“I can stay awake,” he said, his eyes drooping. “Don’t want to leave you alone...”
My heart slammed in my chest at his poignant words. He was such a man of honor, and I was incredibly lucky to be protected by him.
“I think I’ll be okay, boss,” I teased, patting his pec. “Take off your shoes and stretch out. Let me see if I can find a blanket.”
I headed upstairs, noting the queen-sized bed and couch. There was a closet that held several blankets, so I grabbed a few of themand returned to Nick’s side. He was stretched out on the couch, his huge body almost too large for it. He snored softly and I covered him with one of the blankets.
As he slept, I trailed back upstairs, testing the bedroom temperature. It was easily twenty degrees colder than the area in front of the fire, and I knew I’d freeze to death if we tried to sleep up there. I eyed the mattress and decided to improvise. I tugged it off the bed and slid it down the stairs before dragging it to the floor in front of the fireplace.
I returned upstairs and found a fitted sheet in the closet. After putting that on the mattress, I brought down the pillows and placed two blankets on top of the fitted sheet. Crossing my arms, I gave a nod.
“Perfect.”
I found a cloth in the kitchen and wet it before wiping up some of the blood on the floor. It was impossible to clean it all off, but I made progress. Returning to the kitchen, I rinsed out the cloth and washed my hands with the tiny bottle of dish soap by the sink.
Striding to the back door, I checked on the pyre, which was still burning despite an uptick in snowfall. White flakes now fell with regularity from the gray sky, and I knew the pyre would be doused and buried with snow within a few hours.
I slid on my sneakers and walked outside, sticking my hand in the snow to measure it. It was above my wrist. The blizzard was coming whether we liked it or not.
Rising, I flicked my hand to rid it of the snow and gazed at the sky.
“I’m okay, Mom,” I whispered, knowing she’d be worried sick about me. “We’re coming back soon. Promise.”
Then, I headed back inside, locking the door behind me before I checked on my sleeping patient.
Chapter 11
Nick
Iawoke to the sound of soft off-key humming. Blinking my eyes, I felt the crusty remnants of sleep and rubbed them before glancing toward the sound. Alexis lay on her stomach on a mattress in front of the fire, humming as she thumbed through a book. Her hair was wet and her ankles were crossed as they slowly swayed in the air.
Her ass curved in those tight yoga pants, and I took a moment to justlookat her. She was a mixture of innocence and sexiness, and I thanked God those creeps hadn’t touched her. I never wanted her to be robbed of her lack of artifice and her genuine goodness, which I feared would’ve happened if John’s men tortured her.
“Hey,” she said, turning her head and smiling. “I was about to wake you up. You were out cold.”
“Why is your hair wet?”
She patted her damp waves. “I used the dish soap in the kitchen to take averycold shower,” she said, shivering. “I just needed to wash off the past several hours.”
I nodded and eyed her book.
“Oh, I found this, and I’m pretty sure it’s the only book in the house.” She held it up so I could see the cover. “The Ultimate Guide to Skinning and Tanning. It’s gross, but I was bored.”
“Sounds riveting.” Sitting up, I palmed my head, noting the lingering headache. Still, I felt much better, so I’d take the win. “I need a shower too.”
“Take it quick because the water’s cold AF. I left the soap in there and there’s a towel underneath the sink.”
Rising, I walked to the window. Dusk had fallen and it was snowing heavily. The entire ground was covered with at least two feet, and I anticipated much more at the rate it was coming down.
“The pyre’s out and covered with snow,” she said. “I think the bodies burned before it went out.”
“Okay. Can you heat up some of the canned food you found? I’m starving.”
Setting down the book, she nodded. “Sure thing. It will be ready when you’re out of the shower.”
I took a lightning-quick shower, hissing under the cold water as I washed my wounds. Once I was out, I slipped back on the “borrowed” pants, hating that I had to wear the bastard’s gear, but I had no other choice.
When I returned to the main room, Alexis sat on the couch holding two mugs.
