Divided

by Kimberly Montague

  I glared at him—I couldn't help it. My anger toward Hernandez had less to do with him though, and more to do with the fact that I had been talked about. Not only had they talked about me, but they gave everyone the wrong impression with their let-me-be-the-big-tough-protector demeanor. That pissed me off.

  "But you're not." He pulled up a large section of the bandage, and I winced sharply—all thoughts of Harm and Dev replaced by pain. With the air hitting a portion of my wound, I thought I might pass out. As it was, I gripped the comforter on the bed and did my best not to scream as Hernandez continued peeling up the bandage.

  "Hey, sorry. I got caught up helping Kenley." Sierra stood in the doorway with a small toolbox in her hands.

  "Helping?" Hernandez laughed. "Is that the code-word nowadays."

  "Shut up, Hernandez, or I'll let Vaughn kill you next time." She finally turned to me. "We didn't get introduced in the car, but I'm Sierra. Your brother and I are good friends. I've heard a lot about you. I don't think I've ever met a brother so completely taken with his sister before."

  Sierra—she was the one my brother was having a relationship with—or hooking up with—I didn't know the particulars yet. She put her hand out to me, and I shook it, but Hernandez pulled on the bandage in a seriously tender spot. I squeezed my eyes shut and gripped her hand.

  "Breathe," she said in a firm, but gentle voice, kneeling close beside the bed. "Small breaths, Evie. Hernandez, stop for a minute."

  He backed away from me as she sat on the bed next to me.

  She patted my hand. "I need to give you something for the pain—it'll make you sleepy, but—"

  I shook my head as vigorously as I could. "No. I don't wanna sleep anymore."

  "You won't be asleep too long," she continued, "but I—"

  "No!" I was much more forceful this time, bordering on downright mean. Hernandez took a step away from me, but Sierra kept hold of my hand beside me. I felt guilty immediately. They were only trying to help, and here I was taking out my pain on them. "Please, no," I breathed out and opened my eyes to look at Hernandez. "I'm sorry."

  He gave me a nod and looked back at my chest. Absentmindedly, he said, "Really not what I expected."

  Sierra pulled back the bandage a bit and studied my wound. Pleasantly, she said to Hernandez, "Do me a favor and go grab Vaughn and Kenley." He jogged away, as she patted my hand. "So here's the deal, Hernandez is an idiot. He thinks he can push Dev's buttons through you. He's a nice guy, really, but he's just a moron sometimes."

  I unclenched my jaw long enough to ask, "What's he got against Dev?"

  "He's fine with Dev. They just have this battle going on—kind of like entertainment for them. But the idiot doesn't realize he's crossing a very serious, deadly line by bringing you into it." She shook her head, smiling. "I hope he realizes the fire he's playing with before it's too late."

  I was a little worried about Dev killing Hernandez, but the way Sierra smiled and seemed to think it was funny, allowed me to push my worry aside. Dev knew what he was doing.

  A moment later, the three guys came into the room. Dev stretched out on the bed next to me while Harm sat at the end with his hand on my leg. Their concerned faces made me anxious and a little panicked.

  I turned to Dev. "Am I dying?"

  He smiled at me and pressed his warm lips to mine, but I read serious worry in his eyes. "No, baby, you're not dying." He grabbed my right hand and rubbed circles on the top. "They're gonna give you my blood, so I can beat off the infection that asshole put in you."

  I grimaced. I hated blood. It always made me nauseous. The only thing I hated more than blood was needles. I could feel my heart rate accelerate, and my palms got sweaty.

  "Hey, come on now, I'm right here. Sierra's amazing with this stuff. She's gonna put an IV in your left hand, and Harm and I are right here with you." My eyes widened with fear, and he scooted closer to me. "Just listen to me, keep your eyes connected with mine and listen to my voice."

  I nodded and squeezed his hand tighter as Sierra sat down on the bed next to me again.

  Dev smiled and glanced up at Sierra. "I don't think I've told you this one before." He brought his eyes back to mine. "About the first time I kissed her?"

  Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her shake her head. Harm scrubbed his face with his hand, but I kept my eyes on Dev.

  "It was an ambush." He winked at me. "I used her weakness for blood against her. Butcher had scratched the hell out of her back—"

  "By accident," I clarified for Harm's sake. It wasn't Butchie's fault.

  Dev shook his head at me and brushed the hair from my face. "Still saving wild things."

  I gave him a very pointed look. "Yep, you're pretty wild."

  He smiled and nodded with pride. "She was bleeding down her back. I pushed her into Sonya's bathroom and locked the door. She looked down at the blood, and all the color drained from her face." His eyes were such a clear blue that I wanted to swim in them. "I think I was in worse shape, though. I'd been a wreck all day with her wandering around in that damn bikini." He shook his head again.

  I glanced at Harm, but he just watched us silently.

  "I was so in love with her," Dev continued, "and she was still with that idiot. I was so mad at her for not admitting that we should be together. So I bandaged up her back and kissed her. I thought she'd shove me away, maybe hit me, maybe just yell at me about her damn boyfriend. When she threw her arms around me—I—I was stunned." He raised his eyebrow slightly at me. "No one else existed for me after that moment—she was it."

  I saw Harm close his eyes and shake his head. Poor Harm. He looked a little heartbroken. Sierra ran something cold across my skin, and I grabbed tighter to Dev's hand.

  He kissed my cheek. "I pushed her more than I should have after that. She was hiding from it. I forced her to let me drive her home, and I swore I would stay away from her—that I wouldn't kiss her again—but that was impossible. I was pathetic after that. She stayed with him, and Gary had to talk me into leaving her alone. I followed her to her classes—I don't think you know that, baby—"

  I shook my head. He really followed me? I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed.

  "I was so close to stopping you and asking you what the hell you were doing. If Gary hadn't been there—" He shook his head and let out a long breath. "Then that day at lunch when he asked you if you loved him—baby, you ripped my heart out. I'm a pretty stubborn guy. I can take a lot, but damn, you killed me with that."

  I kissed the back of his hand. "I'm sorry." I remembered that day. I had to escape to the bathroom just to get away from Jay, and I felt so awful that I'd said I loved Jay in front of Dev.

  He shook his head and glanced over at Sierra. "Hold still, baby."

  I closed my eyes tight and squeezed Dev's hand as I felt the needle go into my skin.

  "When I followed you to the vending machines, I told myself I had to stay calm. Then you practically fell into my arms, and I lost all control. I was so mad that you were staying with him that I wanted to grab you and shake some sense in you. I almost walked away for good, but when you crumpled to the ground, I couldn't take it, couldn't stand to see you hurting. I still can't, baby. I just had to do something to make it better."

  The IV wasn't painful, but it was uncomfortable. Sierra taped it down to my hand.

  "You did make it better," I assured him.

  The corner of his mouth lifted into that crooked grin I loved so much. "I remember making you tremble that day." He glanced up at Harm with a little fear. "I kissed her. That's all." Harm simply nodded. "And I told her to break up with him—again."

  "Did she?" Hernandez asked. I'd completely forgotten he was in the room.

  Dev turned to Hernandez. "Nope. She's stubborn like her brother. It took another day." The tender way he looked at me almost edged out the pain in my chest. "When I showed up at Sonya's, forcing my way into your life, I didn't know what to expect. I thought Jay might be there, and I knew if yo
u still acted like he was your boyfriend—I knew I'd lose it. But I had to see you. I sped the whole way to Sonya's then sat out in the car for like twenty minutes trying to get up the courage to go in. When you called me your boyfriend that night, I was—well I was crazy."

  I shook my head. "What are you saying? You were totally calm and cool like it was no big deal."

  "Outside, baby, outside. Inside I was just an idiot. I turned the radio up so high and sang at the top of my lungs the whole way home. I went screaming your name through the house. My parents laughed so hard at me. Ask my dad about it, and he'll tell you all the embarrassing things I did. I had to get it out of my system, so I could be cool around you."

  "You guys are adorable together," Sierra commented.

