“Am I going to have to drag your ass?” Exasperation cuts into every word.
Crossing my arms, I don’t move. Stalking over to me, he jerks me forward, but before I can eat it on the hardwood, he sweeps me into his arms bridal style, striding down the hall.
He doesn’t stop walking. He stalks through the darkened hall until we reach a room. Not breaking his stride, he passes through what’s obviously a bedroom. I can just barely make out a massive bed as we pass.
“Lights.” An illuminated bathroom of sleek dark tiles and a copper shower with a matching claw-foot tub comes into view.
Standing me on my feet, he strides over to the copper tub that looks out over a picture window, adjusting the water pressure.
“Get in,” he snaps, turning to the walk-in shower a few feet to the left of it. “Soak. I know you’re sore. Everything you need is in the basket.” Reaching in, he turns the spigots. Then, making quick work of his clothes, he steps into the shower, not bothering to check if I follow his rapid-fire orders.
Heat flushes my face. My feet are warm on the heated tiles. Shivering, I didn’t realize until that moment how cold I’ve been.
I guess things get missed when you’re fighting for your life. Well, if you can call having sex with the man you had the biggest crush on for years only to find out he’s a fucking monster.
Padding over to the tub, I drop the sheet, letting it crumble to the ground, and step in. The water is hot. Reaching inside the basket, I get some bath salts and sprinkle them in. The vanilla-rose wafts up, tingling my nose.
My eyes water thinking of how Easy always made sure she got enough for me when we left for Western Cape and how Oz always managed to have some on hand for us.
Until now, I’ve never allowed myself to dwell too long on the fate of my friend and her baby boy. I know she wanted to name him after her dad, and I encouraged her. We were calling him Judah, but I don’t know if Angel respected her wishes. I doubt it. These monsters don’t care about anyone but themselves, nomatter how they try to pretend otherwise. I doubt he even let her see her own baby. I know firsthand how vengeful he is.
“A little too late for regret.” Comes Snake’s dispassionate voice above me.
Staring ahead, I can’t seem to stop myself from asking the looming shadow I don’t want to fully look at with my face wet with tears.
“What happened to Easy and her baby?” Pushing the words out caused no small amount of effort.
“It’s a little too late to be concerned about them, don’t you think? You ran, leaving them to face us alone. Kinda your thing, nah?” Scoffing, he moves to leave.
Reaching up, I grasp his hand. I feel it flex under my fingers before he flicks it away.
“Hadrián.” I still can’t bring myself to look at him.
He gets down on his haunches. Grabbing my chin, he forces me to look at him. “You’re not even woman enough to face me, let alone what you did.” Squeezing my chin for emphasis, he releases me to slump back, causing the water to slosh over the rim.
“When you can face me without being a fucking coward, I may tell you.” Rising, he leaves me looking after him.
Minutes later,I step out of the tub. Getting the moisturizing creams he’s left on the counter, I slather them onto my body. My toes curl against the warmth permeating from the floor. Noticing a side bench, I pull on the socks and the oversize sweatshirt sitting there. The boxer shorts are closer to my size. I can’t complain. Gratitude at not being made to walk aroundthis mansion fortress naked makes a little hope spring up in my heart.
I don’t know what he means by my not facing him. I’m no coward. It took everything in me to face the terror he inflicted on those kids. I could have looked the other way. Could have continued to benefit from the sorrow and pain of others. Maybe he thought I’d be so grateful for everything he’s done for me I’d make excuses for his actions. I should have told him there ain’t a crush alive that deep. It could never be me. After the way I lost my parents, he should know better.
He’s walking into the bedroom just as I enter in my borrowed clothes.
“Come eat.” He’s already turning when I move to follow him.
His shadow looms large against the lit stairway leading down to the main level of the house. By the time I think to push him down the stairs and make a run for it, he’s too many stairs down ahead of me.
The temperature is cooler on the ground floor than heated bathroom. Immediately my nipples prickle in the cool air.
Instead of stopping when he gets to the bottom. He continues as though he couldn’t care less whether I follow or not.
Taking my time, I take in more of the industrial-themed decor. The sofa is leather and soft suede. The tables are rimmed with copper or steel. Cowhide ottomans complete the seating areas we skirt around.
By the time I reach the hallway I saw him headed in, I’m just in time to see him disappear into a room beyond.
“Asshole.” I say, not caring if he hears me. “What is this, a dang marathon?” Muttering as I follow him.
Some aches have eased from the soak and the bath, but nothing that says I’m ready to speed walk behind him when his stride is double that of mine.
