Page 55 of Better Hide

“Pretty? What…” There is a deep slash across his leg, dark blood rolling down and mixing with the water running down him.

Cole lunges at me, wrapping me in his arms. “Shower with me.”

“No.” I struggle, but Cole yanks me back to the shower. He drags me inside, clothes and all. “Cole!”

I gasp as he slams me against the shower wall. He stands under the spray, water raining down on his head as he blinks it out of his eyes.

Water soaks into my clothes and the bandage on my arm, and immediately, I can’t breathe. My chest locks up, and I can’t suck in a breath.

“Easy, lemon drop. Breathe with me.”

My chest hurts.

“Hey.” Cole raises a hand to brush the hair out of my face, letting warm drops drip down my skin. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

I pull in fast, shallow breaths. “Can’t. Breathe.”

“Yes, you can.” Cole grips my face. “Look at me.”

I do, blinking as the spray of the water hits me. Fuck, I can’t breathe!

“Jo!” Cole squeezes so hard pain runs through my cheeks.

“There she is. Good girl.”

I suck in a few more breaths.

Cole’s expression looks pained. “I’m sorry, little one. I’m sorry.” He looks me up and down. “I didn’t mean…fuck.”

I want to get out of the water. I need to. I struggle, and Cole winces, but he doesn’t let me go.

“Here.” He grabs something off the shower shelf and holds it out to me.

I blink. It’s his knife.

“Cut me.”

“What?” I snap my gaze to Cole’s. For once, his cocky mask has slipped away. He looks tortured.

“Fucking cut me, Jo. Make me hurt for what I did.”

“No!” I try to pull away, but he cages me in with his arms, the knife slamming into the shower wall with a bang.

Cole drops his head to mine, blue, pained eyes boring into mine. “Please.” Then he says softer, so soft I almost don’t hear it over the spray of the water, “Make it better.”

I swallow.

Cole grabs my hand and puts the knife in it, wrapping my fingers around it. I stare at it.

Cole continues to stand in the spray, shielding me from most of it. I realize with a start that I’ve been breathing fine.

“Do it.” Cole watches me, gaze still ripped open.

I clench my jaw. “I don’t think I can.”

“Here.” Cole pushes me to my knees, grabs my hand with the knife, and pulls it close to him.

“No.” I try to yank away. This is wrong. I don’t want to hurt him.

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