Page 36 of Unholy

We stand in silence, and warm water trickles down our bodies while neither of us move. Whether she admits it or not, this moment is intimate.

I’ve shown I care enough to then hurt her with words.

She has shared a vulnerable part of herself with me, then snapped back, putting me in my place.

Rubbing my lips together, she bites hers. They are so fucking sexy and full, I just want to bite into her bottom lip and suck it into my mouth. Her big eyes look at me, waiting for me to do something, anything. I can feel my cock getting hard. Shit. Flexing my toes, I try to redirect the rushing blood elsewhere to no avail.

“Hurry up, we need to get to the hospital.”

Breaking off from the sexual tension, I step back, freeing her from my hold, and leave the shower. This isn’t the last time that we will speak about this, and her self-discipline techniques, but for now I will let it rest.

I can hear her murmur, “Asshole,” under her breath as I grab a plush white towel from the heated rack.

“Yes, you were just there last night, darling,” I holler back, leaving her alone in the bathroom.

16

RYLEE

The elevator ride to Cecilia’s private room is quiet, similar to the car journey here. Everything smells like death and sanitizer. As we were pulling out the compound, looking back in the side mirror, I saw Thomas and Elijah dragging something wrapped in plastic across the street. Rain was on the end of their driveway with her arms crossed. I would be shocked if she wasn’t mumbling obscenities, and she’s having a baby with Elijah. The woman is a saint.

The elevator stops, the steel doors slide open, and stark white walls greet us. Nathaniel, who is wearing a crisp white V-neck tee, jeans that hug his tight ass perfectly, black framed glasses, and black combat boots leads the way. Lifting his inked hand, he waves for me to follow him. “Puppet, this way.” He’s calling me that to piss me off. I am not his goddamn puppet, not after this afternoon.

I try to show restraint and focus on the space around us.

The halls are sparse, with minimal staff, and there are no signs of other patients whenever I glance into a passing room. Ahead I see two people standing guard. Pride fills my chest as I notice one is a female. Fucking badass. They are standingagainst the wall with a closed wooden door separating them. This must be Cecilia’s room.

“Where is everyone?” slips from between my lips.

Nathaniel is quick to respond. “Secured floor.”

The Exiled are connected, this shouldn’t surprise me, but it does. This is a hospital where sick people should be getting tended to, yet they have managed to shut down an entire floor for a girl. Reason number seven thousand four hundred and thirteen on why I hate them. The level of entitlement is appalling.

“And before you get on your high horse, these two are Antichrist.”

Rolling my eyes, I’m still disgusting.

But he doesn’t stop there. “And D and I have accommodated the other patients in this wing at a neighboring town's private facility. We need to keep her close, familiar, and in our own territory.”

What does he want—a round of applause or a Nobel Peace Prize for him and his little buddy?

Reaching the door, the two guards give Nathaniel and me a nod, allowing us entrance into the room. We don’t knock, instead, we walk right in. Immediately the beeping of machines catches my attention, they surround one side of Cecilia. IV bags and cords lead to the frail girl asleep in the bed. Her eyes have dark bruising around them, cuts with stitching to help heal them, and a brace keeping her nose straight. Moving down her body, her blanket covers most of it, but her exposed arms and hands are just as bad.

What did they do to her?

A deep voice startles me. “They had her hung upside down, attached to a cross... naked. She was barely recognizable. They beat her…” Darian’s voice cracks. He looks exhausted; this is a broken man. “I thought she died. I thought they raped her beforekilling her. I thought it all happened because of me. But then we found a pulse, a rape kit eliminated my second biggest fear, though some of it did happen because of me and who she is and what she meant to him. She was promised to him but I promised her to me, and she ended up liking it. But the biggest reason this all happened was because Dalton has a death wish, and I will happily fulfill it.”

Nathaniel walks to stand next to his best friend, hand on his shoulder. “We will, brother. I promise. Things are in play, trust me.” I wince, but I’m curious. Was Brad’s head in his yard a part of this plan?

“Some of it has moved up the timeline, thanks to my boy. He did some redecorating today. But we will get that son of a bitch right where we want him, then make him pay.”

Darian’s head hangs, and he nods in understanding while clenching his fists.

Feminine grunts pull my attention. Cecilia’s head is slowly moving side to side. Darian jumps forward, stroking her hair and whispering into her ear, “It’s okay, baby. I’m here. It’s just a dream.”

Night terrors. She’s going to need therapy after this; you can’t survive all of this and keep it in. It will only kill her from the inside out.

Without hesitation, my body moves forward and my hands hold hers as I stand next to the bed, trying to comfort her. I’m a girl’s girl and we stand and stick together.

---