Remembering last night’s event sent chills down my neck. He was right, anything could’ve happened to us over there if those men suddenly didn’t get…

It was his men who did the miracle last night.

Though it was ridiculous for him to hire bodyguards for me, deep down, I was grateful. But I’d definitely talk to him about it later when he would be calm.

“I…I went there to get Beth. She needed me.”

“Then you could’ve just informed Caleb or Tobias. Why did you go there all by yourself?” A muscle of his jaw ticked.

Pressing my lips, I narrowed my eyes. “I know I shouldn’t have gone there alone. But I didn’t know where that bar was exactly located, all right? I had no idea that area would be so eerie at that time.”

“You…” Letting out a sigh, he pinched the bridge of his nose. Then my gaze fell onto his knuckles. They were bruised.

“What happened to your hands? How did they cut?” Rushing near him, I took his hands in mine.

“It’s nothing.” He tried to retract them, but I held them firmly.

“Hold still! Where’s your first aid kit?” I asked, checking the dark bruises and cuts. How did he get them?

When he stayed quiet, watching me in silence, I cast him a look.

A sigh left him. “In my bedroom.”

Dragging him into his bedroom, I made him sit at the edge of the bed and got out the first aid kit.

Sitting beside him, I grabbed his hands and sanitized them before applying balm on his knuckles. He didn’t flinch during the whole process. He just kept watching me with something intense swirling in his gaze.

“How did you get them? And why are they still unattended?” I tried my best not to look into his eyes.

“They weren’t that serious. So, I let them be,” he replied, not answering my first question. “And I’m glad I didn’t, otherwise you wouldn’t be here treating me.”

This time, I looked up into his gray pools.

“T-that’s ridiculous! You could get infected!”

A shrug. “I’m used to them.”

Used to the pain? Why?

“You didn’t tell me why you left.” I wrapped the bandage around his right hand.

After a moment of silence, he answered, “I needed some time alone.”

“For what?” I whispered.

“To clear my head and think straight.”

Just as I thought talking to him gently would make him give straight answers, he proved me wrong. He was back with his complicated replies.

“Is-is everything all right?” I cast him a hesitant glance, completing his bandaging.

Silence.

A gasp slipped through my lips as he hauled me onto his lap. “Ace!”

Nuzzling my neck, he inhaled deep. “Now, everything is all right.”

With blood rushing up my cheeks, I wiggled in his arms. “W-what are you doing? Let go of me.”