Page 25 of Saviors

I should’ve been afraid of Maverick. He looked more threatening with his shaved head, tattoos, and dark gray eyes. He was the quintessential bad boy. The one your mother warned you about.

In contrast, Charlie had a pale complexion and light blonde hair. He was every American heartthrob fantasy. But I couldn’t stop my body from recoiling from him and instead leaning on Maverick.

“It’s okay. I was already—.” Adrenaline rushed through my blood again. My breath caught in my lungs. I jerked around in Maverick’s arms until I was staring up at him. “Outside, there’s a guy. I ran down here because I saw someone. It was Simon. He—.”

“It’s not him, belladonna.” He grasped my cheeks. I felt the rough tape covering his hands as his thumb brushed along my skin. There were flecks of blood and sweat clinging to it. I should’ve been freaked out. Not just from that, but the fact that he could touch me.

Why could I allow these men to touch me? Maybe I wasn’t as damaged as I thought.

“He’s not going to ever hurt you again.” The resolve in his steel-gray eyes made me believe him. “That’s Brandon. Another guard. He’s walking the perimeter until Charlie switches with him.”

“Oh.” My cheeks colored in embarrassment. I was so quick to assume someone was after me and that Maverick was being injured. Was I always going to look for danger in ordinary things?

“I’ll go check on him now.” Charlie said.

I moved to Maverick’s side, and he dropped his hold on me. Reaching out, he tapped their knuckles together. Then he raised his hand to me. “It was nice to meet you, Violet.”

My chest tightened as his palm stood between us. A metallic taste coated my tongue. My fingers twitched, but I couldn’t force them to move. To grasp his hand. To complete the gesture.

His lip tipped, and he nodded as he let it fall. He didn’t say a word as he walked up the stairs, making me believe he knew who I was and how I’d come to be here.

I should’ve been able to shake a stranger’s hand. It was normal. Polite. Maybe all the normal had been beaten out of me.

But Maverick was a stranger to me, too, and I had no problem touching him. Yes, he’d rescued me. Fed me. Housed me. But I didn’t know him.

“Who are you? Why do you have guards?”

Maverick’s gaze flicked across my face, assessing. As if he was trying to see inside my mind. Understand me.

But even I didn’t understand myself anymore.

“He’s not here to stop you from leaving, if that’s what you think.”

“What? No.” It had never crossed my mind. Maybe it should have. But they’d had a chance to send me away; a few. Instead, they’d taken me in. “I’m just worried. I don’t know you. Ordinary people don’t have guards.”

“We’re not ordinary.” He shrugged. “Our jobs can be dangerous. We wanted to make sure you were safe while we locate your brothers.”

My chest loosened. I could see how the wrong crowds would cross their paths. And I was grateful for it. Otherwise, I’d still be stuck in that closet.

“Thank you.” I whispered.

“You don’t have to thank us, belladonna. It’s our job to protect you.”

It wasn’t their job. Most people would’ve left me. As humans, we like to think we’re good at our core, but in reality, the vast majority avoid getting involved. We don’t want to disturb the flow or put ourselves at risk.

So yes, he was right. They weren’t ordinary. They were heroes. My saviors.

My eyes stung with tears as I glanced up at him. I had the urge to close the distance between us. Throw my arms around his waist and cry.

Feeling safe was our most basic instinct. It had been so long since I’d felt it. Since I could take a full breath.

Even before Simon, I’d always had to watch my step. As if I was moments away from losing my family. And I’d been correct.

“Why?” I didn’t deserve their protection. Their attention. But I couldn’t tell him that. I’d only see pity in his eyes. Seeing that could crush me. “I don’t even know your last name.”

He smiled, and a dimple appeared on his right cheek. “Neither do I.”

That little dent in his cheek stole my breath. Or maybe it was his smile. His happiness. It seemed to spread. Seep into me until I felt it too.

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