I step into the bathroom and Roxie tugs the bathroom door shut behind us. My eyes instantly fly to her when she clicks the lock into place.
What is she doing? Why would she close and lock the door?
She immediately starts turning on the faucet to the sink and tub, filling the small room with noise.
“I don’t know how long they’re gonna let me be in here with you with the door closed, so we’ve gotta talk fast,” she says, her voice pitched so low I have to lean in to hear her. “Are you safe?”
I pull back and blink at her in confusion.
“I’ll be serious with you, Sweetie, I’m not the most well-connected, but if they’re keeping you in a situation that’s not safe for you then I can try and help you get out,” she continues.
“The guys?”
“Yeah, the alphas.”
I shake my head. “No, no, they’re not the ones who were keeping me in a situation that’s not safe. They saved me!”
“Saved you from what, Sweetie?” She asks, reaching out and squeezing my hands. There are calluses on her palms, and her fingers are strong. Not delicate and soft like the other girls’ hands from the facility.
“It’s a long story,” I say, letting out a soft huff of laughter.
She stands there, holding my hand as she listens to me recount everything that’s happened to me over the past few months. The facility. Being sold. The Mercer Family Farm and all that entailed.
But for some reason, she looks... sad as I continue speaking. I thought she’d feel as excited as I do, now that we’re free. Now that I’m free.
“You poor thing,” she says, her voice strained as I finish. She tugs me into her arms, her sweet maple syrup scent washing over me. “You shouldn’t have had to go through that.”
The raw emotion in her voice confuses me.
“It’s okay! Things will be better now that we’re free.”
“So you want to stay with them?” She asks, pulling away from the hug and wiping at her cheeks.
“Of course,” I nod, shaking my head in confusion. Where else would I go? “They’re mine.”
“Okay, Sweetie. Let’s take a look at that shoulder.”
CHAPTER 44
Rage
Ican’t see her. Or hear her.
I don’t like that.
“You can stop pacing, big guy, you’re gonna wear a hole in the shitty carpet,” Ash huffs.
I bare my teeth at him in a snarl and continue to pace.
Without her in my arms, my hands start shaking.
My mind is racing. It keeps going back to the feel of bones and joints crumbling under my hands.
Serves him right.
He hurt her.
He was going to hurt her more.
