“We’re not in school anymore, McBride.”

“Tell me about the pain in your head, Branna,” Jake said, ignoring her words as he pulled out his cellphone and switched on the flashlight app before moving to squat before her. Once there, he pried open the eyelids she’d recently closed and shined the light into them. Her pupils didn’t react as they should as he flashed the light across them. In fact, the pupils weren’t constricting at all. “Vision blurred?”

“What are you doing?” She tried to bat his hands away, but he didn’t move. Instead, he eased her forward to inspect the cut on the back of her head. “Take your hands off me.”

“I don’t go for skinny, belligerent women,” Jake lied, regaining his feet to walk around the back of the chair to get a closer look. Penny had said her legs were fine, and he couldn’t disagree; they were long and shapely coming out of those ragged cutoffs, and she filled that shirt out nicely too. “You have way too much hair,” he muttered, parting the thick mass of black curls until he saw it. Not huge, maybe an inch, but it was matted with blood and may need a stitch.

“Ouch! Stop, that hurts.” She tried to push his hands aside again.

“Surely you’re not still pissed with me for reshaping your eraser into a phallic symbol?” He moved over her body, checking for other injuries. Reaching her left wrist, her breath hissed.

“Why are you doing this to me, McBride?”

“Because Penny asked me to, and while I’m not big on interacting with anyone much these days, here in Howling, when a friend asks you to do something, you usually end up doing it, no matter how reluctant you are,” Jake added. “Does your wrist hurt to move it?” he questioned. It was definitely damaged, but he didn’t know how badly. The most common wrist bone to break or fracture is the carpal bone. Symptoms sometimes include pain and swelling around the wrist. Okay, fuck, will you let up?

“Yes, now leave.”

“But you’re such good company.” He moved around the house until he found one of Georgie’s scarves hanging from the coat stand. He quickly fashioned a sling for her, then slipped her arm through it. When he finished, she made a gagging sound.

“You going to be sick, Rosebud?”

She pushed at his chest and tried to rise, but he simply lifted her into his arms and took her to the bathroom. Raising the toilet seat, he lowered her to the floor, then stood back as she threw up.

“Is there no end to this humiliation?” she whispered when it was over. Sitting back on her heels, she tried to glare up at him, but failed miserably. She was shaking and pale, and he didn’t want to feel sorry for her, but he did.