Chapter Nineteen – Wren
Chapter Nineteen
Wren
I wake suddenly, disoriented. My eyes snap open and I see Garrett Blanc leaning against the bedroom doorframe, arms crossed, watching me.
I sit up and glare at him.
“How long have you been standing there?”
He ignores the question.
“You snore.”
Then he throws a shopping bag at my feet and turns toward the door.
“Get dressed. I’ll come by later to take you to the party.”
The door closes behind him. I’m in a daze, unsure of what just happened and how I’m supposed to react. The man is a mystery and a menace.
I look down at the shopping bag and stay still for a moment, letting my annoyance settle.
Having him in my space like this, knowing he was standing there while I was sleeping, bothers me.
But it’s not much different from him watching me through the cameras.
I got used to being watched constantly down here.
This is just another version of the same thing.
I get out of bed, pick up the bag, and dump the contents on the mattress.
A black pantsuit falls out. I can tell just by touch that the fabric is expensive.
It’s perfectly tailored, designer label of course.
A red silk blouse slides out next, followed by a rectangular box that I soon find contains a pair of Louboutins with the distinctive red soles.
The heels are higher than I normally wear.
I run my fingers over the jacket, now feeling more stunned than dazed. Garrett went shopping for me. Garret fucking Blanc. He noticed I had nothing appropriate to wear and took the liberty of fixing that problem.
Well, he is the family’s fixer.
“I don’t like this,” Zeth growls in my head.
I pick up the jacket and hold it against myself, checking the size.
“I don’t like that he bought you clothes,” he continues. “You’re going to wear what he picked for you.”
I can’t help a mental laugh.
“Are you jealous?”
“Yes.”
That isn’t the answer that I expected.
The things we did last night flash through my mind, but I push the images away. I have to consider it a one-time thing because our relationship needs to stay professional. I have to focus on the mission, and I can’t let this complicate things any more than it already has.
I don’t deliberately send the thoughts to Zeth, but he hears them anyway.
“If that’s what you wish.” He sounds hesitant and defeated.
“Zeth, I don’t want to hurt you.” I sigh, mentally and physically. “But I need you to be patient with me. I have no idea what I’m doing here. Except that I need to be a hundred percent present right now. That’s all I know.”
“I understand. I won’t pressure you. We can be whatever you want us to be. I’ll take only what you’re willing to give.”
My cheeks flush at his words. I have to admit it makes me feel powerful. He’s a massive supernatural being, strong and invincible, yet I have this much power over him. He’d take whatever scraps I offer and be grateful for them.
The thought makes heat pool low in my belly. I feel my nipples harden at the mere idea that while I may let him ravage me in my dreams, I’m actually the one in control. Even when I beg, the power is all mine.
“What’s wrong with me? I’m turning into a bitch.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you,” he reassures me quickly. Then I feel him smile. “Maybe I like my women a little feisty.”
I roll my eyes.
“Stop.”
I leave the suit and shoes on the bed and exit the bedroom, going into the lab. I’m not sure why, but it feels like this is my space now, my little enclosed kingdom, and I need to check it before doing anything else.
There’s a paper bag on the table, and I rush to it, feeling famished. How nice of Garret to think about everything. My stomach growls painfully as I sit down and tear into the food, shoveling it in faster than I should.
“Slow down or you’ll make yourself sick,” Zeth says.
“I can’t help it. I’m starving.”
Oh my God, it’s such a relief that I don’t have to stop eating to talk to him.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “For feeding from you last night. I think I took too much. That’s why you’re so hungry and slept so long. You need to recover because of me.”
“That’s nonsense. Stop apologizing for needing to feed.” I take another bite, chew, swallow. “It’s my own fault. I forgot you needed it, and I basically starved you for a week. I’m the one who needs to apologize.”
“You didn’t–”
“I did.”
“Wren–”
“Zeth.”
We argue back and forth about whose fault it was until the lab door opens and Dale walks in with his characteristic hunched posture.
“Garrett says you should start getting ready.”
I swallow the last bite of food and look up at him.
“Tell Garrett to stop babysitting me.”
Dale’s rotted teeth show in a wide grin.
“I’ll let him know.”
