Hidden Betrayals (The Hidden Series Book 4)

by Kristin Coley

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered faintly and he shook his head. They were so close his nose brushed against her loose curls and he inhaled, relishing the scent that always seemed to surround her.

  “Lavender,” he murmured as she slid his shirt higher

  “My shampoo,” she answered breathlessly, her hands hesitating at his shoulders. He lifted his arms with a groan and she managed to tug the shirt over his head.

  Once again, they were at eye level as she stood between his legs, holding his bloody shirt. Staring at him, she realized she’d rested one of her hands on his broad shoulder. He took a deep breath and her hand tightened involuntarily as she steadied herself.

  “You can throw that shirt away,” Wade said behind them, and Carly jumped guiltily. Wade took in the scene in a second and grumbled, “Seriously, can’t you at least wait till he’s sewn up?”

  Carly stepped back, mortified.

  “This night really isn’t turning out how I planned,” Danny chuckled and Carly flushed a brighter red. Wade dropped the kit on the table and jerked his head toward the fridge.

  “Carly, get some juice out of there for Lothario over here. He’s gonna need fluids if he keeps leaking blood all over the kitchen.”

  Carly scrambled toward the fridge, glad to have something to do as Wade leaned over and inspected the cuts. “Surprisingly, I’m more concerned about your arm. The cut on your side is shallow, painful, but it’s already almost stopped bleeding.” He pulled Danny’s arm toward the table to see it better and let out a low whistle. “What did you do? Stop his knife with your arm?”

  “Actually, yeah,” Danny answered as Wade prodded the split flesh.

  “Of course you did.” Wade dug out some wipes to disinfect the wound. “This is gonna hurt,” he warned before scrubbing the area.

  “JESUS,” Danny hissed, gripping the tabletop with his other hand. Carly froze at his expression, but as he went white she hurried forward with the juice.

  “Drink this before you pass out,” she told him and he nodded, his expression relaxing slightly as Wade finished with the antiseptic. He gulped the juice as Wade straddled the seat next to him.

  “You need stiches. It’s deep and I’ve seen you work. If it’s not stitched the wound will just keep splitting open. Either way, you’ll have a scar.”

  “Can you do it?”

  “I can do it. The question is do you want me to?” Wade gave him a sympathetic look – the first one of the night. “I don’t have anything to numb it with so…”

  “It’s going to hurt like a son of a bitch,” Danny finished, wincing as he shifted and managed to make the wound on his side bleed again. “Do it.”

  Wade didn’t bother asking again as he pulled out a suture and thread.

  “Are you sure about this?” Carly asked, wide-eyed as she took in Wade’s careful movements. Danny jerked his head, tensing as Wade brought the needle to his arm.

  “I don’t need to tell you to hold still, right?”

  “Right,” Danny gritted out as Carly watched them. The first stitch had Danny sucking in a sharp breath, but he held still as Wade made quick work of the deep but thankfully short cut. Sweat beaded on his forehead as Wade finished, the pain now a massive throb radiating from his arm. It was so great he didn’t notice the cut on his side any longer.

  “Done.” Wade sounded relieved as he cut the thread, but a glance at Danny’s side had him pausing. “Sorry, man. I’m going to have to clean that. No telling where that dude’s knife was at.”

  Danny gave a jerky nod, the pain in his arm holding his focus, at least until the antiseptic hit his side. A sharp inhale caused his stomach to suck in, but Wade made short work of cleaning the cut.

  “Did he eat?” Danny had a hard time focusing on the question, and Carly answered.

  “Yeah, a little bit before the guy came up and attacked him.”

  “Get more juice in him and a granola bar,” Wade told her, chair scraping as he stood up. “I’ll clean this up.” Carly nodded and did what he asked, unwrapping the granola bar before handing it to Danny.

  Wade paused as he threw stuff in the trash.

  “How did you get here?”

  “I drove us,” she answered, shoving the juice closer to Danny.

  “Do you need a ride home?” Wade questioned, his expression vaguely uncomfortable as he glanced at Danny, who was clearly in no position to drive her.

