Page 101 of Devil’s Promise

“This isn’t your first bullet wound, is it?” Rock asks.

“Yep. It is. I’ve been knifed. Gotten a few compound fractures, but this is my first shooting.”

Behind me Promise snorts.

I turn and give her a smile that turns silly. The painkillers are kicking in. Whatever Hank gave me is some good shit.

Her brows shoot up. Behind her Gunner is following, still shirtless. My look goes blank. “Would you put on a fucking shirt?”

Gunner glares. “I would, but it’s covered in your blood.”

That’s fair. It’s just that Gunner is a handsome fucker, and his muscles are in peak form, and unlike me, he’s been good to Promise from the first. No gray. Just fucking hero. Pisses me off.

He protected her today. Stood up for her before. Left the family in protest because of my actions toward her…

Fuck.

“Goldilocks,” I slur, my brain buzzing. “This wolf is starving.”

Rock lets out a bark of laughter as Promise cries, “Angel. Stop.”

“That’s hilarious,” Rock opens the apartment door. “Because it’s like the story, only it’s really about sex.”

“Thanks, Sherlock,” Promise mutters, making Gunner laugh too.

Rock turns to Promise, his voice filling with menace. “Are you making fun of me?”

“Touch her, and I don’t care how tore up my shoulder is, I will put you in a hospital bed,” I growl back even as Rock shoots out a hand to steady me.

I swat his hand away. Rock lets me go and I sway. “I’m not going to touch her. I’m going to change my ways. Treat women with respect.”

I blink a couple of times, trying to figure out what’s happening. “Clearly, I’m hallucinating.”

“Rock, did you hit the painkillers too?” Gunner asks, giving Rock a look of disbelief.

“No,” Rock grunts. “I just…I might have met someone.”

“Who?” I ask, trying to focus on Rock’s face. But he’s too close and he looks fuzzy.

“Where?” Gunner follows up. “You’ve been working detail with Killian. Watching from the shadows…wait…have you actually spoken to this woman?”

Rock shrugs. “None of your business.”

But Gunner is moving closer. I can’t see him either, so I take a step back, nearly falling into the wall. Promise is at my side, her arms coming around me. “Easy,” she murmurs.

I close my eyes, nuzzling into her neck. “For you baby, I’ll be so gentle.”

“Gentle doing what?” Rock snorts.

Gunner pushes Rock’s shoulder. “Is this woman respectable? Because if she is, don’t introduce yourself. You’re not ready.”

Rock pushes Gunner back, who hits the wall and then surges forward, like he’s been looking for a fight all day.

“Save it,” Promise snaps. “Make Rock help you with those two goons if it will make you feel better.”

I have no idea what she’s talking about, but Gunner seems to. “Right. That’s a good point.”

“Are we beating people up? How bad? Do I get to break bones?”