Page 33 of Brage & Dinah

"No." Her answer was instant. "Not at all."

"Fair enough. But, when we're done in here, you're going to thank me."

She turned her head and looked at him. "Why?"

"Because you're going to sleep like a baby. No dreams." He rotated his neck, tilting his head side to side.

"I don't dream." She wasn't willing to share that part of herself with him.

"If you say so," he mumbled.

She had a hard time believing that getting hot and sweaty would help her relax enough to sleep when he would be in the locked room making sure she couldn't escape. The steam had obviously made him delusional

Or, maybe he'd always been crazy, and she'd failed to notice because at the time he was busy making her feel good.

The steam thinned. Aware of him beside her, she pulled the towel in front of her and held it against her body.

"Let's go next door." Brage stood.

"I want to go back to the room." She wrapped the towel around her tightly, making sure the back covered her butt.

Cooler, thinner air rushed at her as Brage stepped out into the hallway. She sought the comfort outside of the room and inhaled deeply, more comfortable, almost giddy in relief. Embarrassment and frustration at Brage for strong-arming her to go in the sauna with him in her past, she let happiness from being away from the heat consume her.

Brage opened the next door. She stayed in the hallway, knowing it was the bathroom. While large, it was a singular use room, not a community restroom.

He reached back and grabbed her wrist. She had no way of fighting him in a towel. Voices came from a few doors down where Slag members stayed.

Noticing he never locked the door; she turned the simple lock. She would never get used to the blatant nudity around the clubhouse. It was easier to avoid looking at others she'd seen traipse down the hallway with no clothes on than deal with being naked herself.

Brage turned on the shower. Before she could figure if he planned to take a bath and why she needed to witness one of his private daily tasks, he picked her up and plopped her down under the spray of water.

Shock exploded inside of her. Her arms flailed, and she jolted, pushing to escape the freezing cold water. The surprise of going from suffocating hot in the sauna to bitterly cold broke something inside of her. She moved toward the warmth— which happened to be Brage.

She couldn't get close enough.

She couldn't get small enough.

Burying her head against his chest, she hopped from foot to foot, squeezing all air out between their bodies. She needed more of her skin touching him. She needed his comfort. She needed him to protect her.

Great sobs rocked her body. Unable to catch her breath, the wails coming out of her frightened her. She had no one to help her. She'd never had anyone. Always depending on herself, she couldn't even save herself.

"Mhm." Brage's lips moved against the top of her head. "I've got you."

Her legs weakened. He tightened his arm around her.

The cold no longer registered. This was her life. Pain, suffering, and lacking love, she'd often felt as helpless.

"Let's get you warmed now." Brage's body shifted.

The water temperature changed slightly. She gulped air to stop crying. The fight in her gone.

Standing with her eyes closed, aware of Brage washing her hair, her body, her mind pushed her away from what was happening.

When Brage wrapped a towel around her and walked her back to the bedroom, she paid no attention to see if he locked the door. She crawled into bed and collapsed into the softness.

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