“Nah. You’re enough to drive a man crazy. Any other lunatic ex-lovers I should know about? They’ll be gone before dawn.” He repositioned her. “Can you open your eyes?”

She shook her head a tiny bit, feeling like a baby. “They burn. I don’t want to.”

“All right. That settles that. Don’t try in case there’s glass in ‘em. You’re going to the ER. No idea how I’m going to explain this though.” Cash paused, leaning out the door. “Your mom is cracking me up. I’m pretty sure Beth gave up and okayed the use of a vacuum, even though a cleanup team is on the way.”

“Is Beth still here?”

“Yeah, Roman’s trying to hit on your girl, but she’s having nothing to do with it. And Beth may be on an adrenaline high.”

Nic laughed, then stopped short, her lips stinging anew. “Ow.” She ran her tongue tentatively over her lip and tasted her blood. “Don’t make me laugh. What about Jackson?”

“We’ll deal with that later.” Cash called over her shoulder. “Hey, Beth. C’mere.”

Nic heard Beth bounce into the bathroom, her mouth running highway speed before she could make out the words. “—believe that? I just knew it. And how much did I save your life with that cayenne shot. I told you, pack the pepper. Next time one of those boys shows up, knocking each other out—no offense, Cash—you can put them in place. When I gave you that box of ammo, it was a joke. A joke. And then those creepy-assed, drunk calls from Jackson. My timing pretty much rocked—”

“Beth.” Cash coughed to hide a laugh. “Take a breath girl.”

“How did Jackson find me?” Nicola asked Beth.

“I don’t have all the details, but Jackson found out that two Titan guys disarmed a bomb at your parents’ house. I don’t know. Maybe the bomb-disarming crowd likes to chat? And from all Jackson’s ramblings, I’m pretty sure he’d triangulated your burner phone and monitored your location. That’s how I found you. Throw that thing away. You sure as hell don’t answer it. I called you a million times today.”

“You’re the best, Beth.”

“They should put me out in the field. I’m a rock star.”

Nic smiled again, ready for the sting. “I know. I love ya, you know that?”

“Of course. God, Cash. She looks awful. Take her to the doctor.”

If Nic’s eyes had been open, they would’ve rolled. Cash threw Beth some version of, “yes, ma’am.” Nicola seriously loved both of them.

“Angel?”

“Nicky?”

Her parents replaced Beth who left, babbling. Nicola felt like a blind spectacle, but didn’t shy away from her parents. “I’m sorry.”