Page 85 of The Umbra King

“Off, but my bra and panties stay on.” She stood on shaky legs, and Caius unzipped her skirt to work it down her hips. Normally this would turn him on, but all he could focus on was not hurting her, and the bruises that tainted her skin made him murderous.

Once undressed, he lowered her into the warm water, grabbed a washcloth, and squirted soap onto the soft fabric.

When he tried to clean her arm, she pulled back. “What do you think you’re doing?”

He blinked and looked at the cloth in his hands. “This is called bathing.”

She plucked the cloth from his hands and shooed him away. “I don’t need you to wash me. I’ll call you when I’m ready to get out.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but she held up a hand. “This is not a discussion.”

Amused and a little disappointed she wouldn’t accept his help, he walked back to the bedroom, but left the bathroom door open.

He could hear the water splashing and little grunts through the open door, and he forced himself to stay put.

“I need your help,” Rory said reluctantly after a few minutes.

He stood by the bathtub within seconds. “What can I do?”

She motioned to her hair. “Can you wash my hair?”

He nodded, wanting nothing more. After she was better, he would distance himself. If that’s what he told himself over and over, eventually, he would believe it.

“Sit up,” he instructed, before stepping into his room for a pitcher. When he returned, he filled it with bathwater, but she grabbed his wrist.

“The water is disgusting. Let me drain it, and you can use fresh water from the faucet.”

When the plug was pulled, he waited for the fresh water to warm up before filling the pitcher again. “Lean your head back.” Slowly, he poured water over her hair, refilling the pitcher when necessary until the strands were saturated.

He lathered the shampoo in his hands before rubbing it into herhair. After covering her head from root to tip, he massaged her scalp and relished in the soft moans she made. After shampooing twice, he added conditioner and did more of the same.

Seeing her shoulders relax at his touch had his blood heating, and if he didn’t leave soon, he would ask to feast between her legs.

He helped her from the bathtub, handed her a towel and shift, and stepped from the room. When she emerged, she walked faster than before, the hot water having eased some of her aches.

“A guard will be stationed at every entrance to this room, and you are not to leave until someone trustworthy comes to fetch you.”

She glared at him again but gave no argument. He helped her into bed, turned out the lights, and slipped behind the bookcase to his office.

As he walked down the long hallway, he reminded himself that he couldn’t let himself fall into her.

29

Rory askedBellina to grab her a sundress from the shop in town to wear to Asher’s party that night. Leggings were a bitch to put on, and loose dresses seemed like the easiest option.

Her face was bruised and swollen, and her lip looked like it went ten rounds with Lo’s fangs. Bellina blew through the door with multiple shopping bags on her arms and smiled. “We have plenty of options.”

Rory blanched. “You didn’t use all your credits, did you?”

The smirk on Bellina’s face made Rory immediately suspicious. “The king told the store clerk you have unlimited credits.”

Rory scoffed with indignation. “I’m going to kill him.”

Bellina waved her off. “Let him buy you things. If it weren’t for him, you would’ve never been a target to begin with.”

She had a point. Rory peeked into the bags and pulled out different dresses. Nestled at the bottom of one bag was a long, soft, cotton dress. It was red, and Rory marveled at the color.

“I’ll wear this one,” she announced.

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