Page 55 of Captive Souls

And I was about tokisshim?

The universe wasn’t subtle, Daisy bursting in serving as a reminder of just how far gone I was. But not too far gone to come back.

I stroked Daisy’s head until her breathing evened out, and she lifted her gaze to scowl at Knox.

“Are you okay?” she asked after looking at me. There was a slight scratch to her delicate tone that made me want to claw Knox’s face off.

“I’m fine,” I reassured her, still reeling over the fact that she was here. That she had shot Knox, and Knox had, in turn, almost strangled her. This was all after we almost kissed. Yeah, more than a lot to process.

“You’re not fine,” she scoffed, standing on her own feet but not letting go of me. “You’ve been in the presence of this maniac for weeks! He strangles me the second he sees me, so I hate to think what he’s done to you.” Her voice had a hysterical edge with a healthy dose of anger mixed in and directed at Knox.

I was relieved to hear that anger. It meant she was okay.

“You shot me before you even considered your sister being caught in the crossfire,” he said evenly. “Be thankful you’re still breathing.”

My own breath caught at his words.

I pushed them out of my mind. I had to. What good was it to have a maniac care for you if he was willing to injure the one you loved most in some sort of fucked-up vengeful or protective mode?

“You hurt my sister again and I’ll rip you to pieces,” I vowed to Knox, unable to discern the specifics of how I’d carry out such a thing but knowing I’d find a way if I needed to.

Cold and calculating once more, his eyes traveled slowly over my face, presumably measuring me and my words. Then something twitched in his cheek, as if he found me almost … amusing.

Amusing. When I’d just witnessed his brutal violence against Daisy and had very sincerely threatened his life. That made me all the more furious.

“Whatever you say, Petal.”

Petal? Where the heck did that pet name come from? Completely inappropriate, and it did not make me feel any type of way. It was insane to feel any type of way about a term ofendearment muttered by a man who had beenstrangling my sisterless than a minute ago.

Ignore him. That was the most sensible thing to do right then.

“Let’s get you some water,” I told Daisy in a calm voice. Instantly, I transitioned into the caretaker role that had fit me like a glove my entire life when it came to my sister. Though in that moment, it felt uncomfortable, stifling.

“And you sit your ass in that chair.” Addressing Knox, I pointed to the dining room chair. “You were just shot, so I’m going to have to do something about that.” What, I had no idea.

“It’s a flesh wound,” Knox grunted.

“Yes, a bullet. Through your flesh,” I widened my eyes at him. “And it didn’t go through said flesh and hit me, as you so daintily pointed out. Therefore, it is still in there.”

He was watching me intently, no pain seeming to tighten his face. “Then I need a lighter and a knife.”

This was the most Knox had spoken in a single exchange since we got here. And those words included describing my destruction, alluding to his own, threatening my sister, and then declaring he was going to fish a bullet out of his own skin.

“You need to sit your ass in the chair,” I huffed, grabbing a glass for my sister after turning off the bubbling pot of food that smelled amazing. Moroccan stew of some sort, I guessed based on the scent of cloves and curry.

I handed Daisy the water which she seemed to take reflexively, observing me with wide eyes. She was likely just processing. She had probably mentally prepared herself to come in here and find me half-tortured. Which wasn’t untrue, I just wasn’t tortured in the way she expected. I looked exactly the same on the outside, but my insides were all gnarled and confused.

I reached into a cupboard I knew held an extensive first aid kit I’d been surprised to find. It made sense, due to the remoteness of the cabin and the fact that if either one of us got injured, it wasn’t like the proper authorities could be called.

Daisy sipped her water and gazed around the cabin while I took stock of the supplies.

The kit had a scalpel that seemed sharp and hopefully what was needed to fish the bullet out of Knox’s skin. Though I had no idea what one needed to fish out a bullet, and I didn’t have a phone to google such information.

The premise seemed to be to find something sharp then … dig.

My squeamish stomach turned at the thought of it.

“This is … cozy,” Daisy remarked, having looked around. I caught her eye right after she stared at the single bed in the room.

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