True Colors (The Masks #1)(45)

Chapter 20




Eric drove me home and carried me inside. I told him I could walk, but he wouldn’t listen; he just tucked his arm beneath my knees and walked me to the front door. I shakily punched in the code and then he carried me to the sunken lounge, propping cushions behind me before taking off to the kitchen and making himself at home.

Five minutes later, he gently placed a steaming mug on the coffee table in front of me. “I hope you like Orange Blossom tea. I’ve never seen such a huge range of herbal tea before; I just went for the first one I recognized.”

“It’s perfect.” I gave him a weak grin as I reached for it. Wrapping my fingers around the warm mug, I felt myself slowly start to relax.

Eric studied every inch of my face as I sipped at my tea. His thumb was gentle as he caressed my grimy cheek. I winced.

“Sorry.” He grimaced. “Do you have a first aid kit or something? It might be a good idea to put some antiseptic on your face.”

I nodded and pointed to the kitchen. “In the top shelf of the pantry.”

He walked back into the kitchen, agitation radiating from him. I was surprised he’d managed to hold out this long. If it were the other way around, I would have been badgering him for answers the second we got into the car. He’d just stayed quiet...calm and quiet. His knuckles had been white on the steering wheel, so I knew it wasn’t quite that simple, but he’d known what I’d needed.

He returned with some cotton balls, a bowl of water, and a little tube of antiseptic cream.

“Face me,” he murmured. I put down the mug and turned towards him, our knees brushing together. “Where are your parents?”

“They left for Hawaii this afternoon.”

His eyebrows rose as he dipped the cotton into the water.

“They’re gone for ten days, so I have the place to myself. I was going to tell you tomorrow, kind of like a surprise.” My chuckle died quickly.

Looking into his tender gaze made my heart want to melt. There was something deeper there too, but I forced myself not to read it. I winced and grabbed his thighs as he patted my cheek clean. It stung. His brow was furrowed with concentration as he cleaned me up. I didn’t want to look in a mirror. I gingerly touched my cheek and figured it must be a small graze. It stung badly, but it felt like a quick healer.

I rubbed my tender stomach and eased back onto the couch.

“Do I need to take you to the hospital?”

Drawing my hand away from my stomach, I shook my head. “No. I’m okay. He just punched me in the stomach a couple of times and squashed my face into the ground. It hurt, but as far as injuries go, it feels pretty minor.”

Eric studied me in silence until I tried to smile at him, and then his face bunched with an anger I wasn’t expecting.

“Who did this to you? What did they want?”

“I don’t know.” I kept my voice soft. “I didn’t see his face.”

“Was he trying to rob you or something?” Eric swallowed, tortured agony flashing over his features. I could only guess what his mind was conjuring. I sat forward, wanting to ease his frustration, but knowing the truth probably wouldn’t.

“It was a warning.”

“Against what?”

“He wants me to stay away from Liam Donovan.”

Eric’s face paled, his usually gentle eyes growing hard. “What the hell have you been doing with Liam Donovan?”

“Nothing. Just asking a few questions.”

That answer didn’t satisfy him. His fingers were gripped together so tight I thought his bones might snap and his left leg bobbed uncontrollably. “You told me you were going to be careful, Caity. You promised.”

Guilt stripped my insides bare. I hadn’t seen this one coming, but I probably should have. Liam’s phone call had been about me. The idea made me flinch.

“I didn’t think I was being unsafe.” I sighed, placing my hand on his knee. He stood, moving away from my touch. “You’re angry with me.”

He scowled. “Are you reading me right now?”

I nearly laughed. “I don’t need to read you to see you’re mad. It’s obvious.” I blinked, hating this conflict and desperately needing it to end. I didn’t understand why he was so pissed. “I’m sorry.”

“I just can’t believe you lied to me.”

His mask fell away before I could stop it and I glimpsed a hurt boy who’d been let down by almost everyone he cared for. I quickly shoved the layer back into place, unnerved by his vulnerability. “I didn’t lie to you, Eric... and I promise you I never will.”

His gaze jumped to mine and I made sure my expression was open and true. “I was going to tell you everything tomorrow. You’re the only person I can talk to about this stuff, and I didn’t want to tell you over the phone. I had no idea this was gonna happen to me. Do you honestly think I would have ambled around after dark on my own if I thought I was in any kind of danger?”

The anguish on his face was heart-wrenching. “Someone hurt you, Caity...and I wasn’t there to stop them.” He sank back down on the couch, lightly cupping my cheek. “I’ve never driven so fast to find someone before.” He swallowed. “And when I saw you huddled against that dumpster, I thought my heart might break.”