Page 9 of Defy

Thefuck?

Before he can say more, a fist bangs on the door to his room.

“I’m busy,” he calls.

“Getun-busy,” comes the reply on the other side of the door. “We need you.Now.”

Luis swings his head back in my direction, spreading his hands in awhat can I dogesture. “Looks like I need to attend to business. We’ll finish this conversation later but keep your mouth shut. I don’t trust you yet, but maybe you and I can work together toward a common goal.” Just like that he gets up and heads for the door, pausing when he gets there, and points to his closet. “Grab some clean clothes and a shower. You look disgusting.”

Like he didn’t just turn my world upside-down.

Four

THE WORLD FADES TO BLACK for at least twenty minutes. All thoughts of food, showers, even Libby, gone from my mind.

Not our biological sister?

How can that be? I barely have any memories at all without Adriana in them. I remember seeing her as an infant. I didn’t spend much time with her, but she was definitely here then.

When my vision finally returns to normal, I grab a clean t-shirt and sweatpants from Luis’ closet and make a beeline for the solid wooden door connecting Luis and Libby’s rooms. I expect it to be locked and am immediately both surprised and angry when it swings open without resistance.

The sight before me steals my breath and makes me want to tear the skin off the bones of everyone in this fucking palace prison.

Libby is curled up on her side. Her tactical vest still in place, just like I asked. Diego removed mine before he beat my ass and I don’t know how she’s managed this thing for so long.

I remember the feeling of her thighs squeezing mine as she rode me less than forty-eight hours ago and my cock twitches. Even sleeping, she doesn’t look broken, she looks like a warrior, a soldier, only miniature, and I wish like hell we were anywhere other than here.

I hate to wake her but our time is limited.

Laying my hand gently on her shoulder, I whisper her name hoping I don’t startle her.

“Libby.”

Nothing.

I give her a little shake. “Libby. Princess, wake up.” Even as I say it, I can already hear my accent returning just from being here.

Her small groan turns into a gasp as she opens her eyes. Her hands fly to my shirt before she pulls back to look at me. I can tell the swelling in my eye isn’t any better…mostly because I still can’t open it.

“Cas!” she says, mortified, reaching for me and gently brushing my hair off my forehead.

“Shh, I’m okay. Just a little welcome home gift,” I say humorlessly as I run the back of my knuckles over her flushed cheek. “Can you sit up? Let’s get this thing off of you.” I use one hand to unfasten the Velcro but she has to lift it herself due to my injuries. These vests aren’t light. I smile at the fact that she listened to me and adhered to my request of not allowing anyone but me to take it off. I know she’s still in danger, but right now I don’t think that danger is going to come from a knife or a bullet.

When a groan escapes from my mouth in pain from trying to help her get the vest off as best I can, I see tears fill her eyes. Brave woman that she is, she wipes them away before they fall and I can tell she’s hoping I don’t see them, but I do, and a pain sharper than any knife blade pierces my chest causing me to wonder just how strongly I feel for her.

“Come on, we need to grab a shower quickly. We’ll both feel better. And I could use some help in there.” It’s a risky move, but my mother has already spoken to both of us at this point and whatever caused the guards to draw Luis away from me will undoubtedly include my parents as well which buys us a small amount of time.

“What did they do to you? Andwhy?”

I launch into the story of my family in more detail than I previously used, trying to paint her an accurate picture of the Hielos. It feels like I’m exorcising a demon as I talk about each of them in turn. She listens with rapt attention while helping me remove my sling. Realizing we won’t be able to peel my sweaty, sticky t-shirt off over my head, she puts the hem in her teeth and tears it. Grabbing opposite sides of the tear, she yanks, careful to avoid hitting me or tugging too hard and the cotton rips up to my neck so she can easily slip it over my head. The bandages are on the back and front of my shoulder and she removes them slowly so she can wash around the newly-sewn incisions, gasping when she sees the stitches.

“I’m glad they closed you up but that’s going to scar pretty badly. Who did this, a blind racoon?” she chokes out causing me to chuckle. Then she drops her eyes to my side where the bruising from my ribs is spreading magnificently. Her words shake as they fill the small tile shower around us. “Seeing you hurt makes it hard for me to focus... even if I’m pissed at you.”

I know what she means. “Libby, I’m sorry about that. I should have stopped it but honestly, I thought she was going to slap me, not kiss me. I was frozen in the moment.” I watch her eyes scan my body looking for a safe place for her hands to land. “Here.” I put her hands on my chest. “Nothing hurts up here.” I give her a small smile when her fingers flex involuntarily into my pecs.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispers like she’s talking to herself more than me. She won’t meet my gaze so I put two fingers under her chin and force her to look at me.

“Lib, we have to. It’s our only way out. Camila and I have history and I may have to use that to get what I need in order for us to survive,” I tell her truthfully, hating that I’m hurting her.

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