Page 33 of Wreckage

We made it to the small bathroom on the plane. Troy opened the door before releasing me. His green eyes met mine briefly, and there was so much turmoil and concern in them that it made my stomach flop. Carefully, I wrenched my focus from him and closed the door on him.

I turned toward the mirror and froze. I didn’t recognize myself. The swelling. The bruises. The dried blood.

My face was barely mine.

My lips trembled, and I covered my mouth, choking back a sob.

A soft knock.

“Elena?” Troy’s voice was gentle.

I wiped my eyes quickly. “I-I’m fine.”

I wasn’t, but I didn’t want him to know that. He was already under enough stress, and I didn’t want to add to it. I quickly did my business, or what counted as quick when bones were broken and your body felt like it had gone through a meat grinder.

When I was done, I opened the door, limping out slowly.

Troy’s expression twisted. The sadness in his eyes broke me.

He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. Instead, he reached out, carefully catching me as I swayed.

“Come on,” he murmured, guiding me back, his arm back to being around my waist. As much as I appreciated his care with me, it seemed odd. He'd never touched me in all the years I’d known him. Hell, he barely acknowledged my existence. For almost ten years, I’d been invisible to him and Adrian. And now they seemed to care if I lived or died.

Deciding now wasn’t the time to dwell on it, I focused on the moment and allowed him to help me back to the makeshift bed they’d created for us.

He helped me settle into the blankets, his movements careful and cautious.

I felt awkward, but I knew it was necessary.

Troy tucked me in carefully. “You OK? Do you need anything?”

I swallowed thickly. “No… thank you. For this. All of it. I appreciate it.”

The cabin was quiet for a long time as he stared back at me, an unreadable expression on his handsome face.

I couldn’t take it any longer. All the feelings I’d been trying to tamp up since I woke came to mind. A sob tore from my throat.

Troy reacted immediately.

His arms came around me, pulling me close, his voice low and soothing. I cried harder from both the effort he put in and the pain I was in.

“It’s OK,” he whispered on repeat. “We’ve got you. It’s OK.”

Adrian watched from beside me, his face unreadable, but after a moment, he shifted closer. His body pressed against mine, his warmth seeping into my skin.

I let out a shaky breath.

And for the first time since the crash, I let myself go. I didn’t question their motives. This was survival, plain and simple. We were humans doing human things and trying to survive. And to do that, we needed one another.

I was still scared, still in pain.

But not alone.

And for that, I was grateful.

Chapter 13

Troy

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