The Salvation of Daniel (The Blue Butterfly Book 2) (14 page)

THE DOOR SWUNG open revealing a tall woman, a mass of blonde curls pulled back into a bunch behind her head. She frowned at me then her eyes widened when they shifted to Connie who was holding on to me for support.

She rushed forward, dragging Connie’s other arm over her shoulder and pulling her into the house. “Shit, Con. What the hell happened?”

“Hey.” My brows rose at the soft look they exchanged, Connie’s lips turning into a genuine smile, one she didn’t display often. “I’m so sorry, Katey. I wouldn’t have come to you but I…”

Katey flapped her hand at Connie, halting her apology. “Don’t be silly.” Her eyes shifted to me. My brows elevated further with the hatred she exposed. “You must be Daniel.”

She didn’t give me a chance to reply before she directed me through a long corridor and into a bedroom at the back of the house. “Lay her on the bed.”

Connie smiled at me weakly, obviously apologising for her friend’s harsh tone as I settled her on her stomach on top of the large bed. I smiled and shook my head. “It’s okay.”

Katey returned with various medical equipment. “Katey’s a doctor,” Connie explained when I watched her pull several things from a small case.

“Ahh.” I nodded, finally understanding the reason she brought us here.

Katey started to cut through the back of the t-shirt I’d managed to slip over Connie’s head, exposing the deep cuts, a deep sigh leaving her when she found what awaited her. “Jesus Christ, Con.”

I winced when the material that had stuck to her skin pulled at the fresh injuries causing the bleeding to start again. Katey turned to me, her eyes narrow and heated. “Do you need to be here?”

I stared at her, humour touching my lips.

“Katey,” Connie said softly, her head turning so she could look at Katey over her shoulder. She reached out her hand, Katey linking her fingers through Connie’s. “It’s okay, love. He’s okay.”

Katey lifted a brow, disputing Connie’s declaration. “I doubt that but for now I’d prefer it if he left me to work.”

Connie’s eyes swung to mine, asking the question Katey hadn’t the decency to ask me herself. I lifted my hands and shrugged. “Sure.”

“Can you fetch my things from the car?” She gave me another apologetic smile.

“Sure.” I blew out an irritated breath as I left them to it.

I was drinking coffee when Katey walked in to the kitchen. “She okay?”

She didn’t answer me straight away, her rigid body walking past me to the sink and filling a glass of water. I kept my gaze on her, her hostility making me guarded. She palmed the edge of the sink, her back to me as she looked out of the window.

“Did you sleep with her?”

“Did
you
?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your concern,” she spat.

I tipped my head. “You just answered your own question.” It was obvious she was in love with Connie. Their relationship surprised me but on the other hand, it didn’t. Connie was one of those that took sex for what it was – sex, a way to please and release tension. It wasn’t sentimental for her, nor was it personal. She took it as it came, and in a way I admired her for that. Emotions just got in the way, as I’d found out with Mae.

She turned around, her eyes both angry and sad. “Did you do that to her?”

I laughed, causing her to bite her lip. “No. No, I did not.”

She shook her head and eyed me warily, crossing her arms over her chest. “But from what I’ve learnt about you, that is something that would fit your… character.”

I agreed with her wholly, but not this time. “Look, we don’t like each other, and that’s fair enough but let’s just try and get on for Connie’s sake. Hopefully we won’t be in your way for too long. How is she?”

She hesitated, weighing up my words before she sagged. “She’s okay. She has to watch for infection. And knowing Connie, her injuries won’t hold her back.” I nodded in agreement. “She’s sleeping at the moment.” She walked towards the door but stopped and turned back to me. “I’ll stay with her. Let her rest, it’s what she needs right now. God knows, you’ve taken up enough of her nightmares.”

“I’m sorry?” Her cryptic words caused her to blanch when she realised she’d said too much.

“It doesn’t matter. Just let her rest for tonight.”

I took a gulp of my now cold coffee and nodded. “I trust you’ll heed your own directive.”

“Excuse me?”

“Nothing, just… allow her some rest.”

She knew what I meant; her guilty expression told me exactly what she’d hoped would happen between her and Connie tonight. My dick hardened with the thought but, strangely, my gut twisted with hatred. I blinked, pushing the feeling aside before standing and placing my cup in the sink.

