“Will you... will you...” She bit into her damaged lip, wincing.
He gently thumbed her swollen lip from her teeth and brushed the pad of his thumb over the torn skin.
“What is it you want, princess? You have to know I’ll do anything for you.”
Worry filled her beautiful eyes, and fear of... rejection?
“Will you hold me?” she whispered. “While I sleep so I know no one can hurt me? I know I’m safe with you, Silas.”
He was stunned by the trust she displayed. God, when he was the very last man she should ever trust. He had no heart, no soul, and for the first time he damned that fact, because if he possessed either, he knew she’d own them.
He hadn’t realized he’d stiffened until her face fell and embarrassment crawled over her face. She turned her head away, hiding her humiliation in the pillow.
“I’m sorry. I had no right. You’ve already done so much.”
The words were laced with hurt and each one was a tiny dagger to the heart he had sworn he didn’t possess.
“Of course I’ll hold you, sweet girl,” he said, not recognizing the husky timbre of his own voice. “I don’t want to hurt you, though.”
“You’d never hurt me,” she denied.
He kicked off his shoes, hastily stripped out of his shirt—which was still stained with her blood—and let it fall to the floor. Then he removed his pants, leaving his boxers on, before he slid into the bed next to her, carefully arranging himself around her and pulling her into his arms while trying his best not to cause her more suffering.
She let out a contented sigh and almost before he could blink, her eyelids fluttered closed. She snuggled tightly to his body and burrowed her head into his chest, almost as if she couldn’t get close enough tohim. And then she was simply asleep, her soft breaths feathering over his skin.
Dear God, he wasn’t a saint, and having Hayley cuddled against him like a trusting kitten was surely going to send him straight to hell. In no way did he deserve this—her. To have such a perfect, beautiful, sweet and innocent woman in his bed and his arms. But hell if he wasn’t going to enjoy their forbidden night and remember every single moment of it for an eternity.
14
Silas awoke to none of his usual alert awareness. He rarely slept deeply at all, and it took very little to awaken him. But this morning fog surrounded his mind as well as a contentment he could never remember feeling. It confused him so much that he almost bolted upright, and then the warm, sweet weight against his body finally registered.Hayley.
As carefully as possible, he rolled her to her side so he could get a closer look at her face. As soon as he did, rage filled him again. The entire right side of her face was swollen badly and covered in colorful bruises. Though he knew those bastards were likely on the bottom of the river by now, he wanted to kill them again. Slower. More painfully. Inflict every injury that they’d left on his princess back on them tenfold. A quick death was too easy for them.
Silas reached for the control that was second nature. He didn’t want to risk waking Hayley when the doctor had recommended rest. He moved slowly again until he was standing by the bed, feeling an inexplicable loss when she was no longer in his arms. He wasn’t sure where these feelings were coming from and was undecided what to do about it. He had promised her he wouldn’t leave, but he had some things that needed to be handled before she woke. Maybe he should...
He shook his head, equal parts amused and disgusted at himself. He’d never been indecisive, yet here he was almost spinning in circles over the feelings of the sleeping waif in his bed. Determination flattened both the amusement and disgust as he left his room to find her something to eat and look up some information online. He considered letting himself into her apartment to grab her some clean clothes but decided his large shirts would be easier for her to put on. He ignored the part of him that felt satisfaction at the idea of covering her in things that belonged to him. Marking her his possession. It was an idea he likedtoomuch.
As he rummaged through his kitchen cabinets he considered what she might like to eat and what would be easiest to manage without causing her pain. He finally settled on oatmeal and some fresh fruit, setting the ingredients aside until she woke. He then went to his monitors and did the repeated scans of the footage from the previous night. No one had been on his floor since Maddox and the other guys left, and he relaxed a little more.
Opening his laptop, he started his search on violins, what were the best brands and who would deliver one to his apartment building. Her talent deserved the best, and he would be damned before he saw that talent wasted on anything less.
***
Hayley opened her eyes, immediately bereft of the warmth and comfort of Silas’s presence. She emitted a low moan when she attempted the simple task of turning over. She stared out the bedroom window, trying to work up the courage to move. Judging by the throbbing already happening in her body, this was going to be excruciating, but her bladder was leaving her little choice. Gritting her teeth and bracing herself for the inevitable agony, Hayley carefully pushed the covers aside and tried to shift toward the edge of the bed. Fire shot throughher rib cage and she tried not to cry out. Before she could blink the tears from her vision, Silas was leaning over her.
“What are you doing? The doctor said you needed to rest,” he clipped out as he tried to settle the covers over her once more.
Though his words were sharp, there was a distinct edge of worry in his voice.
She closed her eyes. God, could she be any more pathetic?
“Bathroom,” she whispered in embarrassment. To be this helpless in front of this gorgeous man, especially after crying all over him the night before, was mortifying. Worse, she’d begged him not to leave her. She’d given him no choice but to sleep in his bed with her.
Seemingly unbothered by her awkward embarrassment, he gently gathered her in his arms, his eyes brimming with apology when she let out one small squeak of pain. He carried her to the bathroom door and slowly lowered her to her feet, holding her arm the entire time to steady her and make certain she didn’t do a face-plant.
“Will you be okay in there alone?” he questioned, concern clearly written on his face. “I can—”
“No,” she said hastily. “I’ll be fine. Thank you,” she said in a more steady tone.
