Page 41 of Better Hide

Jayden continues to stare with an odd look on his face. It’s like he’s looking through me.

My heart starts racing again. I shift.

Jayden’s eyes don’t follow me.

Is he…? I watch him. Is he looking at himself in the window?

Jayden stands there frozen. Finally, he shakes himself out of it and moves to my side of the car.

I scoot as far back as I can.

Jayden opens the door, taking in my pitiful attempt to get away. Instead of victory, I see an odd mix of conflicted emotions in his eyes. “Come here, Jo.”

I shake my head.

A flare of heat fills his eyes before he squashes it again. “Now is not the time. Let me see your arm.”

I hesitate.

“Kitten. Now.”

I swallow. Where am I going to go? I sag in defeat and scoot over to him. Jayden grabs my arm in his warm hands, gently turning it over so he can see the bandage.

“It’s fine,” I say, trying to pull my arm out of his hand.

Jayden doesn’t even acknowledge me; he just tightens his hold and carefully peels the bandage off.

The skin is all red and scabbed and irritated under it. Some of the scabs opened during my fight with Jayden. I cringe. It hurts like a bitch.

Jayden shakes his head and grabs a first aid kit from his backpack. He grabs the antiseptic and catches my gaze. “Gonna hurt.”

I clench my jaw. Jayden sprays it on, and it does hurt. The pain bites through me, waking me up. Jayden continues to clean it up more gently than I expected, then layers on a clean bandage. He tapes it to my arm, then reaches for my knees. He checks the minor cuts there, then smooths his thumbs over my clammy palms.

I try to pull them away, but Jayden doesn’t let me. My palms have no open cuts, just scratches and sore parts.

Jayden presses his thumb into one of the red spots on my palm, looking up at me while I wince. He presses harder, watching me without blinking, his pupils widening. Then he brings my hand to his mouth and kisses it lightly. He bites once, then lets me go and reaches to the front seat, grabbing the collar.

“No,” I stiffen.

Jayden ignores me, slipping it around my neck. The cool metal settles on my skin, and immediately, I hate it. I feel trapped. Suffocated. Like I can’t breathe.

Jayden digs in his bags and brings out ropes. Thin, blue, red, and purple ropes that look soft.

“What is that?”

“We need to sleep. I don’t trust you not to run.” Jayden pulls out the red rope.

“What?”

Jayden reaches for my hand.

I pull away.

“Jo,” Jayden looks into my eyes. “If you fight me, I won’t be able to do it right, and you’ll be uncomfortable for the rest of the night.”

I freeze.

Jayden cocks his head like he’s trying to figure me out. I see the darkness lurking behind his eyes, battling to get out. But for some reason, he’s holding back.

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