  I turned to smile at her, but she had a syringe in her hand with a really long, huge needle. Okay, it probably was a normal needle, but it looked massively painful to me. The contents of my stomach sloshed around like an angry sea.

  She put her hand on my arm. "Relax, the IV is getting poked this time, not you. It'll kick in super fast, and you'll float away to dream land."

  My heart accelerated more, and I started to freak out. I didn't want to be away from Dev. I didn't want to be knocked out when something could happen to him or they could take him away from me again, and I wouldn't even know it.

  I turned back to Dev. "I don't want—you're, you're—something could happen—"

  His eyes hardened, and he firmly held my cheek in his hand. "I'm not leaving your side—not ever. I'll be right here when you wake up. I promise, baby."

  The panic made me breathe too hard and too fast, sending sharp pain through my chest. I dug my fingers into Dev's arm and squeezed my eyes shut as hard as I could.

  "Please, Evie?"

  Between the excruciating pain and the pleading in Dev's voice and eyes, I was forced to give in. Honestly, I wasn't sure I could handle the pain much longer before my body knocked me out again on its own.

  Dev looked away from me. "Go ahead, Sierra."

  I kept my eyes locked with Dev's and gripped his hand through the pain in my chest. He ran his fingers through my hair and spoke softly in my ear as Sierra put the syringe to my IV.

  "When you wake up, Harm might kill me, but I won't be able to keep my hands, eyes, and mouth off of you."

  I smiled wide at that as the pain slowly lessened. Everything was already getting a little swirly, and I strained to hear what he was saying.

  "I love you so much, baby. I just can't believe I have you in my arms again. I've missed you so—"

  The numbness took over, and everything around me vanished. I was petrified about the infection in my body. I didn't even understand their plan to put Dev's blood in me let alone have any clue if it would work. I had no idea if we'd make it out of California. I had no idea if I'd see Sonya again. But despite it all, being in Dev's arms, knowing he'd be by my side for everything to come, made me feel like it might all turn out okay and gave me enough peace to drift off into the pain-free darkness for a while.

  Acknowledgements

  I'd like to thank those who had a hand in helping me work through this story and iron out the wrinkles.

  Tricia Homer, who reads everything I write even in the most rough draft form and tells me she wants more.

  Ted Montague, who pushes his way through romance even though it's completely not his genre of choice and had such a strong hand in this book when I just couldn't seem to get it where I wanted it to be.

  Kim Steele and Mary Catherine Bunn, who encourage me and offer me invaluable guidance and support.

  Krystal Zitek and Farida Mestek, who volunteered to be my awesome beta-readers and offered me such helpful feedback.

  And to my blog followers for always helping me to choose the best covers.

  Thank you so much. I love you all.

  Excerpt from Manipulated: A Setenid Blight Novel

  Albuquerque Infection

  Mr. Vigil passed out the familiar "Think-Pair-Share" worksheet we'd used a million times. It was a simple eight-question multiple choice sheet where we were to discuss the questions, make an educated guess on the answers, and share our thoughts. They never bothered me before when I had Crystal as my partner, who paid attention and cared about doing her work. But now, as I looked over at my new partner, I groaned. This would not be fun.

  "Okay, get to it," Mr. Vigil called out.

  I wrote our names at the top and immediately, the harassment began.

  "You know how to spell my name, sunshine?"

  I gave him that do-I-look-like-a-moron expression. "I've written you several tardy slips, Brodie. It's not like your name is that unique."

  "But you remembered it." He scooted his chair forward, so he was within inches of me. "That's sweet."

  I had a feeling I was going to wind up with a headache from all the eye rolling he naturally made me do. "What is the primary reason for conflict in Congress and state legislatures?"

  He pulled his fingers through several strands of my hair. "Are you gonna keep it black or let the blonde grow back out?"

  "My hair color is not part of the assignment. We're supposed to be talking about the worksheet."

  He stared dreamily at my hair, picking up a few more strands and letting them glide through his fingers. "You should dye it red, like Kool-Aid red."

