His throat bobbed again, jaw clenching, and he looked away, dipping his head. He cleared his throat when Warwick and Ash strolled up.
“Thank you for saving me.”
“It’s really Ash you need to thank.” I nodded at the tree fairy. “He healed you and stayed, making sure you made it through.” Lukas’s head jerked to Ash. “He’s your knight in shining armor.”
“No big deal.” Ash shifted uncomfortably on his feet, embarrassed by the praise. “Just did what’s in my nature.”
“Well, thank you.” Luk’s voice went deadly serious, his gaze fixed on Ash. “I am in your debt.”
“No need... like I said, part of being a healer.”
“I don’t know, Ash,Iwouldn’t turn down a hot man at my beck and call.”
“Is that what you want?”Warwick growled in my ear huskily. His imaginary hands gripped my waist, his physique pushing into me.“A man at your beck and call?”He nipped my ear.“Or one who challenges you and fucks you relentlessly?”
My lids shut, my teeth diving into my bottom lip, my body sweltering.
“What I thought,” Warwick said out loud, a smug smile on his face. He turned, walking away, not even looking back. “Do your thing, Kovacs, then find me later.”
“That guy is intense.” Lukas shook his head, readjusting on the pillow.
“Yeah, tell me about it,” I mumbled.
“No, tellmeabout it! I have to hear and feel you two.” Ash swept by me, peering down at Luk’s wound. “Looks really good.” He brushed his fingers over the healing skin.
Lukas’s muscles flexed under his touch, his jaw twitching.
“I’m glad you’re doing better.” Ash pulled his hand away. “Probably should let you rest.”
“Yeah. Thanks,” Lukas replied.
“Before we go.” I motioned over my shoulder. “Do you know where Caden and Kek are?”
“Knowing Kek, she’s either near the food or annoying someone.” Lukas grinned. “And I don’t know about your friend. When I woke up the last time, he was gone.”
My stomach twisted. “Okay, thanks.”
I leaned over, kissing Lukas’s cheek and squeezing Ash’s arm. “I’m gonna go look for Caden and check in with Hanna. You should finish wrapping that.” I pointed to Lukas’s bandages before heading out of the room in search of my ex-best friends, going to Hanna first.
Scorpion sat in the chair, as if he hadn’t moved once since the last time. Hanna was curled up in a ball, a mat now under her to sleep on. She was still shackled to a pipe, her back to us.
“Has she been chained the whole time?” I blanched, snapping my head to Scorpion.
He huffed, rubbing his wrist. “The girl is rabid.”
I noticed teeth marks on his wrist and fingernail scratches on his face. A laugh bubbled out of me.
“Did she do that?” I gestured to his wounds. He glared at me, then huffed again, making me laugh louder. “Good for her.”
“You’re for the human?” he snapped, sitting up in the seat.
“Not because she is human, but because she is my friend. And I love that she takes no shit... even if we’re on opposite sides now.”
Scorpion’s eye twitched, but he didn’t respond.
“Hanna has been my friend and the only other girl in the HDF training with me. You don’t understand the brainwashing we experience at such a young age, the cult thinking they corral us into, giving us no other side. No other way.” My throat stuck with patches of dryness, my heart aching seeing her as a prisoner. “I’m on this side of the handcuffs because I was forced to learn, to see. Being in Halálház opens your eyes to reality fast. To the truth. I just hope she will someday see it too. Because if she doesn’t?” I knew too well she would not be freed or handed back to HDF.
Scorpion grunted under his breath, his teeth gritting, turning my focus to him, noticing how exhausted he looked.
