Page 91 of Hate So Deep
“You can’t ask me to do that.”
“Why not? You demand shit all the time,” I grunt, waving my hand again. “Let this go. Don’t ruin your future for me.”
His eyes drop to mine before he shakes his head and growls, “You expect me to let those fuckersgoafter what they did to you?”
Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I mumble, “Dirk, this isn’t your problem.”
After creating a brand-new hole in the wall of the shed, we hustled out to his truck where Dirk refused to look at me while we made our way across town.
He did finally concede when I told home I would not be going to the hospital, but I never got a satisfactory answer about his plans to hunt down my attackers.
I wish I hadn’t mentioned names but maybe deep down I wanted him to show he cares by going psycho on their asses. He grew up in this neighborhood and I’m very aware of how these people act when it comes to protecting themselves.
That’s how fucked up this is. The only way to find meaning in a relationship that never got off the ground is to send my lover on a quest for revenge on my behalf.
No biggie. Ha!
“Where are we going?” I ask and he glances at me sideways, his lips tightening when he spies my grimace.
I’d like some painkillers and a soft bed, and the truck isn’t exactly helping every time we go through a dip or encounter a bump.
“Hayden’s,” he says. “Ramie can do…something.”
About what?
Thankfully, he pulls into a cute little house set back from the road. As soon as the vehicle is in park, Hayden emerges with Ramie behind him, holding a little boy who’s snuggled into her chest.
When Dirk jumps out of the truck, I suck in a breath in anticipation of him slamming the door, but his eyes meet mine at the last second and he pushes it gently closed.
They exchange words while I sit here and after a few minutes when it looks like they’re going to talk about me while I’m not around to comment, I finally open the door.
Dirk’s head whips around when I do and he’s beside me before I can contemplate getting to the ground.
“Hold still,” he says, and I bite back the cry on my lips when he picks me up and carries me inside.
Ramie is already gone but Hayden follows while Dirk sets me carefully on the couch before brushing the hair back from my face.
“You, okay?” he rasps, and I nod through my tears.
I’m not okay but seeing the concern blazing from his eyes is the balm I didn’t know I needed.
“Ramie’s gonna fix you up,” he says as she rounds the couch.
“He’s down, I think but can you check on him?” Ramie says to Hayden, and he disappears down the hall with Dirk right behind him.
Watching him go with a frown, I mumble, “He’s going to do something stupid.”
“Probably,” she says with a small smile. “They’re always looking for the chance to fuck something up.”
My chuckle turns to a groan and for the next few minutes, Ramie assesses my injuries before binding my ribs and getting me situated more comfortably on the couch.
Once she’s offered me a glass of water and painkillers, she sits down beside me and I ask, “Are you a nurse or something?”
Snorting, she shakes her head and says, “No, I just got real good at hiding shit, I didn’t want others to see.”
“Oh,” I mumble, looking away.
What does that mean? Did someone beat her up?
