Chapter 39
Almost two weeks in that pit. Two fucking weeks.
I’d been sitting in the shower for so long, my skin had turned into prunes, but the pelting water felt so good. Almost as good as it felt to bathe without having eyes on me.
Jail was an invasive experience. I scrubbed my palms across my face.
The perks of Bond Sickness? They let me the fuck be.
I’d been numb, but it was slowly chipping away with each second that passed. And with the fading numbness came fear.
But as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t sit here forever. I climbed to my feet and turned the shower off. My body had been in flight for so long, I could sense the impending crash. I’d hardly had any restful sleep these last almost two weeks. Every second, I was jolting awake.
I pushed the shower curtain aside, reached for one of the neatly folded towels to wind one around my hair, and grabbed another for my body.
My sandals sat just outside the shower. I frowned down at them, not remembering whether I’d put them there. My focus wasn’t what it usually was, so I’d probably left them there.
I shut the bathroom lights off and shuffled into the bedroom. A shadow moved at the corner of my vision.
I screamed, jumping back and knocking my elbow against the wall. I hissed, rubbing it. Kyan winced and reached for me, but his hand stopped midway and slapped back to his side.
“I was just checking whether you were hungry.” He cleared his throat.
“A heads-up would have been nice,” I groused.
I passed him, tightening the towel around my body, and walked over to the drawers. I’d had time to look through everything before hopping in the shower. They’d folded the clothes and organized them in drawers based on category. It was neater than I would have done it.
I dropped the towel and pulled on the shorts and T-shirt.
“You haven’t been able to rest either, huh?”
I hummed and went over to the bed. Sitting forward, I squeezed my hair into the towel.
Kyan hadn’t moved. He was still staring at the spot I’d been standing in.
As if jolting out of whatever had gripped his thoughts, he crouched to grab the towel I’d dropped on the floor and walked over to put it in a hamper beside the drawers.
“I understand your anger.” He paused, visibly thinking over what words to say. He opened and closed his mouth. “Elias is wasting away.” He shut up and shuffled in place again. That was what he settled on saying?
I didn’t want to hear about any of their pain. The lies and bullshit. I didn’t care. I hoped he could see it on my face.
“Kyan. Get out.”
Kyan searched my face, and he scrubbed at his mouth, regret painting his features.
I gave nothing away with my expression. None of the pain in my heart.
His face softened, turning beseeching.
“Please understand, Briar. I regret all of it. How we handled your presence. How we treated you.” He inhaled sharply. “I’m sorry I didn’t do more.”
None of what he said fazed me. I continued staring at him.
“Are you done?” I finally asked when the quiet became deafening.
I heard his swallow in the otherwise-silent room.
“Sorry. I’ll give you time alone.” He backed up but didn’t close the door completely.
I finished drying my hair and tossed the towel at the hamper, completely missing it. I nestled into the bed, rubbing my cheek on the folded soft blanket, and hugged it to my chest.
Lying there, I waited for sleep to come. Hours had passed since we arrived, and now it was dusk. Based on Kyan’s appearance, I didn’t think I’d have much more time to myself.
The mattress bounced as I tried to find a spot. I flopped over. I couldn’t get comfortable. Everything felt off.
I’d already been lying here for a while.
It was too bouncy.
I rolled off the bed and propped my fists on my hips. This wasn’t going to work. Reaching for the thick comforter, I stretched it out on the floor, then grabbed the soft blanket and pillow and tossed them on top.
Settled on the ground, I tucked myself under the blanket.
This was more like it. I sighed, and my eyes were becoming harder to keep open. I yawned and tucked my knees higher.
A creak had me freezing.
I’d become so attuned to sounds.
I didn’t move as a body curled against my back.
“Don’t,” I hissed.
“I’m not Kyan,” Sinclair’s accented voice drawled. “You won’t scare me away with your little tantrums.”
So, he’d heard our conversation. Were they always lurking?
His big hand clamped over my shoulder, and his weight pinned me on my back.
I stayed tense and smacked his chest, but as much as I pushed, he was a rock. My hand slid up, and my fingers raked against his skin.
Wait a moment. Our skin touched.
I froze, panting.
“I knew it,” he whispered. “You didn’t claim me, so no Bond Sickness.” His pearly teeth flashed in the dark room.
Unbelievable. I glared up at him, but his weight fell harder on me, and his nose settled in the crook of my neck, breathing me in. His hand slid under my shirt.
“You’re cold.” I didn’t recognize the soft tone of his. It put me on edge.
“Get off me.”
He lifted his head from my Scent Gland, right where their teeth imprints littered.
His face was shadowed, so I couldn’t get a read on his expression.
“You belong to me.” He said it so intensely, so focused. “To us.”
“Let me go,” I hissed.
“No.”
I struggled a few more times. He dropped more weight on me, curling me into his chest until he restrained me completely. I stopped fighting, panting from the effort. His cock was already hard, and if I kept up my writhing, I would be in the same turned-on boat, and my body was too fucking tired.
It didn’t take long for his hard, warm body to lull me to sleep.