I lift my chin to give him better access. It takes Herculean effort, but as his warmth sinks into my bones, the ice that ate itself through my body melts. A tired smile forms on my lips.Home.
"Bax?" Jenn keeps her voice low, probably assuming I'm asleep again. He must've given her his attention because she continues. "My medic will be here in twenty. He'll take care of her wounds."
Marcus stiffens, his hold tensing for a fraction of a second. I'm fisting his sweater, loosening my grip lightly and letting my thumb glide back and forth across his stomach.
I'm okay. Now that you're here.
"Thanks," his reply rumbles against my ear.
"We probably shouldn't take her to a hospital unless you want to answer a lot of questions. Make law enforcement look for Mara's..." Jenn trails off.
Mara. At the name, I curl deeper into Marcus's chest.
Marcus mimics the signal I just gave him.You're safe."You will take care of her?"
Her as in Mara, not her as inme.
"Paycen's already got her. No one escapes him. He just likes to play with his toys before he disassembles them." I hear a cold smile in her tone. Disassemble. Something tells me Mara met a fate worse than what she had in store for me.
I can't bring myself to care.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-THREE
MARCUS
A knockon the door woke me, and I jerked to a sitting position. Disoriented, I dug the heels of my hands into my eyes.
Wha—?
Denielle. The accident. Denielle was missing.
Images of last night tore across the backs of my covered lids, appearing and disappearing like a slide show. Dropping my hands, I blinked. I was in Denielle's bedroom. Sluggish thoughts of,I didn't turn the light off, and,I'm thirsty, mingled with the slowly lifting fog.
Sleep had eventually pulled me under. My little experiment in the bathtub did what I'd hoped. And more. I had felt a connection to Denielle, as ridiculous as it seemed. It had exerted me. After drying off, I had put my pants and shirt back on, foregoing my drenched briefs, and lay down on top of her comforter.
That was where I was when Rhys opened the door. He scanned the room, settling on me. He looked like death warmed over—probably hadn't gotten much rest either. "I figured I'd find you here," he stated solemnly. "Ethan just pulled through the gate."
My parched throat and mouth became even drier. King was home. Safe. I was happy. I loved her, but the nagging thought of,Why had King been released and not Denielle?made my stomach churn.I nodded and swung my legs off the mattress.
"Anyothernews?" The meaning in my rasped question was clear.
"Not yet."
I couldn't make eye contact. "I'll be right down."
Rhys disappeared from the gap and left the door ajar. I rubbed my palms across my face one more time. King was safe. She was home. This was good. I would not let the relief and elation be overshadowed by resentment and despair. King was my best friend.
But Denielle is the woman you love.
Before I could go down the rabbit hole, I set my feet on the floor and stood. Not bothering with shoes, I padded downstairs and reached the kitchen the moment Wes led King through the door from the garage.
Lilly and Rhys stood to the side, watching their friend guide his wife down the hallway. Ethan trailed them slowly, his face a closed-off mask. My heart sat in the pit of my stomach as I was rooted in place. I was unable to take my eyes off King's face. Half was shadowed with a massive bruise, but other than that, she seemed fine.
Was Denielle uninjured? Where had she been in the car when the impact happened?
King slowly lifted her gaze. As soon as she found me, her lips began to tremble. She stepped away from Wes, and I met her halfway.
"I'm so sorry, Bax." She clung to me, sobs shaking her small frame.