In My Skin

CH 25 || Too Cold Without a Jacket

Killian tugged me over to a massive black truck that I had seen in Cody's garage before. I eyed the distance between the ground and the door. Maybe I could jump?

"Did you just push your ex onto poor Cody?" I asked, making my voice sound nonchalant.

"She's not my ex," he said bluntly.

I tried to ignore the way my heart jumped at that. "Sounded like it..."

"Well, you heard wrong." Killian cracked a grin. "Don't listen to people full of bull, remember?"

My mouth opened and closed a few times while Killian watched me, his eyes shining with amusement. He'd heard that? How much of it?

"Um...why did you guys arrive in two cars?" I asked quickly, looking everywhere but him.

"I was at the train station. Someone from the bar called Cody. He arrived right after me." Killian opened the passenger door and produced his forest-green snow jacket which was promptly stuffed over my head.

Before I could regain my bearings he lifted me and put me onto the seat. "Oh," I managed to get out. I only now realized that he was clad in a dark gray thermal sweatshirt. He looked kind of nice to be honest.

"And on that note." All the humor drained from his face and he shifted forward, fixing me with a hard stare. "What were you thinking?"

So much for my diversion tactic.

My nails dug into my palms. "I mean... Fine. In hindsight, it might not have been the smart thing to do."

A muscle jerked along his jaw. Suddenly, he looked pissed. "Really? Arguing with an obviously drunk guy twice your size was not the smart option. I'm glad you know that."

I matched his glare without craning my neck for once. The truck was that high. "You didn't hear them, alright? But don't worry," I shot back. "Next time I won't bother."

The corners of his mouth quirked, betraying the smothering look on his face. I had a feeling my head half-sticking out of the tent of a jacket did not work in my favor to look menacing.

"Although I wish you wouldn't get into fights, it was nice of you to defend me. But don't risk your safety for a guy. Not even me."

My body warmed. "Don't misunderstand. I didn't do this for you or anything. I just don't like them and the way they talked was annoying. It was just a coincidence that they were also talking about you."

"Alright. I guess you can add that little lie to that diary about me."

My mouth dropped open.

His lips curled into a dark grin as he shut the door and walked around the front.

"Why did I even bother? I should have cheered them on," I said when he entered the driver's side.

He lifted his brows and started the car. "Why? I thought it wasn't about me?"

"It...wasn't." I would put this blunder on my dizzy head. Yep.

"Sure."

"I mean it," I said with more emphasis.

"Yeah, yeah."

"Stop!" I shouted.

Maybe his reflexes were that great or he just got used to my erratic behavior but Killian didn't even flinch.

"We have to get Suzy!" I fumbled for my seat belt. I couldn't believe I had forgotten about her.

Killian caught my hand in his larger much warmer one. "Don't you read your texts? Nick came to surprise her. He sort of lured her out and kidnapped her." He let go and I released the breath I didn't know I'd been holding. "That's why I was here. To act as her stand-in so to speak."