“Bedding,” I choke out in explanation. I toss the pile to the floor behind me blindly and reach for the door handle. “I’ll come back.”
Later. Much later.
In fact, he can change his own fucking bed, Silas and his orders be damned.
But a hand wraps around my wrist, circling it gently and stopping me from leaving. With a nudge, he turns me around.Rafe leans over me, his green eyes piercing as he scans my face. I swallow.
“Anastasia.” His voice is a purr. “It’s damn rude to walk into other people’s bedrooms without asking, you know.”
I take a breath. And then another, trying to force the citrusy scent of him from my lungs as he presses into me.
“I wouldn’t know,” I breathe quietly. “Since I don’t actually have a bedroom.”
His lips lift. “Maybe you’d like to share one. I’m sure we can work something out.”
It takes a second for the words to sink in. For them to wash over me like freezing cold water, dousing the heat flickering to life in my abdomen.
My breath catches, and Rafe’s eyes widen. “I didn’t mean—,”
I shove him back. “Yes, you did.”
“Wait.” He grabs my hand again. “I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry.”
The back of my throat burns. I can’t even look at him.
“So you didn’t just insinuate that I could fuck you for a decent night’s sleep?”
He pales, the golden hue of his skin turning waxy. “Fuck, Stasi. I was just—.”
“Just playing,” I force out through cold lips. “Is that it?”
For once, he doesn’t seem to have any words. Instead, he watches me. Too closely. My eyes prick as I turn away, towards the door. He doesn’t stop me this time.
“If I get on my knees and suck,” I say quietly, “Can I swap it for some proper food? Because I’m getting reallysickof porridge and broth.”
He sucks in a breath as though I’ve hit him.
Except I’m the one who’s just been slapped. With a cold, hard dose of reality.
The tears blur my vision, my head buzzing as I slip out, leaving the bedding behind on the floor.
Ellen barely glances up as I walk into the kitchen. The tears are already dry on my cheeks as I head over to check on the washing. “You haven’t had dinner yet.”
“I’m not hungry.” I’ve lost any sense of appetite, thanks to Rafe.
I’m just their entertainment. Someone to poke at, like a bear in a cage. And when they get bored – which they will, eventually – they’ll just throw me away. Back to my shitty prison cell, with Parrish.
It hurts. My chesthurts. And I’m so damn cold, all of a sudden.
Ellen glances at me, concern flickering. I’malwayshungry. I learned a long time ago not to turn down food. But the thought of eating right now makes my stomach flip.
But she doesn’t press. “Can you help me carry the plates up?”
I hesitate. The last thing I want to do is go anywhere near the dining room.
But that’s it, isn’t it?
I don’t get a choice.