  She paused, her own gaze uncertain as she glanced up through her lashes at Danny. His arm throbbed, which barely masked the burning sensation radiating from his side. He was in no position to do anything, but still he wanted her to stay. Their eyes locked for a moment and he could have sworn she understood.

  “If it’s alright, I can just stay here,” she mentioned casually. “Sleep on the couch.”

  “Doesn’t matter to me,” Wade answered, making a three-point shot into the trash with the last of the bloody towels. “Thanks for bringing my car back in one piece.” He strolled from the room after that, leaving the two of them in silence.

  “Well,” Carly started.

  “Um,” Danny said at the same time, and they both laughed awkwardly as they realized they didn’t know how to proceed.

  “Maybe we should get you to bed,” Carly mentioned, adorably resolute. Several inappropriate comebacks raced through Danny’s mind, but he bit them back out of respect and maybe a small sense of self-preservation.

  “Yeah, I’m beat.” He chuckled ruefully. “Literally.”

  “I don’t know how you can laugh about it, but I’m glad,” Carly replied, hurrying over to help him up. He stood carefully, but when the room didn’t spin, he decided he could make it to the bedroom under his own power.

  “It’s better than the rage,” he answered honestly, the pain masking his usual careful wording. “I could have killed Jace tonight with my bare hands. Hell, I knocked you over to get to him.”

  “You were protecting me,” Carly murmured, her voice dropping as they moved past Wade’s shut door.

  “How do you always see the best in me when all I show you is the worst?” He wondered, the words barely audible as the pain in his arm pulsed.

  “Sometimes we don’t see ourselves as clearly as others can,” was her only answer as they reached his room. He grabbed the door, grateful for its support as his head spun.

  “Do you want to take your pants off?” Carly asked, an adorable blush on her cheeks. He swayed for a second before nodding.

  “Can you get me some aspirin?” He asked, nodding to the bathroom. She took the opportunity he offered and darted out, leaving him time to strip his pants off, and climb in the bed. He didn’t think he could handle her assistance after the earlier scene with his shirt. He might forget all about his injury if she started pulling his pants off. He groaned as his arm made contact with the sheet and hoped the painful throbbing would ease enough for him to sleep.

  A few minutes later, Carly returned with the pills and a glass of water, and he was glad to see she’d brought him a double dose.

  “Thought the standard dose wouldn’t be enough,” she told him, handing him the pills. “You’re a big guy. I figure you normally take more than the prescribed dose. I know I have to take less. I usually just take one because I’m smaller and my body metabolizes it faster.” She paused for a breath and he smiled, amused at her babbling.

  “Thank you,” he said as he tossed the pills back with the water. She nodded, watching him carefully as he eased back.

  “I guess I’ll go.” She pointed to the door, even going so far as to take a step backwards as she continued to stare at him. “The couch, pretty sure I saw a blanket,” she rambled, bumping against the door frame.

  “Carly,” he started, but she kept talking.

  “I’ll be fine. It looked comfortable. Leather usually is. I might just sleep on the recliner in fact.”

  “Carly.” This time he said her name a little more firmly, cutting her off. He lifted the corner of the blanket and crooked a
finger. “Get in.”

  “Ahhhh,” was all she managed to get out, and the expression on her face would have been comical if he wasn’t so serious. “That seems like a bad idea.”

  “Trust me, I’m in no shape to do anything,” he replied, his smile a little rueful.

  “Now that may be the biggest lie you’ve ever told,” she retorted, her expression dead serious, but she stopped edging toward the door. “You’re dangerous. Even half dead.” She thought about it for a second and added, “Even full dead. Dangerous. Definitely.”

  “Carly, get in.”

  Her steps dragged as she moved closer, emotions racing across her face that he couldn’t decipher, but still she came. And at the moment, that was all he really wanted.

  She sat on the edge of the bed gingerly, and reached down to untie her shoes.

  “Would you like to change into one of my shirts?” His question made her jump, the sound of his voice a little closer than she anticipated. She shook her head frantically before taking a deep breath to calm herself.

