This time, I do believe him, and the relief makes me dizzy, causing my breathing to come out in short pants. I relax into the pillows for the first time since I woke up. He gently reaches out and takes my hand, his fingers brushing a patch of skin that isn’t discolored from bruises.
I’d forgotten how beautiful he is. Not traditionally beautiful like a model or an athlete, but he’s big, so much bigger than me. His shoulders must be at least twice as wide. His hands even dwarf mine in his own. I’d forgotten a lot of things about him and how much I liked all of them. I’ve never risked this feeling before, or else it might get him killed. I don’t think Adrian will be that easy to take down.
“So what now?” I ask.
He looks like he’s waiting for something, and then it hits me. If I’m here, and he’s keeping me safe, then I need to hold up my end of our deal. By the way he’d asked me to strip for him at the casino, I assume he wants more than pithy conversation and a mean Spades partner. I shove the covers farther away from my legs, and he frowns at them, staring between the plush linens and my bare limbs.
When I don’t move to climb off the bed, he seems to settle, my hand still tucked into his.
Then slowly, as fear and something else skitters up my spine, I raise my knees together and let them fall open.
He jerks as if I’ve struck him. “What the hell are you doing?”
My face is burning now, but I can’t let that deter me, not when my safety is on the line. “You said I have to hold up my end of this deal, so I’m ready to do that. But you’ll have to do most of the work because I’m not entirely sure what to do. Well, I understand the logistics, of course, but I’ve never…”
I trail off because the look on his face is nothing short of murderous.
8
ADRIAN
I pull my hand from hers and put the distance of the room between us. The bathroom door is closed. I don’t go that far since I still need to be able to see her. Even while she’s in no shape to enjoy herself, I’m three seconds from taking everything she offers. The fire that’s burned in my blood for her since the moment we met rages through me, demanding I make her mine, and I fear I won’t be able to hold out long. Especially with her baring herself to me, offering everything I want.
“Are you okay?” she asks, hesitant and scared all over again because of me.
I face her and shake my head, relieved to see she’s closed her thighs, leaving only her knees and lower legs bare. My eyes trace down to the bandages around her ankles, and it works as effectively as a bucket of ice water on my system. I go back to the bed, but this time, I don’t touch her. “I’m fine. There are some things we need to discuss, and things we will do to settle our debt, but not yet.”
She doesn’t even bother not to look relieved. The offer was nothing more than to finish things between us. If she were anyone else, I could appreciate her sheer practicality. I’d never shied away from doing what was necessary, if even distasteful, to take care of business. But she’s not anyone else with that hair, and those eyes, and her sweet little body I’ve seen more than I can handle since I saved her life.
I focus on her face, ignoring the relief to watch for any other signs. “You believe me when I say we won’t go to bed together until you’re feeling better?”
She shrugs, and I shift up the bed until I can look into her eyes, only inches from her face. “I don’t like lies. It’s what drew me to you in the first place. As long as you’re honest with me, I’ll be honest with you. Tell me you understand.”
She clears her injured throat gently. “I understand,” she whispers.
I tilt her chin up so I can stare into her big doe eyes, hunting for the conviction I saw at the party that night. At the conviction I saw when she came to me for aid. “I have no reason to lie to you. Trust me, I intend to take you to bed, just not right now.”
This time, she nods, and I take her word she believes me. What else can I do? I release her chin and check her bandages. Everything is still in place, and I can breathe a little easier. “The IV was placed in there because you needed nutrients. I can take it out now if you’d like?”