THE DEVILS MERCY
NIC'
we
long she'
by now-like the othe
a does
pr
he survives. Like she's not scared of bl
sked for hel
tches ripped fro
fter trying to train lik
expected-like her body's
when anyone gets to
t
flinch when
er ground like she wants me to f
that's a dan
se it. But none have looked at me lik
her eyes every time she passes
nt answe
wore? It belonged
my world feels too c
watch
rust her-but because
r she's here, the
mfort. Not
for
is going to
-
'S
n sevent
ison, not quite a sanctuary. Seventeen days of sil
bruises, the cracked ribs-mostly
in
n't
fake-screens showing changing skies t
because I can't-I
e I need to u
nic
't touched me since the night he carri
d. Waited. Like he's letting m
am con
I should
I
want h
disgu
erous-what he's hiding from m
ed together
Avoiding Luca's questions. Wandering
and then,
mi
something thick and ancient.
his eyes on me bef
et him catch m
't spe
ouder than any conve
-
g, I wake
e is sti
ee. I find him there-in the kitchen. Shirtless, covered in
knowledge me.
less the power drips from his postur
explain why you k
n't loo
You had somet
neck
s part
the othe
he counter, and gives me that loo
ou
ath ca
reason," I say
nly one tha
nce
ves past me, his shoulder brus
ree
't an a
intimate than anything the
ain. Crawling in,
f all-I'm l
-
I lie awake
his voice dropped
ouched me-hasn't taken-like every
esn't need
ust
I'll come to h
nts me to
res me more
what i