My arm burns and throbs at the same time, every little movement of my muscles makes it so much more intense. Almost like I’ve just been shot all over again.
If anyone ever says getting shot doesn’t hurt, they’re lying.
I plant my feet on the floor and stand. Gritting my teeth at the movement as I look around at all the faces watching me.
Charlie’s face is covered in a frown and I know he’s concerned about me but I don’t want him to be. I hate seeing that look on all of their faces. A mixture of pity and anger.
“I need to… I need… water,” I finally gasp out.
I hobble to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge and awkwardly twisting the top. It takes a few attempts as my vision blurs in and out and my hands shake, but once the cold liquid hits my tongue, I sigh in relief.
My hand wanders down to my jeans, pulling out my bottle of pills and placing them on the counter.
I have five left and I know that they should have lasted me at least another week but the pain is just too much, I can’t function without them at the moment. Once the wound is healed, I’ll be fine, I know that, but right now, I need to take two more.
I twist the lid off, pouring two into the palm of my hand and bringing them to my mouth, swallowing them down with a good glug of water and then resting my back against the counter.
My eyes close as the relief sets in, knowing that I’ll be fine, that in about fifteen minutes my arm won’t hurt a quarter as much as it is now and I’ll be back to my normal self, well, my new normal self.
“Kitty?”
My eyes spring open at the sound of Evan’s voice.
“Hey,” I croak.
“You okay?” he asks, sitting down at the small table and chair.
“Yeah,” I tell him, walking over and sitting down opposite him. “I’m good, just needed some water.”
I hold the bottle up and push my pills back into my pocket discreetly. My mind already planning how to get more. I have a checkup today, hopefully they’ll give me some more.
“You need a ride today?” he asks, a smile on his face.
My eyes flit over his face, trying to see if he’s trying to get at something else. Why would he offer to give me a ride? Why doesn’t Charlie want to take me? I mean, he stayed at my place again last night, is all this too much for him? Maybe it’s bringing back memories for him? Maybe—
“Kitty, calm down.” Evan’s hand covers mine and I startle, my eyes flicking to his and staying there. “I’m heading that way today, I have to meet with Geena, I just thought it’d kill two birds with one stone, ya know?”
My head nods slowly, my heart slowing from its erratic beat as I calm down, realizing that I was jumping to conclusions.
“O-okay.”
He grins, his whole face changing with the action and stands up, holding his hand out to me.
“Let’s play a game.” He smirks. “The options are… me, Luke, and Charlie. Kill, kiss, and marry.”
“Really, Evan? You wanna play my game with me, eh?” I chuckle.
Shaking my head, I put my arm through his and walk out of the kitchen, smiling at him trying to cheer me up.
“What?” he asks, his brows flying high on his head and a look of shock on his face. “Why can’t I play it?” He jabs his thumb at his chest.
“Cuz thems the rules,” I retort, patting his arm and taking my place back at the meeting table. Ty is in the middle of talking about his latest case and I try my hardest to listen to him, but when my eyes meet Charlie’s, I know that’s not going to be possible.
His brown eyes darken as he watches me, his hand stroking his jaw and I can almost feel the way the stubble would feel if that was my hand. How it’d be rough against the pads of my fingers but soft at the same time.
My fingers itch with wanting to touch him, to grab him and weave my fingers through his brown hair, hair that is so soft it’s almost unnatural. I squeeze my legs together, trying to relieve the feelings that I have brewing inside and his lips lift up on one side. He knows exactly what he’s doing.
“Charlie? Anything on your end?”