Page 25 of Run, Rabbit, Run

Chapter Eleven

Bunny spent the rest of the afternoon into evening curled in the safety of her blanket. Her entire body was sore. She was devoid of strength mentally, physically, and emotionally.

What did he mean in the forest? That he would protect her? Keep her safe?

There was no guarantee of safety in this life. That much she had learned early and often. Anybody attempting to sell you steadfast security was peddling a pipe dream for the feckless.

No, Bunny knew all too well the crushing reality that terrible things happened… and they did so consistently. She wouldn’t be lulled by a false sense of protection offered by a man she hated. Even if he could offer her the safety he promised, it came at a terrible price she was unwilling to pay. She would be forced out into the open, left completely vulnerable.

Bunny had a feeling, however, that he was the type who could manage to squeeze blood from a stone. She could resist him with everything she had. In the end, it wouldn’t make a difference to her situation.

The tenderness in her feet had worsened as bruises bloomed and they began to itch and burn from the abrasions she had amassed.

Of course, she could rummage through the bathroom and perhaps find first aid supplies, but she couldn’t bring herself to move. It wasn’t the usual state of depression or despair keeping her cemented to the floor.

Bunny was just so bone tired.

Curling into a tighter ball, she squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered as her body ached in protest. Even with the pain, all she could think about was his strong arms wrapped around her as she cried helplessly into his chest.

The memory burned.

Continued nudity was one thing, as was the degrading sex. To Bunny, emotional nakedness was so much worse. There was a difference between the body and soul. One you simply inhabited, and the other was your entirety.

A knock sounded in the silence, and she sucked in a startled breath. Demetrius walked in, closing the door softly behind him, and turned to look at her. It was a good few seconds before he began to speak.

“I came to tend to you, little Bunny.”

She retreated further into her nest. The last thing she wanted was for this deranged man to put his hands on her again, especially if it ended similarly to how it had before. Even with her obvious discomfort, he strode forward until he was at the edge of her sleeping pad.

“Come to me, Bunny,” Demetrius said softly, kneeling and holding his hands out. Bunny knew better than to refuse him.

She let the blanket fall around her and crawled over, refusing to make eye contact.

“There’s my good girl,” He purred, pulling her into his chest and kissing the crown of her head. Bunny stiffened. Although she was loathe to admit it, there was a certain security in being held by a large, strong man who smelled intoxicatingly good. Even if he was also actively tormenting you for fun.

Demetrius said nothing. Instead, he stroked her hair and caressed her cheek with a touch gentler than he should have been capable of. He lifted her, carrying her bridal style toward the bathroom. Bunny sighed and let her head fall over, resting against him. She was so tired that she could barely keep her eyes open, and he was so warm and smelled so good.

Once inside, he laid her in the tub and turned on the faucet, sitting on the edge and feeling the water as it poured out. Once satisfied with the temperature, he poured in Epsom salts and bubble bath.

He did not move to disrobe.

Bunny would have commented but the words wouldn’t seem to form. Her head was swimming. She ran her fingers through the water, feeling it whirl around her open fingers. Her eyes fluttered, and she decided to close them in favor of focusing on her moving hands.

Demetrius returned with a washcloth and rolled-up sleeves. She only opened an eye to look at him briefly. He reached over to gently hold her face, turning her head toward him. “I’m going to make you feel better, baby. I know today was a lot for you. You did so good for me, though. You deserve to be taken care of.”

Bunny let her head lay limp in his hand, releasing a soft noise of acknowledgment.

He poured a generous amount of soap into the washcloth and began gently wiping down her arms and chest, softly circling her nipples until Bunny moaned. His touch was delicate and petal soft. This was nothing like the steel-hard presence he had previously. No, she was getting a look at a different side of the man, one she wasn’t sure she wanted to see.

If her captor was kind, it would make it that much harder for her to hate him entirely. The last thing Bunny wanted was to develop some fucked up trauma bond to this man.

“Stand up, Bunny.”

She whimpered, “I don’t think I can.”

Demetrius chuckled as though pleased with the results of his earlier handiwork.

“That’s okay. Hold onto me, then, baby.” He held out an arm for her to stabilize herself.

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