#9 The Lonely Rogue

Junie

I walked out from behind the curtain in a pair of black leggings, tan sandals, and a black sports bra. Caspian looked like he was about to keel over at the sight of me. His eyes turned dark and lustful as they scanned my body, drinking me in. His gaze paused on my stomach and I knew he saw all of the silver scars that littered my body. Some were from Reid and Corbin, and others I got from squabbles in school. Even for a human I was scrawny, but I hated a bully and never knew how to keep my mouth shut.

“I can’t seem to get this.” I spoke in a husky tone, holding my dark green tank top out towards him, “I can’t lift my arm.” I added.

Caspian cleared his throat and blushed. Yes, the Alpha King actually blushed. He took a few tiny steps forward, taking the shirt from my hands. The left side of my chest and stomach was pulled together with several large pieces of tape, helping to stabilize my ribs and manage the pain. It hurts to bend in any sort of direction.

“Like this?” Caspian mumbled, slipping the shirt carefully up my broken arm.

“That’s fine.” I hissed in pain as he pulled the shirt over my head, careful not to stretch out too far.

I wiggled my other arm and was able to help myself get it through the arm hole of the shirt. The tanktop fell silently down my body, covering my stomach and my butt. He handed me the sling for my arm and helped me into that as well.

“Thank you.” I whispered. Caspian cleared his throat and nodded, taking a step back from me.

“Are you ready to go home?” He asks after a few moments of painful silence.

“Yes.” I croaked.

Caspian opened the door and motioned for me to go first. Cole, Jett, Simon, and Jake were all standing around the waiting room awkwardly with Viv and Sophie as far away from the guys as possible. When they saw me exit, they stumbled over themselves trying to get to me. I figured it had less to do with me and more to do with dispersing the awkwardness.

“Take it easy.” Caspian growled low in warning.

“How are you feeling?” Cole asked first.

“I’m okay, I just want to go home.” I sighed.

“Let’s go then.” He nods, taking the lead.

Caspian was the perfect gentleman, helping me out of the hospital and into Cole’s car. I rode in the back seat, squeezed between Sophie and Viv, while Cole and Caspian rode up front. Jett, Simon, and Jake were in a second car behind us. Both the girls refused to ride with them.

The entire ride to my apartment was in silence. When we got there, Sophie excused herself to finally go home and clean up, everyone else filed into my apartment.

“I really don’t think I need all of this.” I grumbled, waving around towards the crowd gathering in my living room.

“We’ll be in the hallway.” Jake said, nodding his head towards Simon. Each of them took their posts outside my two doors.

Jett looked around the apartment like he wanted to jump off a cliff and Vivian looked like she was ready to climb under a rock. Caspian kept rocking back and forth on his heels with his hands stuffed inside the pockets of his sweatpants like he didn’t know what else to do with himself. Cole was, of course, grinning like an idiot.

“Why don’t I go check to make sure everything in the bar is okay?” Cole offers, “Viv and Jett, come with me.” He adds, gesturing towards the door.

“Why?” Jett grumbles.

“Because I’ve missed you.” Cole jokes, grabbing his arm and yanking him down the steps.

When the door shut behind them, Caspian and I were swallowed up by the uncomfortable silence. I sighed and went to the kitchen, picking up the kettle from the stove and carrying it to the sink.

“Let me do that.” Caspian said, suddenly appearing at my side. Before I could respond, he had taken the kettle from my hand and filled it with water.

I shrugged and switched on the gas stove top for him. I opened the cabinet above the stove and pulled down the jar containing my tea bags.

“Would you like some tea?” I asked him. He took the container from my hand.

“What kind do you like?” He asked, looking through the packets.

“I’ll have peppermint.” I said, snatching the packet from his hand before he could shuffle past it. Caspian’s mouth twitched, like he wanted to smile, before it returned to its usually tense expression. He picked out another tea bag for himself.

“You should sit down and relax.” His words were a suggestion but his tone was clearly a command. I cocked an eyebrow at him and he sighed, “Please.” He added and I smirked, remembering our conversation in my office when we first met. I had called him out for never saying please.

“I really can take care of myself, you know.” I said, but sat down in the living room anyway.

“I know you can.” He stated simply, offering no other explanation. I just shrugged in response.

“You think those three are killing each other down there?” I asked Caspian’s back as he checked the kettle. I saw his shoulders shake and when he faced me, he was actually smiling.

“Good possibility.” He says, but I was too distracted by his grinning lips.

