War of Hearts(22)

He snarled several curse words but did as she asked.

Thea wiped her blood-smeared hands over her dark jeans and got in the driver’s seat. And then they were thankfully on the move.

Just as she was turning at the top of the street, she saw police cars and ambulances in her rearview mirror. Forcing herself not to speed, Thea sighed with relief when they veered into the hostel lot and she took off for the freeway.

“How many times were you shot?” She glanced into the back seat.

The wolf looked unconscious but answered, “Three.”

“How long can those bullets be in there before …”

“Before I die?” He coughed and shifted with a wince. “It takes a while … But I’d rather … not wait that long.”

“Do you have a first aid kit in this car?”

“Boot.”

She knew from having grown up with British parents that the boot of a car was the trunk.

“Oh. Okay. Good.” She threw another glance into the back and saw his eyes were open and watching her. Thea turned again toward the road. “If I save your life … will you let me go?”

He was silent so long she thought he’d passed out, but when she glanced back, he was still watching her. “No, lass. I cannae promise you that.” He coughed and grimaced in pain. Letting out an exasperated sigh, he continued, “It would mean breaking a promise I vowed I’d die to keep.”

Thea wondered about the person who had elicited that kind of loyalty from the wolf, and bitter envy flooded her chest with a dark, burning heat. There was no one on this planet willing to die for her because they cared that much.

Oh sure, they’d throw themselves in front of bullets to keep her alive … but that was always because they wanted something from her.

Shaking her head in disgust, Thea was furious at herself. She should have left the wolf to die and now she was taking the chance that if she helped him, he really could track her down again.

“But no,” she muttered to herself. He was bluffing. An ability to track someone with their scent no matter where they were? It was ridiculous.

She’d help him, her conscience would be clear because she wouldn’t owe him anything anymore, and while he was recovering, she’d take off, never to see him again.





*



They’d been on the freeway a little over an hour, Thea’s panic mounting that she wouldn’t be able to find somewhere to stop, when she saw the sign for accommodation.

The place referred to the accommodation as apartments but as she pulled off, following the signs, the building she pulled up to reminded her of a motel. Although it was getting dark, there weren’t any other cars in the lot. Perfect.

Her hands were slightly streaked with Conall’s blood, but it almost looked like streaks of dried-in reddish mud. Reaching into the back, she realized Conall was unconscious, but his chest was still rising and falling. It was strange to see someone so mammoth and powerful, crumpled into this tiny car, covered in blood and weak as a lamb.

The dark voice in the back of her head told her she should leave him, protect herself.

But … she couldn’t.

“I will get myself killed one of these days,” she grumbled as she tentatively patted Conall’s pockets for his wallet. She ignored the rock-hard feel of his ass as she slipped her hand into his tight back pocket to pull out the leather wallet.

Fast as a whip, Conall’s hand clamped around her wrist.

Heart pounding in surprise, Thea’s eyes flew to his face.

He stared at her balefully. “What are you doing?”

Annoyed that he’d once again been able to take her off guard (seriously, what was that?), she yanked out of his grasp, taking the wallet with her. “I need money to pay for a room. And I need a room to see to your wounds.”

The wolf still appeared incredulous, but he had no choice but to trust her. Thea scooted out of the car and strode with an air of casualness into the small reception. There was a refrigerator with drinks in it and a large display with snacks. An older woman sat behind the desk, her back to the door, watching—

Thea raised an eyebrow.

She was watching porn.

Or a very sexually graphic romantic drama.

“A room, please.” Thea leaned against the high counter.

The woman glanced at her and then at the TV. She sighed in frustration and turned to Thea. “One hundred zloty for the night.”

Thea nodded and wandered over to the drinks’ cabinet. She pulled out two large bottles of water and grabbed a couple bags of chips and candy bars. “These too. And I’d like your room farthest from the road.”

The woman didn’t even flinch. She took the money and handed over a key. “Checkout is at eleven.” She turned back to her sexy movie, summarily dismissing Thea.

Grateful fortune had delivered her a room and a motel owner uninterested in her existence, Thea grabbed the bottles and food and tried not to drop it all as she carried it to the car.

She parked around the corner out of sight. Once she’d dumped the stuff inside the basic but clean little motel room, Thea searched the trunk for the first aid kit. Not only did she find a large first aid bag, she found bottles of water, protein bars, and a rucksack with a change of clothes for Conall. She grabbed it.

Once the kit and rucksack were inside the room, Thea returned for Conall.