Page 76 of Cain

What he got off on.

I just hadn’t fully understood that at the time.

Three days after the party, though, when he caught my flu, he’d been laid up in bed, barking out commands for soup, for fluids, for me to fluff his pillows and bring him medicine.

The whole world stood still for him when he wasn’t well. And I was expected to wait on him hand and foot.

So it was hard to imagine a reality where someone could do for me. Could dote on me. Could even care about my discomfort, let alone take steps to ease it.

But knowing Cain had been a steady practice in unlearning everything I had come to know men to be.

Where Perry was short-tempered, Cain was patient. Where he was insulting, Cain was complimentary. Where Perry was selfish, Cain was the most selfless person I’d ever met.

Well, Jill and Janet had proven themselves pretty selfless too.

With them in mind, I reached for my phone and shot them a text.

Hey guys. I just wanted to say I won’t be back for a few days. I was in a pretty bad car accident, and I’m recovering with a friend.

The responses were almost instant.

Janet: Are you okay? I am going to need confirmation that you are actually you and that you’re alright. Send a picture.

Jill: Oh, a friend, huh? A bouncy friend?

I opened my camera, wincing at how bad I looked in the low light of Cain’s room. Then again, I doubted bright light would improve the situation.

I snapped a picture and sent it to the group chat.

I’m okay. Banged up my face and my knee. Have whiplash and some nasty bruises from the seatbelt. But I’m okay.

The chat bubbles were immediate.

Janet: Oh, you poor thing. Is there anything we can do? Aside from keep an eye on your place. Which we will continue to do, of course.

Jill: Well, if you have whiplash—no bouncing. But I vote for letting that big, strong biker take care of you.

The conversation went back and forth for a few more minutes before they told me to get rest and update them at least twice a day, so they knew I was okay.

I set my phone down on the nightstand with a small smile tugging at my lips.

I’d been alone for so, so long. The man who’d sworn to love, care, honor, and protect me had done the exact opposite.

Now, just a few months away from him, I had somehow acquired two friends who would literally go to war for me against anonymous creepy men, who wanted updates so they knew I was okay, who offered to come to my aid and take care of me.

Not only that, but I had a club of outlaw bikers who were willing to commit traffic crimes by chasing my attacker, who would contact friends to dig deeper and get a name.

And on top of that, I had Cain.

As if I’d summoned him, the bedroom door opened, and there he was with a tray of various drink options, a bottle of pills, and some icepacks.

“Food is ordered. The guys should be picking it up in a half an hour or so. Until then, we have tea and electrolytes. And medicine, of course. You okay?” he asked, glancing at the TV, then where I was still sitting exactly where he’d left me.

“Yeah, I was just texting Janet and Jill. From the motel. They would have worried when I didn’t come home.”

“It’s good you made some friends there.”

“And they’re true crime podcasters. They are suspicious of everyone. Well, except you.”