I had never seen him smile so genuinely before. It crinkled his usually smooth lips, smile lines appearing around his mouth, and caused his bright blue eyes to sparkle. His entire face changed with this new expression and I was completely in awe of it.

I didn’t realize I was staring until Caspian cleared his throat. I was so distracted I didn’t notice him preparing the tea and walking over with two mugs in his hand.

“Oh, thanks.” I frowned, kicking myself for getting lost in the moment. I used the mug to cover up my rosey cheeks.

“I’m really sorry that I put you in danger.” Caspian confesses after a few minutes of silence.

“What do you mean?” I asked, sipping on the hot liquid.

“I talked to your father and brother, I put a target on your back.” He said, looking ashamed.

“No, you didn’t. My father and Reid have always hated me, they were just waiting for an excuse.” I quickly shook my head.

“That doesn’t mean I needed to hand them the excuse.” Caspian said in a raspy voice.

“Don’t worry about them. I’m fine.” I said, blowing off his concerns.

Caspian frowned and looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead, he said,

“I should let you get some sleep.” He mumbled, standing up from the couch.

“Uhm okay.” I replied, not really sure what else to say.

“Are you….can I stop by tomorrow?” He asked, avoiding eye contact with me.

“Sure. I have to be in the bar in the evening.” I said and he nodded, which was basically the only confirmation I got that he was paying any attention to me at all.

He started walking towards the door when it flung open, Cole, Viv, and Jett storming inside.

“You are impossible!” Viv shouted, throwing her hands up in the air.

“You’re….well you…..ahhh you’re just a human!” Jett was flabbergasted, stammering in confusion.

Viv actually stuck her tongue out at Jett before walking into the bathroom and slamming the door. Cole was laughing hysterically while Jett looked out of his mind with anger. I looked sideways at Caspian, gauging his reaction; he was expressionless.

“What is happening?” I said to no one in particular.

“Awh, Jett and Viv are just working out the kinks.” Cole shrugged casually.

“Looks to be more than that.” I smirked.

“Right, because you and Cas are doing so well?” Cole cocked an eyebrow at me and I responded by rolling my eyes.

“Come on Jett, let’s go before you can cause any more trouble.” Caspian sighed, giving Jett a good shove in the back, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Junie.” He says, pausing at the door to look back at me.

“Okay.” I smiled weakly.

“You’ll be here tomorrow?” Cole asked.

“Yeah, and you’ll stay tonight with Simon and Jake to make sure she’s safe.” He said, his expression hardening.

“Yes, sir.” Cole said in a mocking tone, saluting Caspian. But, don’t think Caspian missed the one finger salute Cole gave using a particular finger.

Caspian didn’t even dignify it with a response, trudging out of my apartment with nothing but a growl to remember him by.

“Viv? Viv? He’s gone, you can come out now.” I laughed, banging on the bathroom door.

“Leave me alone! I’m going to drown myself in the tub.” She called back and I heard the sound of water sloshing around.

“Don’t make a mess!” I teased her before turning my attention back to Cole.

“What did he do?” I asked him.

“He was just being his usual grumpy self.” Cole shrugged, plopping down on the couch, “He’s not nearly the charmer that Caspian is.”

“Oh, yeah, right.” I snorted.

“You doing okay?” Cole’s face got serious.

“I’d be doing better if everyone would stop asking me that.” I said, picking up my forgotten cup of tea and sipping on the cooling liquid.

“Jett and Viv have a long way to go, huh?” I said, bringing the conversation back around to the topic at hand as I sat next to Cole on the couch.

“You and Cas got there, they will too. Just let them do their thing at their own pace.” Cole said.

“If you don’t quit comparing them to Caspian and I, I’m going to punch you.” I threatened him.

“What? With that chicken wing?” He chuckled, nodding towards my arm in a sling.

“I’m just saying,” I snapped, making a motion like I was going to hit him with my good arm, “You can’t treat us like we’re all the same.”

“Man, I’m getting hit from all angles here.” Cole faked like he was heart broken, “How did you convince Cas to come back tomorrow?” He asked.

“I didn’t, he offered on his own.” I said, “He wants to make up for being an ass on my terms.” I told Cole all about the conversation Caspian and I had in the hospital.

“Well color me surprised.” Cole said, faking a southern accent.

“I guess all your hard work being my cheerleader is finally paying off.” I teased and Cole shrugged, fanning guilt,