Free Noose (Road Kill MC #1) by Marata Eros

that mean? Glucose?”
    “I need to eat really regularly. Protein-based stuff.” My face heats. “If I get too low in my sugars, I can sort of noodle-out.” I look up, and his brows are together. The scar across his face ripples as he scrunches his nose. “I’ll pass out.”
    He snorts. “Scared the piss outta Noose.”
    Doubt that. Probably just wanted to get my ass out of there. But he did avert disaster. “I appreciate him taking me here.”
    I knot my hands together. Not knowing what to say.
    “He likes you.”
    I jerk my head toward him, shaking it softly. “No, he said, we're just—”
    Getting off. “Casual.”
    Snare grunts. “Uh-huh. Whatever you say.”
    I nod my head vigorously. “Yeah, I do.”
    “So what do you do now?” he asks, changing the subject
    “If my sugars are good, they'll release me.”
    “Seems simple.”
    I nod. “Usually.”
    Simple stops as Noose walks in, with a nurse at his heels.
    “Hey!” she says, nipping at him.
    I can't contain my smile. He whirls, and she bounces off his chest, stumbling backward.
    His muscular chest.
    He catches her arm, steadying her.
    “Relax, Nurse”—his eyes grab at her nametag—“Bethany.”
    Wide eyes glare up at him. “This girl is under my care. I need to assure her vitals are perfect.”
    A smile curls Noose's lips. “I can vouch for her vitals.”
    Oh. My. God. My face bursts into flames.
    Nurse Bethany turns to me.
    “I know him,” I say in a choked voice.
    Boy, do I.
    Noose turns to stare at me, and the blush I feel deepens. How could I ever think I could walk away from him?
    He's a force of nature. No tornado, erupting volcano, or tsunami could hold a candle to Noose.
    He leaves Nurse Bethany in a daze and walks toward my bedside, giving an almost imperceptible nod in Snare's direction.
    Noose leans against my bed and takes my hand. “How you feeling?”
    Now that you're here? Wet.
    I swallow. Not a good reply, Rose. “Better.”
    Nurse Bethany comes over, making a wide berth around Noose.
    I flip my palm over, and she sticks my finger. I wince, and Noose gives her a look of contained thunder.
    “I'm taking her sugars, not that it is any of your concern,” she tells him with a sniff.
    He looks at me. “Everything about Rose is my concern.”
    Oh God.
    The nurse huffs dismissively, finishes with my pulse and breathing, and jots some notes down after looking at what's gone into my body and what my heart's doing.
    “You look good.”
    “Yeah,” Noose agrees, eyes at half-mast.
    I shut my eyes so I don't have to look at Nurse Bethany's expression.
    “I'll have the doctor sign you out,” she says slowly as my face burns, “then you're free to go.”
    I pop open my eyes, feeling a sudden urgency to use the bathroom, run a comb through the rat's nest of my hair, and brush the rug off my teeth.
    “Okay,” I say. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
    Her eyes narrow on Noose and Snare. “Would you give this young woman a moment?”
    The men share a sheepish glance, and as they move toward the door, a relieved exhale slips out.
    Nurse Bethany watches the door swing closed and hands me a card.
    It has a domestic abuse hotline on it.
    My shame breathes to hot life again. “It's not like that. Noose hasn't hurt me.”
    “Noose?” she asks.
    Her disdain hangs between us.
    “He will.” Her footsteps ring as she charges out of my room.
    I finger the glossy card, wondering how my life slid into chaos in three days.
    Or maybe it's been headed that direction for a long time.

11
    Noose
     
    Rose is quiet as we use the old pickup to get back to her little car at Scenic Park.
    She looks a little better. She took a drive-through shower at the hospital, and her color's back to normal.
    I hate how relieved I am.
    “I said some shit back ther e… ” I shake my head. This relationship shit blows.
    Is this relationship shit?
    “Yeah,” Rose replies. We both start talking, and she holds up her hand. “I'm not saying I don't like