Page 18 of Gift from the Nexus

Our close proximity has me on the verge of flipping the fuck out. I’m practically naked, and his hands press in on my bare lower back.

Nope, nope, nope. I want him the hell off me now.

“I’m about to pee myself,” I announce as it’s the first thing to come to mind. Saying it out loud seems to give my body permission, though, and now I really am struggling to clench my muscles to hold my bladder back.

“Hold it,” Max growls from a few feet away, and I shake my head, leaning my head up to Trex with pleading eyes.

“I really can’t anymore. I haven’t used the bathroom since I was brought in. I’m about to pee on myself and you.” I’d laugh atthe disgust on Trex’s face if anything about this whole situation were remotely funny.

“I’ll take her quickly. Get the rest of what we need and meet us at the entry.”

Releasing me a little, he grabs onto my elbow and gives me a moment to get my balance, but my first shaky step prompts him to wrap his arm around me and pull me to his side. I grit my teeth at the intrusive feeling of having his body plastered to mine and suck it up as we make our way into the empty hall.

I remember my walk to this room and from the way we came, there are no other rooms but the one I was first locked in, so when he steers me in the opposite direction, I don’t know what to expect, but I take in everything I can even though it’s nothing but plain stone walls.

“I’m not buying into this whole docile, compliant routine you’re putting on right now. Master Franklin and Donald have been very vocal about what to expect from you. So don’t think for a second you’re about to pull a fast one on me,” he says as we slowly, and I do mean slowly, like a snail’s pace, continue down the never-ending stretch of nothing.

“Well, I don’t buy this bullshit good guy routine you have going on. Maybe you should consider why I act the way I do with those pieces of shits,” I snark back faster than I can process a tamer reply or even better, no reply at all.

My body tenses, bracing for whatever he’s about to do. After a dreadful few seconds and nothing happens, other than we quit walking, I dare a glance up at him. He’s wearing that same fascinated expression on his face again, so instead of waiting for him to say anything, I start walking in the direction we were going.

“It’s not a routine. I don’t see any point in torturing you when we have no other choice in this matter. My fate’s been decided. Your fate’s been decided. Slicing you up, burning, and bitingyou does nothing for me. It’s your mind I want, so until we get that block that’s been placed there down, I have no reason to be hostile toward you,” he admits.

So if I didn’t have my block so secure, he’d meddle with my mind.

Good to know.

Stopping us, I lean against the wall and take a breath. It’s taking far more energy out of me to make it down this hall than I expected and talking while walking is causing me to be short of breath. When he arches a brow at me, all I can do is hum in response.

“If you want to be able to walk on your own again one day, you can’t make dumbass decisions like you did today. You should’ve agreed to go to the forest willingly. They’re going to make this a daily habit if you fight at every turn,” he says, crossing his arms and staring down at me.

“You…say they as if this isn’t your Nexus. You may have not physically participated in what’s been done to me, but…you’re no less guilty.” I pant pathetically.

Pull it together, Willow. You’ll never escape like this.

Pushing off the wall, Trex immediately grasps back onto my upper arm and starts steering us down the hall again. I wait tensely, impatiently for him to say something, do something, react in any way, but he doesn’t. He just walks us in unsettling silence.

The last corner approaches, and I pray there are only a few more steps. Focusing on putting one foot in front of the other and his small conversation was enough to distract me from the fact my bladder is about to explode. I’m no closer to forming a plan to get out of here, and every single piece of me hurts. Those things are all I can think about now. It’s dizzying.

When we round the corner, all there is, is a small nook and one door. The sight has my muscles loosening slightly and anunwanted tear sliding down my cheek. I’m relieved but also petrified. I’ll have a moment alone to get my thoughts straight, but also, it means I’m running out of time. This is my only shot.

Walking through the door, a row of showers comes into view, and longing for my oasis beats at my chest, so I tear my eyes from them and search the room for a toilet. There isn’t one in here, but Trex continues to lead me toward another door I hadn’t noticed until now. When he pushes it wide, propping it open with his back and motioning me in, I halt.

“You can’t watch me go to the bathroom.”

“I can and I am. Now go. We don’t have much time,” he says seriously.

This cannot be happening.

“When’s the next time I’ll have a moment alone?” I ask softly, turning my large, teary eyes up to him. Yeah, it’s a little bit of the docile routine he called me out for, but there’s some true desperation mixed in with my tone.

“Never.”

“Then may I please use the restroom alone? I’m not going to try anything. I just need a minute. Please.”

He studies my face for a long moment, trying his hardest to beat on the wall around my mind. I’m sure it’s driving him mad not being able to break in and see my true intentions, but my wall doesn’t so much as quiver.

“You have five minutes,” he declares, and I slump in relief as he steps out of the way for me to walk past him. “And just so you know, you’re wrong about them being my Nexus. I was the only one with true brothers and they were taken from me. So maybe you should consider why I act the way I do before grouping me in with all of them.”

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