Dangerous Affection

The Aftermath

(QUINN'S POV)

Clint was finally down. The police, ones I knew we could trust, had him cuffed and on his knees. Lila stood a few feet away, her chest heaving, her eyes still burning with determination. She'd fought like hell, and it had paid off.

But the burning pain in my chest dragged me back to the here and now.

"Quinn!" Her voice softened as she turned toward me. Her eyes dropped to my chest, and her face blanched. "You're okay! I promise... I should have helped you sooner."

"It's not as bad as it looks," I said, though I was pretty sure it was. The dizziness was kicking in fast, but I wasn't about to admit it.

"No, it's bad!" She was already at my side, her hands on my arms. Her gaze darted around the empty hallway, desperate for something to stop the bleeding.

She pressed her hands against the wound, and I couldn't hold back the sharp gasp that escaped me.

"Why didn't you call the ambulance?" she snapped, her voice shaking.

"You forget that we are in the only hospital in this town," I muttered, trying to manage a smirk.

Her glare was a mix of fury and panic. "You're impossible."

"Hey," I said weakly, "I called the cops, didn't I?"

Her hands froze for a second, and her head snapped up. "You what? You said the police couldn't be trusted!"

"I called some friends from a neighboring town," I explained, leaning my head back against the wall. "Told them everything. Turns out, not all cops are corrupt."

She blinked at me, stunned, and then a scowl crept onto her face. "So you went behind my back, after saying my idea wouldn't work, and now you're trying to act like you're the hero?"

"Your idea was half right," I said with a shrug. "You just needed me to execute it properly."

The glare intensified, but I caught the faintest hint of a smile on her lips. "You're lucky you're bleeding, or I'd punch you right now."

I couldn't help but laugh, though it came out more like a wheeze. "Noted."

Her hands worked quickly, finding a cloth from her bag to press against the wound. "You're going to be fine," she muttered, more to herself than to me. "We're in a hospital. I can patch you up."

"Best nurse I know," I said, watching her with a faint smile. "I trust you."

Her eyes flickered up to mine for a split second, something soft and raw in her gaze, before she shook her head and focused back on her work. "Don't make me regret it."

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