out. “I’ve got this.”
“But—” He starts to argue, but as our eyes hold in the mirror he backs down.
The drive back to my flat is in silence as we all digest what happened tonight. Anger comes off Zach in waves, but I really couldn’t give a shit about anyone but the girl in my arms right now. It’s not an everyday thing for the four of us to go running into a room full of dead bodies.
When we pull up outside my building, everyone moves to get out with us.
“I’ll call you,” I say harshly.
“Spike, I need—”
“I know, Zach. But right now, we should be worrying about what Kas needs. I’ll call you as soon as I know she’s okay, and then I’ll get her to call you when she’s up to it.”
His jaw pops as his teeth grind. He’s not happy about this, I don’t expect him to be, but it’s the right thing to do. Kas doesn’t need an audience or a whole room of people fussing around her right now. I might not know her all that well, but I can say that with confidence.
Titch insists on helping us up and opening the doors. I’m grateful, because I have no idea how I’d have done it alone, but the second he drops the keys to my kitchen counter he turns to leave.
“Thank you, Titch.”
“Anytime. Message us later, just to let us know she’s okay. Danni’s going out of her mind.”
I nod at him and he slips out of the flat without another word.
Kas stirs in my arms the second we’re alone, and when I look down, her blue eyes are staring right back at me.
“Kas,” I breathe, relief flooding me.
“I’m okay.”
Glancing at the sofa and then back to her, I try to decide what to do next. But when my feet move, they must decide for me because I find us in my bedroom.
Gently, I lower her down. Her dark hair fans out over my light sheets, her makeup is smeared over her face, and she’s got a trickle of blood running down from the split that’s opened back up on her lip. Her skin is splattered with that cunt’s blood—the only good thing about that is that it’s not hers.
“Tiny,” I breathe, shaking my head. I have no words to say to her right now that will make any of this any better, but she seems to perk up at just the sound of my voice. “What do you need?”
I stand awkwardly beside the bed, not knowing what’s best to do. I desperately want to crawl in with her, but I have no idea if she wants that or not.
Looking to the door, I wonder if I should have taken her to her own room. She might not even want to be here at all.
Shit. I’m totally out of my depth.
My eyes run the length of her once more, taking in her ruined jeans, and I make a snap decision.
“Where are you going?” she asks in a panic when I march from the room.
“Just to the bathroom. I’m not going anywhere.”
She nods, and I keep going.
Pushing the plug in the bath, I turn the taps on before rummaging around in my cupboard for the bubbles I know Maureen bought me for Christmas a couple of years ago.
I find them, twist the top, and pour a generous amount into the running water.
The room almost instantly fills with the floral scent before I check the temperature and rush back to Kas.
She’s exactly where I left her.
“I’m running you a bath,” I explain in case the sound of running water wasn’t enough of a giveaway.
Resting on my knees beside her, I lift my shirt and take in her ruined trousers. “Okay?” I ask when I grasp the fabric. She nods once again and lifts her hips to help me. “Fuck, you’re bleeding.”
“It’s just a scratch.”
“Kas,” I warn, flashing a glance up at her, but the second I find her sad eyes, I lose the words. I want to tell her not to try
