Chapter 53

Claire waltzed in with a bounce to her blonde hair, and Derek froze, halfway dressed, one leg in his jeans, the other still out. He'd woken up not long ago and, when he found out Claire wasn't with him, informed his family he had to leave.

"Leave? You're still leaking blood!" his mother shrieked.

"Showoff," muttered his brother.

They didn't understand. He had to find her.

Only, there she was. In the vibrant flesh, looking gorgeous despite the T-shirt that claimed, "I kissed a Sasquatch." She better not have. He'd hate to kill Ethan.

"You came." He wondered if he hallucinated.

"Of course I did. I had to see you." She chewed her lower lip. "Are you okay?"

"I am now. I'm so happy you came." He opened his arms, and she threw herself at him.

Being a man, he didn't wince even when she slammed into a few wounds. Having her close by made him feel a million times better.

Until she reared back and slugged him in the arm, right atop a bandage. "You idiot."

"What the hell?"