32. Delilah
Chapter thirty-two
I cling to Phantom as he carries me back toward the bedrooms, my body shaking uncontrollably. I can still smell their blood in my nose, feel it on my hands. My neck aches, the loose threads of my bonds trying to reach people who are no longer there.
“I’ve got ya, baby doll. You’re safe. It’s okay,” Phantom mutters, nuzzling the top of my head with his cheek as he shoulders through one of the doors.
I let out a shuddering exhale, followed closely by a choked sob. It’s been so long since an alpha has shown me any affection, and my instincts are almost overwhelmed by even the smallest gesture. But I lean in, seeking out more, greedily accepting what I can before it’s taken away again.
“I’m gonna set you down for just a second, okay? I want to run ya a bath,” Phantom mutters into my ear.
I nod, not ready to speak just yet, too afraid of what might come out. Phantom hums a little in wordless praise, lowering me down to sit on the edge of a bed. When he pulls away, I look around, unable to help myself.
The room isn’t huge, by any stretch, but it’s significantly cozier than the rest of the house.
The bed is set under a window, the metal footboard barely visible under all the clothes draped over it.
There’s a dresser along one wall, the drawers unable to close with the clothes shoved in them.
The floor is clear, surprisingly, revealing a worn rug covering the wood floor.
Phantom walks through a door on the wall to the right of the entrance, a connected bathroom.
By the time I finish looking around, Phantom returns, his sleeves pushed up to his elbows, a small smile on his face.
“The tub’s fillin’ up now. Let’s get you ready,” Phantom says, voice soft and low.
I let him lift me again, resting my head on his shoulder and breathing in his scent.
A citrus sweetness undercuts the salt and tobacco leaves, a gentleness that helps to calm my heart a little.
He carries me into the bathroom, setting me on the counter and stepping between my legs, his hands settling on my hips.
“I can leave while you get undressed, if that’s what you need from me,” he says, his clear blue eyes staring into mine with unwavering focus.
I swallow and shiver, shaking my head. I don’t want to be alone right now, not when the darkness is just starting to recede from my mind.
Phantom nods, taking a deep breath before his hands slide under the lower hem of my shirt, his eyes never leaving mine as he helps me out of it.
I’m not wearing a bra, but his gaze doesn’t even flick down for a moment, even as he helps me out of my sweatpants and underwear.
And once I’m naked, his hands never wander as he brings me over to the tub, lowering me down into the warm water.
Sighing, I sink into the water, my body relaxing almost instantly as I’m surrounded by warmth and the relaxing scent of lavender bath salts. Phantom stays by my side, not speaking, but the silence isn’t uncomfortable. If anything, his strong, steady presence only serves to relax me more.
“I’d like to wash your hair, if that’s okay with you,” Phantom whispers after a few moments.
I look up into his face, blushing slightly under the intensity of his stare but nodding all the same. I follow his guidance, his touch grounding me as he works through the tangles in my long hair as he pours water over it.
“Your hair is so pretty, baby doll,” he mutters, so low I’m not sure if he meant for me to hear it.
I smile despite myself, tucking my chin slightly but keeping quiet as I try to get rid of the blush heating my cheeks.
“My sister had long hair, though hers was curly. She was always goin’ on about how much hassle it was to take care of it, but she never cut it short,” Phantom goes on, a little louder this time.
“You have a sister?” I ask hesitantly.
There’s a heartbeat of silence, and Phantom’s hand tenses slightly in my hair, just for a second before he relaxes and lets out a long sigh.
“Had. I had a sister. She…” Phantom trails off, struggling to find the words.
“You don’t…if you don’t want to talk about it, we don’t have to. I’m sorry,” I reply, starting off strong but ending in a whisper.
Phantom shakes his head, picking up a bottle of shampoo and squeezing out some into his palm. He works up a lather on my scalp, his fingers working magic on me until I’ve almost fully melted under his touch.
“She was taken and sold off to an alpha pack. By the time we found her, she was…she was never the same. She never talked about what she went through, but it eventually was too much.”
Phantom’s voice is low, hardly above a whisper, as if he doesn’t want anyone to overhear. My heart aches in my chest, tears burning the backs of my eyes. When Phantom reaches down for the cup to rinse my hair, I take his hand in mine, holding it tightly.
“I’m so sorry. I…I’m so, so sorry,” I whisper, my voice cracking.
“Thank you, baby doll. That…Yeah, thank you,” Phantom replies, words tight.
We’re silent for another long moment as he rinses my hair and applies conditioner. From the depths of the house, I hear the back door open and close, and the sound of boots on the floor. They don’t come closer, heading away from us until I hear another door open and close and the noise fades.
“What was her name?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.
Phantom sighs and starts to wash the conditioner from my hair, staying quiet for another long stretch. I open my mouth to apologize but Phantom clears his throat, stopping me.
“Annette. But I called her Annie,” he murmurs into the quiet.
I give him a small, sympathetic smile, taking his hand again.
This time, he turns his palm and threads his fingers through mine and squeezes.
When I look up into his face, my breath catches at the bald emotion in his glacial eyes.
Compassion, heartache, and something else that I don’t quite recognize. Understanding? Trust?
“The water’s gettin’ cold. Let’s get you out and dried off before you catch cold,” he says, smiling slightly.
“You know that’s just a myth, right?” I reply with a small smile.
“Not according to my Memaw,” he counters, not missing a beat.
I giggle, lips pulling up into a wider smile, rolling my eyes. Phantom joins me, laughing as he helps me from the bathtub.
It only occurs to me later, after I’ve been dried and dressed, swaddled in a blanket, and tucked against his chest, that I’ve smiled more in the last few minutes than I have since leaving the facility.
And, when minutes pass and no one comes to interrupt, I finally let go of the tension lingering in my gut and fully relax into an alpha’s embrace for the first time in nearly a year.