He turns and leaves, the door slamming shut behind him. I wipe my mouth with a napkin, stand, and head to the bathroom.
I wash my face, brush my teeth, and fix my hair.
Then I pull on the pantsuit. The pants first, then the red silk blouse that slides over my skin like water, and lastly the jacket.
The fabric fits me perfectly, hugging my every curve without being tight.
I step into the Louboutins and wobble slightly on the higher heels.
Damn it. I hope I don’t break my neck.
I walk to the mirror and take in my reflection.
The pantsuit makes me look powerful and dangerous in a way my practical FBI suits never have.
The heels make my legs look longer, my posture straighter.
I’ve never worn something this nice in my life.
Not that I will miss it after all this is over.
I might look good in designer clothes and shoes, but they’re not my style.
The Wren I see in the mirror is not exactly me.
I feel Zeth’s gasp.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Nothing.”
But an image flashes through our connection.
Him tearing the pantsuit off my body, shoving me against the wall, his hands pinning my wrists above my head. His hard cock nudging at my entrance, ready to push inside.
My heart picks up the pace, and I close my eyes and will the intrusive thoughts away.
“Was that you or me?”
Zeth growls in my mind, his voice dark.
“Me. But don’t deny that you liked it.”
That makes me chuckle. He sounds possessive. Obsessed. I love it.
“I won’t deny it. Maybe I’ll let you do that to me later. When we’re finally out of this shithole. Granted we leave the boss’s party with our lives.”
“What happened to a one-time thing?” He’s mocking me, I can feel it. But then he gets serious. “We will leave with our lives. I’ll make sure of it.”
I hear the lab door open again. I sigh and school my face into a neutral expression. I straighten my shoulders, lift my chin, and walk out of the bedroom as I repeat to myself that I am ready, I can do this, I was trained for it, and everything will be fine.
Garrett stands there dressed in an expensive dark suit. He looks me over slowly, his eyes traveling from my toes crammed into the high heels up to my face. He nods approvingly, then motions with his hand for me to walk ahead of him.
I realize I’m not a fan of him expecting me to follow orders. I’ve been doing it for the past week, and I’m getting tired of it.
I step out into the corridor and see Dale and the golem guard waiting for us.
They flank me and Garrett as we walk toward the elevator.
I can’t believe I’m finally walking out of this place, and it doesn’t look like they’re going to restrain me or throw a bag over my head.
The doors to the elevator open, and we all step inside.
I watch the numbers climb until we reach the ground floor.
The bunker is only three levels underground.
When the doors open, we walk through a hallway toward what looks like a back door.
Garrett pushes it open and sunlight floods in, brilliant and blinding after a week underground.
I step outside, and the light hits my face so violently that I grunt and stagger backward on the high heels, throwing my hand up to cover my eyes.
Spots dance in my vision and I feel dizzy, the world tilting.
Garrett grabs my arm to steady me. Before I can react, Zeth pulls my arm free, effectively yanking it out of Garrett’s grip with more force than I would be capable of.
A chill runs through me when I realize what just happened.
The last thing I need is for Garret to become suspicious of me.
It’s not like he trusts me in the first place.
The dizziness is gone, though. Zeth’s strength flows through my body, steadying me on my feet and sharpening my vision. I recover in seconds.
Garrett scowls at me, and I scowl back.
“What did you expect after a week in a bloody basement?”
He studies me for a moment, then inclines his head slightly, acknowledging the point.
He waits while I blink rapidly, pretending like my eyes still need to adjust. I have to play the part of the weak, bookish chemist who would definitely not be able to get out of Garret Blanc’s grip if he chose to restrain me.
It’s enough that he saw me defend myself against Roman Kyzer.
He doesn’t need to know how strong I actually am.
I straighten my spine and start walking again. I take in my surroundings while trying not to look too curious. We’re in the parking lot of a burger joint off the highway. The place is run-down, with a faded sign that’s slightly crooked. A few cars are scattered around the lot.
The burger joint is a front, and the lab is hidden underneath it. Clever.
The fact that they’re letting me see the location means something. I passed their tests, earned their trust, or at least earned Roman’s trust, which doesn’t count for much, since he’s an idiot. I keep my face neutral and don’t let any excitement show. I can’t look too eager or too interested.