Page 228 of Rage

For the first time, her wide, blank eyes shoot to me. Then, they shutter and turn back to the ground. “I swear, I had to do it, or they would have forced me to have children. That’s what he said. ‘Do your job, or we’ll keep you knocked up for the rest of your life.’”

Her reedy voice lacks emotion, like she’s reciting a news story and not her own life experiences. She must have been a child when they took her, or perhaps she was the child of a sympathizer. Even their own flesh and blood mean nothing; just look at Jones. Celia has the same hard eyes, the ones that hide pain and absorb the shock of life around them by retreating deep into the recesses of the mind. One day, I hope she comes out, but for her sake, I hope that day isn’t today.

Fourteen hours. That’s how long I’ve been hovering over Lenora’s prone body on the cot in front of me. The shallow stab wound in her side wasn’t as terrible as I initially thought.I stitched her up, but she has been asleep since. Resting. Recuperating.

“She hasn’t really slept in days,” Antonia says from the door of Lenora’s cabin. We moved her three hours ago, when she just seemed to be sleeping and not in any immediate danger.

“Why not?” I ask incredulously.

“She’s had a bad feeling since we found you. I’m guessing the two Beasts you found were what tripped her spidey senses.” Her head nods, affirming her own statement. “She’s been nonstop with patrolling and fortifying everything she comes into contact with. I think she was on the verge of telling everyone to just stay inside.” She barks a laugh that brings a smile to my face.

Antonia was in charge of interrogating Celia, though it was really more of a therapy session. That poor girl; I hope she can manage living after everything that has happened to her. Survival really is for the fittest. But, after helping me get Lenora back to camp, she stayed by my side as I detailed everything I was doing to Lenora’s wound. Maybe she’ll want to help us on the medical side of things once she gets older.

“Lenora’s also been a little distracted.” Her warm eyes meet mine, and heat climbs to my temples.

“I just want her to wake up so I can apologize. I was so stupid, Antonia. I should have listened to her and never ran ahead to check on Celia. Even if my instincts took over, I should have rubbed my two brain cells together and realized how bizarre the whole situation was. I’m a fucking idiot, and I’ll never forgive myself if she just keeps sleeping. Though, she is really pretty like this. The angry little divot between her eyebrows is gone.” I manage a small smile and brush her pink hair away from her face.

Antonia leaves me there with a knowing look.

“Tell me again how much of an idiot you are,” her voice rasps from the bed, dry from disuse.

“Oh my God! Lenora!” Dropping to my knees, I wrap her in my arms, and she hisses out a breath as I pull away. “Sorry! Sorry. I’m so sorry. I should have listened. I understand if you hate me. I got you stabbed! I’ll listen from now on, I promise!” Tears flow freely from my eyes as I grasp her hand in mine.

“Will you?” is the only response I get. No forgiveness, not yet.

“I’m serious. I’ll always listen to you. I never want this to happen again.” Her slim fingers, the same that were caked in blood and wrapped around a deadly weapon not too long ago, catch one of my tears.

She crooks a finger, beckoning me closer so she can whisper, “Take off your clothes.” Her breath tickles my ear, and a shiver races down my spine.

“What? You could get hurt!” I start.

“So you lied? You won’t listen to me?” My body wars with the need filling my stomach. I want her so badly. I throw off my top and shorts, left in nothing.

“No underwear? When did you take them off, you little slut?” She bites her lower lip to hide her growing smile, and I’m on fire for her. The way she looks at me and devours me with those icy eyes has my nipples standing at attention.

“I never wore them. I wanted to run into you yesterday to walk the perimeter,” I admit, embarrassed at how needy it sounds when said out loud.

“So you wanted me to touch your pretty pussy? Come here.” I move closer to the bed, standing directly next to her. Her fingers slide between my folds, already slick with arousal for the killer in bed next to me, the protector.

“Tell me the truth: did you hate seeing me kill in front of you?” Her eyes lose their softness as she waits for my answer, never moving her fingers from my core, just holding them there, waiting for my body to betray me.

“No,” I whisper, eyes wide. I remember her covered in blood, the animalistic look in her eyes as she sliced and stabbed through the Beasts with ease, all to save me.

A smile curves her mouth and, gently, she reaches deeper. I stifle a whimper and try my best to remain standing.

“Did it turn you on to see me kill for you?” Her strokes become teasing again, and I moan at the loss of pressure.

“No,” I lie right to her face because the truth is embarrassing. How can I admit that?

“That’s not what this pretty pussy says. Did you want to bathe in their blood with me, Davey? Let me finger you right there, over their bodies, after they tried to take what was mine?”

“Oh, fuck, Lenora,” I moan and double over. The image she paints filters through my mind, and I can’t help but play the scene out.

Us. Naked. Writhing over their bodies after she kept me safe by cutting them down.

“Can I touch you?” I moan, trying to keep some composure as she lazily strokes me.

“Since you asked so nicely.” She pulls off the blanket covering her body. I never redressed her after tending to her wound. I can’t lie and say I didn’t look a few times at her beautiful body, so toned and strong.

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