chair before he could say anything. She faltered and stumbled then
fell backward over the seat of the chair and the boxes stacked right
behind it. Whimpering as she went down again, Juliana’s head
cracked against the kitchen countertop.
Ash moved first, afraid she was going to lose consciousness, but
she shook her head and started griping at him again. Ethan found
another dishcloth and filled it with ice from the freezer then handed it
to her as Ash helped her back into the chair.
“I’ll call nine-one-one,” Angel said, appearing concerned as he
and Joaquin entered the carnage in Teresa’s living room.
Juliana held up her good hand, grimacing when Ash blotted again
at the wound on her back with the dishtowel. “No, Angel. Don’t do
that. Can someone take me to the emergency room? I would drive
myself but my wrist…I’m right handed. Oh, that’s just fucking great!
How am I supposed to work with a broken wrist? Son of a bitch! Ow-
ow-ow! Fuck, what are you doing to me!” she screeched like a white-hot poker had touched her back, not seeing the rather large splinter of
glass that Ash had just removed from the laceration. He was thankful
it hadn’t been lodged very deeply.
That had to have hurt like a son of a bitch. He looked up at Jack
and grimaced, showing it to him. Jack’s and Ethan’s faces blanched
when they saw how big it was. He dropped it in the trash can, and
after making sure there were no more pieces still stuck in the wound,
he pressed the towel carefully to her shoulder again.
Spurs and Heels
33
“I’ll take you to the emergency room.” Ash felt one hundred
percent responsible for her current pain.
“No! Uh-uh! I think you’ve done enough, Mister Helper. Jack can
take me, or any of the others. There’s no telling what else will happen
to me with the luck I have around you. I’m liable to self-destruct! Ow,
shit! Will you stop?”
“No, I will not! It’s my fault you fell. I’ll take you to the ER. Sit
still so I can wrap this towel around your shoulder.”
“Don’t tell me what to do, you big, overgrown—Urgh! That hurts!
Stop it!”
Adam moved the ladder out of the way so Ash could lift her up
and carry her out to the truck.
“Oh, no you don’t! I don’t need to be carried! There’s nothing
wrong with my legs! Son of a bitch, that hurt! Ow! My wrist!” she
howled as he carried her out to his truck. Angel opened the passenger
side door then Ash lifted her into the seat, which was too high for her
to climb into, even if she’d been able.
“Shush now. Let me buckle you up,” he muttered as he tried to
carefully ease her back in the seat.
“Did you just ‘shush’ me? This is all your damned fault! If you
hadn’t come barreling in there like some idiot motherfucker, I
wouldn’t be in this damned mess! You broke my wrist! You did this
to me! I’m not going anywhere with you! Jack! Help me down! I’ll
drive my own damned self to the ER.”
Ash retrieved the icepack from Ethan, who stood on the sidewalk
with big eyes, listening as the lovely and professional Juliana Meyers
cursed a blue streak that brought Ash’s paternal lineage into question,
made predictions on where she thought he’d end up after he died, and
what he’d do once he got there. Ash rolled his eyes as Ethan handed
over the icepack. If she was feeling up to that tirade, her injuries must
not be life-threatening.
Jack walked up to the truck to stop her from unbuckling the seat
belt and climbing down. “No. Now, sweetheart, listen. You need to sit
34
Heather Rainier
still and let Ash take you to the hospital. You’re only making it hurt
worse by getting so worked up.”
Ash returned with the icepack. “Here you go, darlin’. Put this
icepack—”
“Don’t you darlin’ me, you—” She growled as she leaned out of
the truck, getting right in his face.
Ash laid his hand carefully between her collarbones, pressing her
back into the seat, afraid to touch her anywhere for fear of causing
more pain. He looked her dead in the eyes, and she glared right back
with her icy-blues.
“Listen up, darlin’. I’ve had just about enough. Either you shut
the fuck up now, or I’m going to duct tape that pretty little potty
mouth of yours closed.” He slammed the door in her face, walked
around the front of the truck, and pulled open the driver’s side door.
“Do you kiss your mama and daddy with that mouth? Shame on you,”
he muttered then turned to the guys. “We’ll be in the ER for a while,