“You’ll find blankets in the cupboard in the hallway. Unfortunately I don’t have a spare bed so the sofa will have to do.”

“That’s fine.” I flicked her a glance. “Thank you.”

“I’m not being considerate for your benefit. But Connie will expect me to play host like a good girl.”

I bit back the amusement and locked her gaze. “And are you a good girl, Katey?”

She bit her tongue and huffed in anger. “No, Mr Shepherd. I am not. But given your standards… I’m fucking holy.”

I chuckled, pushing out my cheek with my tongue and nodded. “I’ll remember that.”

She walked away, fury radiating from her. Rolling my eyes I huffed at myself. Why the hell did I always have the need to belittle women? Memories of my childhood flooded my head, my mother’s sickening pleas to my father, visions of her on her knees, her hands clawing at his clothes as she begged him not to leave her. The guilt of her death was crippling but I refused it, shaking my head to eliminate the nightmares that haunted my days.

Lifting my gaze through the window, my breath stuttered as my heart locked down, my throat tightening as I spotted a tiny blue butterfly resting on the windowsill outside. I couldn’t look away as it appeared to stare at me. The fact that it was dark out made my skin ripple with goosebumps, my stomach both flipping excitedly and my legs trembling with the pain capturing my breath.

“Mae?” Her name came out a choked whisper as I lifted a hand slowly. It stayed there, regarding me as I touched the glass with my finger, stunning me further. It continued to watch me for a while before it fluttered its wings and flew into the darkness.

I closed my eyes as disappointment flooded me, then sighed when I realised I was actually going crazy. Maybe it had been a moth and I was just confused. Butterflies weren’t nocturnal, and the moth had probably been drawn to the light shining through the kitchen window.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was still early and suddenly there was somewhere I needed to be.

I didn’t want to wake Connie so I grabbed my jacket and quietly closed the door behind me.

“Hello, lamb.”

Annie would be heartbroken at the sight of the weeds pushing through, their ugliness marring something that we both held dear. Dropping to my knees beside the grave, I plucked them from the ground, piling them at the side of me ready for dropping them in the bin on the way out of the cemetery.

“Well.” I sighed. “Your sister is not how I imagined she would be.” I chuckled to myself, picturing Mae’s smirk. “She acts tough though, yet something tells me that’s just a muse, camouflage for the pain inside.”

I brushed away the pile of leaves and debris that had come to rest at the base of the headstone with the high winds we’d had recently. I frowned when my tidying uncovered a fairly fresh white lily. I scanned my surroundings as though I expected the bearer to still be there. The graveyard was quiet, it was night after all, but I shuddered when something didn’t fit. Connie had been with me for the previous few days so I knew it hadn’t been her who had decorated Mae’s resting place.

“Who came here?” I asked out loud then rolled my eyes. “Good God. I think I might actually be losing it.” Maybe Helen had brought Annie. Yes, that seemed the most appropriate explanation. Relaxing slightly I traced the embossed wording on the stone, my skin once again touching Mae as my fingertip skimmed over her name.

“I miss you.” I told her, knowing I didn’t have company and could be honest. It was the only place I could be honest. I didn’t know the reason why but her company always found its way inside me, giving me the freedom to liberate my thoughts and feelings.

The breeze picked up, generating a chill through me and triggering a shiver. “Do I trust her? Do I allow her to command how this goes? You know her better than me, my darling. I need your thoughts.”

An emptiness enveloped me when nothing but quiet answered me. “She didn’t leave you, Mae. She saved you… More than I could ever do.” The lump in my throat was back. It was time to go. Kissing my fingers, I ran them over her name and smiled sadly. “I love you, lamb. I’ll always love you. I still feel you, watching me,” I disclosed with a shameful whisper. “You’re still in here.” I palmed my chest and sighed. “You’ll always be here, right at the very front.”

I took a step away then turned back to her. “Save a place for me, Mae. I’ll be joining you very shortly.”

I PEELED MYSELF from Katey’s hold, soothing her murmured moan with a stroke of my thumb across her cheek. She sighed, falling into the deep realms of sleep once again. Her naked body held me hostage for a minute and I debated waking her for a moment. Katey was many things, amazing in the sack was one of them, however her emotions were her downfall. The thought saddened me. She deserved so much more and definitely someone who could appreciate her and love her.