  “No. More layers is a good thing,” she finally answered to his amusement.

  “You act like I’m going to jump you.” Her wide eyes seemed to indicate she believed that was a distinct possibility. “I’m done for tonight,” he tried to reassure her, only to see a knowing glint appear in her eyes.

  “For tonight,” she repeated with a tiny smile. “But what about the morning?”

  She slipped under the blanket then, reaching up to turn the light off and in the darkness he realized he didn’t have an answer for her.

  Chapter Three

  “This is going to be awesome!” Samuel was practically bouncing in his seat as they roared down the road. “An LSU game. My friends won’t believe it.” His excitement was palpable and even Daniel couldn’t resist the allure of his brother’s happiness.

  “You deserve it, little brother.” He didn’t bother to explain he was trying to make up for the numerous disappointments he’d caused, and instead focused on the day’s agenda. “We’ll hang out with some friends who are tailgating and then watch the game in Death Valley. I scored some sweet seats.”

  Samuel’s face glowed and for a second Daniel felt like the king of the world. It didn’t take much to make Samuel happy, a fact he’d forgotten. It’d been weeks since he’d come around, trying to avoid their parents’ disapproval, but it meant he didn’t see Samuel either. And his little brother was someone he missed.

  “I remember when we’d go watch you play,” Samuel said wistfully and with a sharp pang Daniel remembered why he avoided his family – the memories they evoked sliced deep. “You were a beast on the field. Everyone said there was no one better than you.” Pride filled his voice as he said it, but the words only reminded Daniel of the unceasing pressure being the best had meant. The constant need to stay on top, to make the grade, to lead the team, to perform - no matter what.

  “I wasn’t the best,” he answered sharply, garnering a surprised look from his brother as the words came out harsher than intended. He smiled, trying to make up for his tone. “You, however, could be.”

  Samuel laughed at the words, knowing it was a lie.

  “I can’t play football,” he retorted, the idea not seeming to bother him.

  “Maybe not, but you’re the best damn tuba player in the band. Hell, the whole state.” Pride filled him even as Samuel glanced away in embarrassment. “We might be watching the Tigers play tonight, but you’ll be marching with the band in a few years and it’ll be me cheering you on.”

  “You think?” Sirens interrupted Daniel’s reassurance and he cursed as he realized he’d been speeding. It was a foolish mistake for a guy who skated the law, but it was unusual to run into a trooper on this back road.

  “Uh oh,” Samuel muttered, echoing Daniel’s own thoughts but for entirely different reasons. He didn’t know about Daniel’s side jobs, a fact which relieved Daniel, but he knew getting pulled over would upset their parents. Daniel was lucky they’d been willing to let him take Samuel out for the day after everything he’d done. Getting in trouble while Samuel was with him would quickly squash any chances of it happening again.

  “Play it cool, kid. He’ll probably give me a warning or something.” Daniel downplayed the situation even as he reached over to pop the glove box and get his registration. The sight of the gun hidden inside made Samuel gulp and Daniel cursed himself. “Don’t mention it,” he warned Samuel, who gave a frantic nod of his head.

  The officer stepped up to the side of the window and Daniel rolled it down. A sharp look at him and the officer said, “Please step from the car.”

  “Dan…” Samuel trailed off, his voice scared. The officer ducked down to see him in the passenger seat.

  “My little brother,” Daniel told him without asking as he pushed the door open. He hoped to distract the cop from his brother and the car. He kept his hands open and his stance loose and nonthreatening. He had at least six inches and sixty pounds on the man in front of him. His size alone was intimidating, no need to throw in a bad attitude or he’d find himself headed straight to jail.

  “Are you aware of how fast you were going?” The officer asked suspiciously.

  “No, sir.” Daniel kept his answers short and his tone respectful. He had no desire to get patted down and cuffed with his little brother watching.

  “You were doing sixty in a forty-five,” was the equally short response. “License and registration.”

