Either way, I'll hold onto this memory until the day I die.
Silver cleans me off and brings me a glass of water, holding out his hands to help me sit up. "Are you okay?"
I nod and take the glass from the counter, downing a huge gulp. "Yeah. Are you?"
He drinks a full glass himself and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Do you want to shower?"
"I don't think I can walk." My legs shake as I try to get them to cooperate.
"No walking necessary." Silver scoops me into his arms with ease and carries me through his bedroom and into the bathroom, setting me on the counter again so he can turn the faucet on.
I rub my neck and wince, drawing Silver's attention immediately.
His eyes darken. "Did I hurt you?" He rushes over and with one finger, tilts my chin up to get a better look.
I shake my head. "No. It wasn't you."
Silver meets my gaze and like it finally clicks, he says, "I'm so sorry that happened to you."
"It's fine," I lie.
"No, it isn't, Cora. No one should have to go through what you did." He reaches past me and fumbles through his dopp kit. "I'll be right back." Silver slips out of the bathroom and returns not a minute later with my water and a couple pills. "It's over-the-counter pain medicine, I promise."
I take them from him without question and drink the rest of the water, fully realizing that I'm probably dehydrated despite having four drinks with dinner.
Silver looks at me, I mean, really fucking looks at me, and says, "If you hadn't already killed him, I would do it for you."
I'm not sure if I've ever heard anything more romantic in my entire life.
And I'm not sure what kind of person that makes me, but I don't really care, not anymore.
What's the point when all of this doesn't matter? Soon I'll belong to another man, and there won't be anything anyone can do about it. Not me. Not June or her men.
Not even Silver.
9
CORA
Last night feels like a fever dream I never want to wake up from.
After Silver carried me to the bathroom and quite literally bathed me in the shower, he dried me off and applied lotion to every square inch of my body before tucking me into his insanely comfortable bed.
He held me and we talked, about nothing and everything, until at some point, we both fell asleep.
It was quite possibly the best rest I've ever had, and when I woke up, I was still snug in his arms.
The whole thing was perfect, from start to finish, and I can't believe any of it happened.
"Hey," Silver says through a yawn, his eyes heavy. "You sleep okay?" He turns toward me and tucks me into him, kissing the top of my head and rubbing my back.
"Yeah," I confirm. "Did you?"
He kisses me again and sighs. "Better than I ever have."
I wrap my arm around his torso and press my lips to his bare chest and wonder if I can stay here forever—safe and sound in his embrace.
But I know that isn't a potential reality, not for either of us.