  I glared at him. "I would never dye my hair with Kool-Aid."

  He chuckled, moving his Adam's Apple in a noticeably attractive way. "I didn't say you should use Kool-Aid, just the color. Although, cherry-scented hair to go with your cher—"

  "Shut up," I smacked him in the chest, but he was solid, and it made my hand sting a bit.

  "You're so sensitive about that," he smiled sweetly. "Like I said, I'd be happy to scratch that itch for you, sweetheart."

  I covered my face with my hands in annoyance. "Oh—my—God." Sucking in a deep breath, I put my hands back on the table, palms down. "Could we just finish the freaking worksheet?"

  "You already know this stuff, why don't you just circle the right answers while I amuse myself with your hair and your adorably blushing nose." He tapped my nose once and resumed playing with my hair.

  It took me a full minute to get my brain back on track. He knew I knew the answers. But how did he know that? He'd barely been in class in the two months I'd been at Armstrong. How did he know anything about me?

  "What are you doing this weekend?" he asked out of nowhere.

  I turned to glare at him. "How do you know I know the answers?"

  He arched his dark eyebrow at me, and his eyes sparkled with flecks of green amidst the foggy grey. "You answer mine, and I'll answer yours."

  I wasn't doing anything any weekend. I would likely sit on the couch in my sweats and watch TV while creating strange artwork on Dad's laptop. I wasn't going to tell him that, though. "Flying to London by personal invitation from the Queen."

  His eyebrow arched even higher on his forehead. "I know you know the answers because I'm psychic."

  "Just answer the question," I demanded.

  "Why," he asked, smiling again. "You didn't answer mine."

  I folded my arms across my chest and stared at the clock. Twenty minutes more and Dad would arrive to take me to my doctor's appointment, so I could stop wearing the stupid brace. Sarcasm aside, I didn't lie. I hated lying, and I hated liars. Kelsea was a liar. Bill was a liar. I didn't want any commonalities to exist between them and me. But it killed me to answer him because it showed what a loser I was. I had no family to hang out with, no friends to talk to, and absolutely nothing to do. Staring at my arms, I managed to mumble, "Nothing."

  He ran his fingers through my hair again, grasping the back of my neck and guiding me to look at him. "Back when your hair was still blonde, I'd come to class, and you were so bored. The way you glared at everything and sped through all the work made me laugh. I didn't know why you bothered with it. I still don't. It's pointless, you know."

  He surprised me with his ho
nest answer. But the reality was we were stuck here. To get out, you had to do the work. "It's a grade, Brodie. You have to get them to move on. Don't you want to move on?"

  He shrugged, but kept a serious eye-lock with me. "Sometimes yes, and sometimes not so much. What are we moving on to?"

  Hadn't I just been feeling the same exact thing about leaving my office family? The shared sentiment caught me off guard. I hadn't expected to have anything in common with this guy other than the stupid attraction we seemed to feel to each other. I didn't like the unexpected.

  I knew my heartbeat was too fast, and he surely noticed the way my breathing sped up. I had to pull my mask back in place. "Can we just get this worksheet done? Since we're both so smart, it should only take a second, right?"

  He studied me for a moment and nodded gravely. I looked back down and tried to keep my voice even as I read the first question again. "What is the major reason for—"

  He moved his chair next to mine and scooted so close to me that his left thigh pressed against my right thigh. He put his arm around my waist, making all kinds of hormones react in my body. Leaning his upper body so close to me I could easily kiss his cheek, he placed his right hand over mine and moved our hands and the pen toward the first question. I was so freaking flustered that I didn't even know how to react. My head was screaming push him away and everything else in me was screaming kiss him.

  His warm breath sent shivers down my spine. "What is the primary reason for conflict in Congress and state legislatures?" He moved our hands to the first answer. "Nope, not this one." Then he moved us to the next answer. "Not that one either."

  "Mr. Decker." Mr. Vigil stood in front of our table. "What are you doing?"

  Brodie didn't move an inch. "We already know what we think. Now we're pairing and sharing."

  "Move away from her," he said sternly.