  Daniel handed over the registration he’d pulled out along with the insurance card. “My license is in my wallet,” he informed the officer, reaching for his back pocket slowly. The cop nodded and Daniel pulled out his wallet.

  “I want to be a cop when I’m older,” a sudden voice piped up next to Daniel. Samuel had made his way out of the car and next to him, much to the officer’s surprise. “We’re going to the LSU game. I’ve never been. I can’t wait to watch the Tiger band at half-time. I play the tuba.” His words came out in a rush and left the officer bemused.

  “Well, that’s admirable. Why do you want to be an officer when you grow up?”

  “I want to help people. I want to protect them from the bad guys.” The innocence in his answer made Daniel swallow hard. Samuel saw the world in a simple black and white while Daniel lived in the gray far too often.

  “Those are good reasons. It’s not an easy job, but having the right reasons helps.” The officer deliberated for a moment before coming to a decision. “Everything looks in order. I’m letting you off with a warning.” A big smile broke out on Samuel’s face at the officer’s words.

  “Thank you, Officer Hart,” Samuel replied happily as Daniel nodded his appreciation.

  “We could use more like you,” Officer Hart answered him and Daniel could see the effect the words had on Samuel as he stood up a little straighter. The officer handed Daniel back his license and nodded. Daniel tucked it away and shooed Samuel into the car. His grin was practically blinding as he puffed with pride from the trooper’s words.

  Daniel glanced back, but with the sun partially blinding him he could only see the officer’s silhouette. Something in his stance bothered him, like a memory half formed, but he shook it off as Samuel started chattering excitedly.

  “How cool was that? He let us off. That was awesome. I can’t wait to tell my friends. He didn’t even look at the car twice.”

  “Samuel,” Daniel responded sharply. “Don’t mention the gun. To Mom and Dad or your friends. Are we clear?”

  “Yeah,” Samuel nodded, some of his excitement disappearing. “Why do you have it?”

  “For protection. Same reason cops wear them. That’s all, but you know Mom and Dad would freak.”

  “Yeah,” Samuel responded slowly, sinking down in his seat and Daniel scrambled for a way to bring back his earlier excitement.

  “You done good back there,” he finally said, glancing away from the road for a second to see a smile form on Samuel’s face.

  “Really
?”

  “Yup, you distracted him and got us off with a warning. I owe you a couple hot dogs for that.”

  “HOT DOGS?” Samuel grew even more excited if it was possible. “You know Mom doesn’t let us eat those.”

  Daniel laughed as he shoved his sunglasses on. “Well, what Mom doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

  ***

  Those same words skated though his thoughts once more, as Danny scrubbed a hand over his face.

  “What Mom doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

  He’d regretted those words more than anything else in his life when Samuel disappeared after band practice one afternoon, saying the exact same thing to one of his friends.

  “Hey, you okay?” A tiny hand accompanied the question, resting on his shoulder cautiously.

  “Yeah,” he answered automatically and the hand slipped away. He reached for it, his fingers sliding around the delicate bones of her wrist as he sighed. “No.”

  “No, what?” He felt her slight weight shift as she turned to face him and he angled his head toward her, keeping the rest of his body still least he frighten her.

  “No, I’m not okay.” Her eyes searched his as he admitted a rarely spoken truth. “I wasn’t expecting my past to show up last night. For you to see it or me…like that.”

  “It’s not like I don’t know you have a past,” Carly reminded him in a low voice.

  “Yeah, but I don’t think you ever expected it to show up so violently,” he replied, the events from the night before flashing through his mind one again. “Hey, are you okay?”

  She lifted her eyebrow inquisitively and he brushed his thumb across the curve of her cheek.

  “I slammed you down pretty hard when I went after Jace.” He shook his head as he studied her. “I should have been more careful.”

  “You should give yourself a break,” she answered tartly, capturing his hand. He blinked in surprise as she pulled his hand to her lips and kissed the broken skin of his knuckles. “I’d much rather be pushed to the ground and out of harm’s way then face that guy.” He felt more than saw her shudder at the mention of Jace, and curled his fingers around hers more firmly.