Callie wished just once she could tell her mother how much she loved her, and how it must have taken a lot of courage to do what she’d had to do. Maybe some day she would get that chance. Zerod had said she’d gotten away. She could still be alive.
Callie went back to the living room. Rogar was once again dressed in the clothes he’d worn before he’d changed form. His face was pale, and his hands trembled.
“Why didn’t you wait? I could’ve helped you get dressed.”
“I managed. Ready?” he asked.
“One more thing.” She ran back to the bathroom and filled a bag with painkillers that she’d been given when she sprained her ankle a few months ago and had never used. It had healed really fast, but she’d paid for the pills, and she damned well wasn’t going to throw them out.
She hurried back to the living room and grabbed the first aid kit. “I am now.”
He started to reach for the suitcase, but she shook her head. “I’ve got it. Just let me take it out to the car, then I’ll come back and help you.” She only wished she’d kept the crutches, but they would’ve been too short anyway.
“I’ll manage.”
“Uh, I don’t think so. Just stay put until I return.”
She noticed his forehead was beaded with perspiration. Don’t go superman on me. He finally nodded. She quickly went to the red Jag and stowed the stuff in the trunk, then hurried back to him. “Lean on me.”
“I don’t need to lean on anyone.”
“Yes, you do, so stop being so blasted stubborn.” She tucked herself under his arm and felt some of his weight shift to her. She got her balance before they made their way slowly to her car.
After he was safely in the passenger seat, she went to the driver’s side. It was almost as though she could feel eyes watching her. Any minute she expected Zerod to pounce, but then, Rogar said he’d be nursing injuries as well. She hoped the SOB bled to death.
“Where are we going?” he asked as she backed out and started down the street.
“To DeeDee’s. She owes me big-time for putting crazy ideas in your head.” She cast a look in his direction and saw the corners of his lips had curved upward. The man was devastatingly attractive. It was so not fair that anyone could look as good as he did.
He closed his eyes and she could see the strain on his face. He was in pain, but he tried not to show it. Men. It seemed it didn’t matter if they were an alien or not.
But he had saved her life. Damn it, she’d told him she didn’t want a hero. Heroes only existed between the pages of her romance novels. It was so not fair that like the heroines in her books, Rogar was making her fall in love with him.
No, no, no! She couldn’t be falling in love with him. He’d only come to Earth to collect her so he could take her back to New Symtaria. For breeding purposes at that. Not that she had minded making love with him.
Still, he was a prince for God’s sake, and the only person she knew who’d married a prince was Cinderella. It only happened in fairy tales.
She was just reacting to someone who had showed they cared, someone who’d given her the best orgasm she’d ever experienced, and someone who’d saved her life. She had a touch of hero worship, but that was all.
She hit a pothole, he moaned. “Sorry. We’ll be there soon. Only a few more miles.”
DeeDee lived in a gated community. Her parents foot the bill, although DeeDee would’ve been just as happy living next to Callie. DeeDee’s father was the CEO of a large company, and her mother was a photographer. She didn’t take just any pictures, though. No, she shot the stars and their homes, and freelanced for magazines like Vogue and Cosmo. If that wasn’t enough, they also spent time with their only child. Real quality time.
Callie often wondered why DeeDee was her friend. DeeDee had once told Callie that she was real, and the world needed more real people. Callie hadn’t been quite sure what she’d meant, but they’d become friends.
She turned in at the entrance, stopping long enough to punch in the code. The gate opened, and she drove through.
DeeDee’s house was more like a mini mansion sitting on half an acre. Callie usually hid her car in the garage, not that DeeDee had ever asked her to, but this time there was no need. It felt good driving a red Jaguar. Lord, maybe she was more materialistic than she’d thought.
It wasn’t that late, only eight, but it was already dark. The lights were on so maybe DeeDee was home. Callie should’ve called. “I’ll be right back so stay put,” she said as she opened her door and got out.
She hurried past the bubbling fountain that sat in the middle of DeeDee’s landscaped yard, barely giving it a glance, even though she loved the fountain. Hmm, was that where Rogar had gotten the idea? Probably.
Callie hurried up the three steps and rang the doorbell. A few minutes passed before the door was flung open. DeeDee stood there in a pair of baggy gray sweats and a faded T-shirt that once had the name of a football team on it, but was missing letters.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
“Then why are you here. You hardly come over to my neck of the woods so something has to be wrong. Do you want me to call my dad? He can get you out of anything—trust me.”
“It’s Rogar…”
“Do you want me to hire someone to beat him up? He seemed nice, but if he hurt you, then you should retaliate…”
DeeDee had always been protective of her for some odd reason. Callie had never been able to figure that one out. It wasn’t like she needed protecting. She figured DeeDee just felt sorry for her because she was raised in an orphanage.
“Callie, you’re scaring me!”
She returned to the present. “No, it’s not me, and Rogar didn’t hurt me. He saved my life, but he’s hurt, and we need a safe place to hide.”
“Where is he?”
“In the car.” She took a deep breath. This was the one time she’d actually asked for DeeDee’s help. Would she give it? “Can you help us?”
“Of course. I can’t believe you would ask.”
“Even if it could put you in danger?”
“I’m your friend, and that’s what friends do. Now, let’s get Rogar into the house.”
DeeDee left the door open, and they hurried to the car.
“How did he get injured?”
“He was mauled by a tiger.”
DeeDee stumbled. “A tiger?”
“Long story. Can I tell you once we’re inside?”
She nodded. “Yes, and I’ll want to know every detail of this one.”
Maybe she shouldn’t have said so much. She could’ve lied and told her that he’d been in a fight or something, which he had, and not even brought up anything about the tiger.
She opened the passenger door. Rogar looked to be in a bad way. He was sweating a lot. His clothes drenched.
“Maybe I should’ve taken him to the emergency room.” She bit her bottom lip.
“I’ll be all right,” he said as he opened his eyes. “I just need to rest.”
“Let’s get him inside,” DeeDee said.
They eased his legs around until his feet were on the concrete driveway. Rogar only groaned once, but it was enough that she knew he had to be in a lot of pain.
With an arm across each of their shoulders, they took it slow and easy as they made their way into the house. The steps were a little tricky, but they managed to get him up them and inside the house.
“We’ll take him to my room,” DeeDee said. “I don’t even want to try to get him upstairs to one of the guest rooms.”
Good, because Callie had a feeling Rogar wouldn’t make it up the winding staircase. The longer they walked him, the heavier he got. DeeDee only let go long enough to pull the cover back.
Rogar sighed as he fell back against the pillows, and immediately passed out. That’s when Callie saw the blood had soaked through his pants. Oh, Lord, he was going to die. Why the hell hadn’t she taken him to the hospital?