I am yours,tiny flame.
My cheeks heat, and I nod, as happiness fills my chest. Did they all mean that? Were they going to stay with me? I wasn’t sure in what capacity or for how long. Did they mean until the threat has passed or for… ever?
A knock at the door makes me jump, and Dex pulls me fully against his front, his arms wrapping around me as he turns his back to the door, instinctively shielding me from it.
Pete moves to the door and looks out the peephole. “It’s the food.” I listen as he opens the door and greets the delivery person. A few words are exchanged, then the door closes. Dex slowly releases me, guiding me to the desk where Pete is opening up large boxes containing pizza.
I’ve made pizza for Robert before; it always smelled delicious.
“Dig in, angel,” Pete says, gesturing to the pizza.
I frown, looking around the desk for my food. “Where’s mine?” I ask, worrying they didn’t order any food for me.
“Do you not like pepperoni?” Pete asks, eyeing the pizza. “I didn’t think you were a vegetarian, but we can pull off the pepperoni if you don’t like it.”
“I—” Cutting myself off, I frown, unsure what he means. “I can’t eat that,” I tell him.
“Why not? You don’t like pizza?” Dex asks.
“Are you lactose intolerant?” Sly questions.
I shake my head. “No, but I have to eat salad.”
Nobody says anything as they stare at me, confused. After a few awkward moments of silence, Sly grabs my hand and turns me toward him. He squats down in front of me, putting himself closer to my eye level. “What do you mean,youhave to? Do you have an allergy?”
Frowning, I slowly shake my head as I explain. “Womenhave to eat healthy; we aren’t allowed pizza.” Shouldn’t he know this?
The change in him is immediate. His face reddens, and his brows pinch together as he growls his next question through gritted teeth. “Says who?”
The sound of his anger makes my stomach sink. I realize this might be one more chain Robert wrapped around me without me even knowing.
I take a deep breath to steady myself before I answer. “My brother.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
DEX
“The fuck?” Pete mouths to me silently with unrestrained horror and confusion in his eyes.
I scratch the side of my head as I try to put together what she’s saying. Thankfully, Sly seems to be two steps ahead of me.
“Your brother told you that females only eat salad?” he asks slowly, his eyes blazing with anger.
“Not just salad, but it does need to be healthy, due to our delicate stomachs, like oatmeal or yogurt. Always lots of vegetables.”
“Have you ever had pizza before?” I ask, trying to understand the bigger picture here.
Her eyes move to the open pizza box, and she licks her lips, then shakes her head.
“Wren?” Sly asks from his squatting position in front of her, regaining her attention. “Women can eat anything they like, just as men can.”
Her eyes dart back to the pizza box. “Really?” I can hear the hope mixed with anguish in her question.
That one word damn near breaks me. As if being given a slice of pizza is a damn miracle.
What else has this brother of hers been telling her? If I ever get my hands on him, I’ll rip him to shreds.
“Have you only eaten salad since you left?” Pete asks as I grab a slice of pizza and move toward her.
