Chapter Fourteen
Bari
When Ahearn had first cast me aside, I’d thought the soul-drenching emptiness inside me was the worst feeling imaginable. It turned out that being trapped in a cell with an Alpha who detested me was much, much worse.
After my short reprieve in the medical office where I’d been fed and allowed to rest, I’d relaxed enough to insist on returning to the tiny roomette where I’d crawled into bed and snuggled into the soft pillow and thick blanket that Roderick had sent with me, easily drifting off to sleep. Ahearn undressing me with rough hands, annoyance radiating off him in waves brought me awake in an instant and launched me into defensive mode.
Knowing that there was no way to stop him from taking what he would, short of screaming for help -something I wouldn’t do, after all, surely I was obligated to meet my duties if he was?- I’d tried begging him not to use me that way. When he pinned me against him, I forced myself not to struggle and fell silent, admitting defeat. To my surprise, he only sat there on the bunk, holding me immobile until the panic finally seeped out of me and I was overtaken by exhaustion.
When I woke the next morning, I was alone and still fully dressed. My small travel bag had been brought in and placed on the counter by the door next to a cup of room-temperature coffee and a cold, limp egg sandwich.
Ducking into the hall, I stepped through the repaired lavatory door to relieve myself. Returning to change into fresh clothes while I had the privacy, I was trying to work up an appetite for the cold, soggy sandwich when the door slid open and Ahearn stepped in, the already small room shrinking further.
“Good morning, Bari,” Ahearn’s voice was strangely gentle as he leaned against the wall next to the door. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, sir,” I responded obediently, folding my hands in my lap and watching the floor in front of me.
“You haven’t eaten,” he observed.
Glancing up, I cringed at the frown on his face. “I’m sorry, sir. I will eat it now.”
Ahearn picked it up, his frown deepening. “It’s cold and wet,” he said absently. “It must have sat too long.”
“That’s okay,” I rushed to assure him.
“Don’t be silly,” Ahearn sighed. “We’ll go down to the snack car in a minute to get you something fresh, but before we do, can we speak candidly for a moment?”
“Of course,” I agreed obediently.
Ahearn sighed and walked over to sit beside me on the bunk. “Bari, I am not certain what happened last night, but I obviously scared you and I am very sorry. I don’t mean you any harm and I will swear on all that is holy to me that I will never hurt you or force anything on you.”
I swallowed and nodded.
“We made an agreement with the court to work together on your treatment and you know that that requires physical contact, yes?”
“I do.”
“Good.” Ahearn laid his hand carefully on my knee. “My only intent last night was for us to be in skin to skin contact while we slept. I was not going to molest you, but I understand that I behaved in an unacceptably high-handed manner and you had no way to know my intent. I’m sorry.”
There was a long pause and I realized that he was waiting for me to respond. “I overreacted, it wasn’t your fault.”
Ahearn frowned. “I was absolutely at fault, but I will assume that you are offering to move past the issue?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Very well,” Ahearn’s voice tightened again but he remained calm. “Then let’s try to move forward on a positive note and locate a more appealing breakfast for you.”
“Thank you, sir.” I stood when Ahearn gestured toward the door.
“Bari, why do you keep calling me sir?”
I froze with my hand on the door handle. “I..” How was I to explain thatAlphawas too intimate after all of the years of using it as an endearment? “What would you like for me to call you?”
A disgruntled sound from behind me said that he didn’t appreciate my response, but when he laid his hand on my shoulder, it was gentle. “My name is fine, but if that makes you uncomfortable, I will accept what you wish to use.”
Still facing the glass door, I nodded. “Thank you.”
“Enough of this,” Ahearn said abruptly, carefully reaching past me to open the door. “Let’s go see if there is fresh food to be had.”
Despite my lack of an appetite, I forced a hearty nod. Anything would be better than having to continue the uncomfortable discussion.
