“I’ll help,” Lily offered as she went down on her hands and knees to pick up the papers.
“We all will,” Winter said, taking out her cell phone. “Evie, could you and a couple of the women come down to Diamond Richards’s office? Someone broke into it, and she needs help cleaning up. Thanks.”
“That’s unnecessary; both Holly and I can handle this,” Diamond protested.
“Really? I think I’d be interested to see you try to lift those filing cabinets and desk,” Knox said, moving forward with Rider to lift the heavy cabinets back into place while Shade, Train, and Viper went into her office to lift the heavy desk.
“It took a couple of people to create this damage. The sheriff came into the diner after you left. He told us your office had been vandalized. He thinks more than one person was responsible for the damage, also,” Knox said, righting the end tables while the others restored order to the rest of the furniture.
Winter, Beth, and Holly joined Lily on the floor.
“When the others get here, we can get them back in order,” Beth said.
“Please stop, Winter. You’re getting married tomorrow; I’m sure you have things you need to take care of. I can handle—”
A sharp gasp from Lily had everyone’s attention going to her. She raised her hand with blood dripping from a wound.
“Beth…” Lily whispered, turning toward her sister and giving another gasp of pain, reaching for her knees. Blood seeped onto the papers she was kneeling on.
Winter and Beth immediately moved toward the young woman, but before either could reach her, Shade was lifting Lily from the floor into his arms. Lily tried to struggle free with her eyes on her bloody hand.
“Where’s the bathroom?” Shade snapped at Diamond.
When she pointed to the door outside her office, Shade strode from the room with a still-struggling Lily.
“Beth…”
Shade didn’t slow down at Lily’s whimper.
“Stop it, Lily,” Shade said, sitting her down on the closed toilet seat.
Her eyes remained on her bloody hand as her eyes started to roll back into her head. A sudden shake had her eyes traveling back to Shade.
“Eyes to me, Lily,” he snapped. “Don’t look at your hand again.”
“It hurts.”
Shade’s lips tightened. He had almost protested when Lily had gone to her knees to pick up the messed-up office, yet he hadn’t wanted to interfere. He was angry at himself for not following his instincts. He was getting fucking tired of the fine line he was walking to keep everybody happy, especially since Lily was invariably the one getting hurt because he was unable to protect the accident prone woman.
“I’ll get the glass out and get it cleaned up, and then the sting will stop.”
“Beth is a nurse; she can do it, Shade. I want Beth,” Lily replied stubbornly, refusing his help. Shade knew she was reacting to being in the close confinement of the room with him.
“I’m sure you do. Do you think Beth can pull out that glass with you crying and acting like a baby?” he said, hoping her anger would arouse her fighting instincts.
While Lily stiffened, Shade could see her trying to gather her composure as her eyes tried to sneak a peek at her still-oozing injury.
“Eyes on me,” Shade snapped again, wetting paper towels and gently picking out the fine shards of glass.
He could instantly feel her gaze on his face. She hadn’t argued against his commands, even though he had been a bit harsh. The same nearness of the restroom, which was unnerving her, was straining his control.
As he finished her hand, he heard a knock on the door and Razer telling him he had a first-aid kit. When he opened the door, a silent message passed between the two men before the door closed once more.
Shade opened the box, finding sterile gauze for cleaning her knees. One particular shard had become imbedded there, so he took great care in removing it; however, Lily’s dress had ridden up her silky thighs, rattling his concentration. Shade’s hands shook as he finished cleaning her knees, wiping them with an antiseptic and starting to wrap them with bandages. He felt her tremble as his hands touched the soft skin behind her knees, trying to clench her thighs together.
“Open your legs. I need to wrap your other knee.”
He felt her legs open a scant amount so he wrapped it softly, stroking the sensitive flesh behind her knee. When she would have pulled away, Shade rose to his feet, letting his hand slide across the top of her thighs with a delicate touch the innocent girl would think was accidental.
Taking her hand, he applied the antiseptic to it then wrapped it, taking his time once more, enjoying her eyes watching his every move. Unable to prolong the inevitable any longer, he took a step away.
“You’re done.”