“They have to be patient,” I say. “This will happen when it needs to happen. And right now I’m busy. You got me at a bad time.”
He huffs, but gets the message.
“I’m making headway,” he says slowly, moving back toward the front door.
“What does that mean?” I’m frustrated, and he’s being vague.
“I’ll be back tomorrow,” he says. “There’s a meeting with the Romanos. I want to talk to you before I go.”
“Wait,” I say. “What are you talking about?”
He pauses at the door. “You’ll find out soon.” He grins and leaves, shutting the door behind him.
“Shit,” I curse to myself. I stand there, wondering what the fuck that’s all about. I can’t tell if he’s just trying to taunt me, or if that little meeting had an actual purpose.
Finally, I go back into the control room and sit at the monitors. Grace is fine. She’s curled up in the corner of her cage like she normally is, not moving. I think she might be asleep.
The moment is gone. I’m not sure how to recreate it at this point. I’ll just have to watch her very, very closely, and make sure to stop her if she decides to use the shard. At least until I can get it from her.
I lean back in my chair, thinking about her body, my father completely forgotten.
Chapter 14
Grace
* * *
It’s odd. And hard to explain. I feel like I can't come out of the cage. I don’t think he’s angry anymore, but I still stay in here. Even during the one-hour times that he gives me to roam. Even though I crave his touch, and I look forward to him coming in, I still stay within the safety of the cage.
He came in and cleaned up the mess I made. I laid the thick shard he knew I had at the entrance of the cage and refused to look him in the eyes when he picked it up and threw it away with the others. I gave him my weapon, my only hope of escape. I simply handed it over to him. What’s worse is that as he swept up the shards, I felt guilty. It was my fault that the cup was broken. I was going to hurt him. He was angry after it happened, and I thought he was going to hurt me, but he didn’t. He could have come into the cage. He could have broken his promise. But he didn’t.
I can’t explain why it causes me so much pain.
I must be broken, I must be sick, but I prefer to stay in here, only leaving the cage for short trips to look at something or to go to the bathroom.
Gio brought in a thick blanket, and I brought it to the cage. The grate on the floor just hurt too much. I couldn’t take another day of the thin bars digging into my legs. I anticipated him telling me no, but it didn’t happen.
The warmth and comfort of the blanket make me want more though. I keep looking at the bed, and I want to lie on it. I want to get in the bath again and feel the comfort of the steaming hot water. I want his soothing, gentle touch on my skin.
I look to the clock. It’s the only thing that makes a sound in the room, and I know I have time. He won’t be back for a little while. It’s my hour of freedom.
My stomach rumbles with hunger. He left the tray for dinner. He wanted to feed me, but I wasn’t hungry so he left it there.
I should eat. When I eat, the pain goes away. It lulls me into a deep sleep and for a moment, I’m better. Even when I wake up, I’m okay.
But the sickness always returns in the pit of my stomach. Gio left medicine on my tray, but I didn’t take it.
I must have a death wish.
I don’t even know how long I’ve been in here. I have no plan of escape, and I don’t see a way out of here.
Maybe I should give in.
I close my eyes and remember his hands on me. The feel of his hard muscles against my body.
He’s offered me safety, which is something I’ve never had in all of my life.
I know what he wants. And I want it, too.
