Page 55 of Burn

“I’d like to try and walk.” I didn’t like not being able to move or breathe or do anything.

“You got it.” He rose and then I went from being on my stomach to my feet with such smoothness, I barely noticed the transition. He didn’t let me go immediately. “Good?”

I nodded slowly. “I think so.”

At my word, he released me but didn’t back off. It was weird, the men were all tall but more often I dealt with them while they were sitting. He seemed huge standing right next to me. Even bigger than when I was lying on the bed.

When he offered me his arm, I didn’t bother with pride, I just gripped his forearm so I could take a step. It was like I’d suddenly become weaker than a kitten. Still, he paced me all the way to the bathroom.

The lights were on already and it was a reasonable sized, standard hotel room bathroom. “Leave the door cracked,” he said. “I’ll be right out here if you need help.”

“Thank you,” I said, taking slower, even breaths to make pushing the words out not sound like an effort.

The corners of his mouth twitched, but I couldn’t evade the way he stared at me. It was like he could see right through to my bones and assessed every part of me.

In the bathroom, the cold tile on my bare feet was magnificent. The chill made the sweat seem much more intense even as another set of shivers went through me. Yeah, I felt so off and staring at myself in the mirror was like staring at a stranger.

My hair was a mess. Strands of it clung to my face, the rest of it disheveled. I looked like I’d been through the wringer. If Am saw me right now, she’d make me go to a hospital.

Then again, I’d be more than happy to go cause that would mean she was right here.

“Firecracker?” Voodoo called.

“Yeah, I’m going to pee. Sorry.” It took more effort than I cared to admit to tug down the panties and pee. When I finished, I gritted my teeth so I could wipe. Reaching of any kind was just painful, period.

After I flushed, I washed my hands, then my face. Then I used my fingers to try and straighten the mess of my hair. Then I ran out of every ounce of energy.

“Voodoo?”

He pushed the door inward before I even finished saying his name. He held my gaze in the mirror. “How we doing?”

“Terrible,” I admitted. “I want to shower but I don’t think I can.”

“I can help you.” The lack of any leering in the offer actually had me considering it. “Or you can rest for a few more hours and we can try then. Whatever you need, Firecracker.”

What did I need?

Chapter

Twenty

GRACE

What I needed was Amorette. What I needed was to have met with her for our girl’s weekend where we would both be safe and sound at the rental by the beach. What I needed was…

A sigh escaped me as I turned to face him. “Do you have a real name?”

“Voodoo not real enough for you?” The barest hint of humor slid into his eyes and his voice. One corner of his mouth kicked upwards, an invitation to play.

“Sorry, not judging, just—curious.” I glanced at his hands. There were no rings. No tan line where a ring might have been. No jewelry of any kind—well correction, he had a silver chain that stretched under his shirt, but that was it.

“Nothing wrong with curiosity, Firecracker.”

Weariness washed through me. I felt scummy inside and out. “Were you serious about helping me with the shower?”

“Yes,” he said without hesitation or flirtation. “Are you comfortable with me doing that?”

Was I? “It’s a body,” I told him, with a wave down at myself. “Being nude has never bothered me.”

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