“Enough,” Raphael cuts through the tension and banter. “Briella…”
She turns to him, eyeing his hand extended to her, palm open. Then I realize she’s shivering, goosebumps all over her arms. Not exactly the warmest area in an underground cavern.
Defiance rears in her eyes, but one narrowed gaze from Raphael, and she sighs in defeat and rises from the bed, slowly approaching him. Like every footstep is excruciating for her. Yeah, probably is. Whatever adrenaline rush and endorphins she had, they’ve faded. The pain must be brutal. Not as brutal with Jude’s tranquilizers and all the numbing oil.
Despite how she’s still wet, and he’s wearing his suit again, Raphael wraps his arms around her, gathering her closer, holding her head to his chest. Something so pretty about how he’s fully clothed, and she’s still naked as the day she was born.
After a few moments, he cups her chin, tilts her face upward, and asks, “Before Level 4, what do you need?”
She blinks, and if I’m not mistaken, her cheeks grow redder. Aww, so cute.
“I’m thirsty.” It sounds like a demand.
“Vincent. Get her water.”
Bastard grunts, but he heads into the adjoining room where the fridge is. Our hangout place where we’ll be soon.
“What else, Briella?”
“I’m cold.”
“Rory, get her a blanket.”
Another mind fuck. Forcing an animal like me to comfort the prey he just sank his jaws into and whipped around like a rag doll. But I still do as he says and take the warm, wool blanket from the trunk by the bed. When I drop it on her shoulders, she flinches and glares at me.
“Turn around, Briella. Let him wrap it around you.”
She gives him a fierce glare, but she obeys. Another one of his mind fucks, getting her used to our touch in an opposite way. She shivers more as I practically swaddle her in the blankets. Her eyes are glassy.
Vincent arrives with the water. She gulps it down greedily, coughing up some, but Jude comes over, helping her to go slower, or it’ll come back up. “There now, Babydoll. Keep your chin up. It’s almost over.”
She scrunches her brows, confused. “I’m hungry.”
Raphael shakes his head this time. “You get food once you get out.”
Briella stiffens, her cheeks paling with fear or unease. “G-get out of where?”
18
Briella
I WILL NOT ROT DOWN HERE.
Citizen Soldier Playlist
“The Other Side of Pain”
It’s a pit.
What. The. Fuck?
The moment I peer over the edge, the blanket is ripped from my body.
I turn back, brandishing a glare at Rory, who tosses the wool over his shoulder. “Oops.” His eyes roam hungrily over me. Thanks to my wet hair, I’m shivering in no time.
My limbs are trembling, and my wounds howl with every breath.
“Level Four is simple,” Raphael tells me, his dark breath drifting across the side of my neck. “Survive the night.”
