After a few deep, even breaths, Lucien turns his head towards me. Our eyes lock, and I stare at him, studying his handsome face. He seems tense, stressed out maybe. His eyes are bloodshot as if he hasn't slept much in the past day or so. I don't even know how long I've been in his room or how long it's been since…everything happened.
I blink once, twice…and by the third time, my eyelids are too heavy for me to open them again.
"Sleep now, Adeline," I hear him whisper. "I'll keep you safe."
And under his protective, vigilant gaze, I'm finally able to fall back asleep.
CHAPTER 6
ADELINE
THE NEXT MORNING, I wake up slowly, still groggy from exhaustion and pain medication that Jackson's been feeding to me sporadically.
Late last night, when Jax came to check on me and help me to the bathroom, I noticed that Lucien was still in the bed with me. He was curled up on his side with his back towards me, but at least he stayed. He didn't leave the moment I fell asleep like I thought for sure he would.
Luc had been snoring softly, exhausted and sleeping like a baby, as Jax brought me back to bed, gave me pills and a glass of water to swallow them down. Jax's steel-gray eyes kept darting from me and back to Lucien with a look of disbelief on his face.
After I took my medicine, I simply shrugged, silently telling him that I couldn't believe Lucien was actually sleeping in the same bed as me either.
After my midnight pill popping fest, I fell back into a deep sleep once more.
Now, when I open my eyes and glance over, I notice that the bed is empty. My hand slides over to where Lucien had slept, but the sheets are cold. He's been gone a while.
A creaking sound catches my attention, and my eyes move to the antique armoire on the other side of the room. With his back towards me, Lucien is standing in front of the two open doors. His hair is damp, fresh from the shower, and he's only wearing a pair of black dress pants.
The light coming in from the windows highlights the numerous and scattered scars on his beautiful, muscular back. I've never seen them before…only felt them. I knew they were bad. But seeing them with my own eyes is a whole different story.
The scars may have healed over time, but only on the surface. I'm worried about the dark and horrible memories that most likely lie beneath each and every one of them. They're permanent reminders that someone he trusted hurt him.
And I desperately want to know who did this to him.
Lucien reaches into the armoire and retrieves a crisp, pressed white dress shirt. He slips the material over his shoulders, effectively hiding his scars and the truth about his past underneath a layer of cotton and polyester blend.
I surreptitiously watch him as he buttons the shirt and cuffs, running his hands down the sleeves and his chest several times to make sure there are no creases and that everything is in place.
He leaves the top few buttons undone and goes sans tie and suit jacket as he closes the doors and turns. He stops when his dark eyes meet mine. His thick brows knit together as he utters, "You're awake."
I feel guilty for having observed him like some kind of beautiful animal locked in a cage. "Good morning to you too," I quip.
Needing to break out of his stare, I glance around the opulent room where I was brought when I must have been unconscious. Seeing it in the light for the first time, I take in the dark woods and masculine quality of the furnishings.
My hazy mind finally clears as it dawns on me just where I am. "This is…this is your room?" I ask.
His features soften slightly as he gives me a nod.
"You brought me toyourroom?" I ask in disbelief. I was probably covered in dirt and who knows what else when they brought me here. He let me sleep in his bed and dirty up his sheets?
But why?
"I'm responsible for you," Lucien says, eerily answering the question in my head. "And for what happened," he adds in a dark whisper.
Does he blame himself for what happened to me?
Unfortunately, whenever I'm around Lucien, I always end up with more questions than answers.
As I try to sit up, I grit my teeth from the pain running through my body. I need something for the pain. And, luckily, Jax left a bottle of meds on the nightstand.
Lucien sees me eyeing up the bottle and says, "I'll be right back with a glass of water."
