Page 18 of Captured Immune

I sure as hell am interested in Arella that way, though, which is why I’m glad I didn’t force myself on her last night.At least, I hope I didn’t.

I don’t want to be away from her, but my bladder is killing me. “Can I use your bathroom?”

“Of course.”

After a long piss, I wash my hands and examine myself in the mirror. I look like hell. Messy hair, pale face, and saggy eye bags.No wonder she left me. Who’d want this?

I do a quick sniff test to check my breath.Gross.It smells like rancid food that’s been in a Tupperware for two weeks too long.

I crack the door open. “Arella?”

She answers from the living room. “Yeah?”

“Is my toothbrush still here?”

“Top left drawer.”

I pull it open to find a bunch of those free toothbrushes from the dentist, still in the package. Next to those is the one I used the one time I stayed over. I scrub my mouth out with it. Once I’m done, I do another sniff test.Much better.It no longer smells like alcohol. The last thing I want is to trigger bad memories for her.Damn it.I probably did last night. I’ll have to ask her if I did, so I can apologize for it.

I place the toothbrush next to hers, then twist around to dry my hands off. The towel rack is empty. Instead of a towel, what greets me is a giant hole in the wall.Did I do that?I can’t tell how fresh it is.

I feel around the floor for any debris. Nothing. Maybe she cleaned it up. Maybe that’s why there’s no towel. Maybe she used the towel to wipe up the mess I made.

I pat my hands off on my boxers, then ball up my punching fist. My heart races as I insert it into the hole. It fits.Fuck.

I’m prone to violence when I’m drunk, butneverhave I directed it at a woman. If I tried to have sex with Arella last night and she denied me, would I have hit her? If I did, I’ll never forgive myself.

I crack the door open again. “Arella?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you come here?”

Her soft footsteps shuffle across the carpet until she appears in the doorway.

“Did I hurt you last night?” I stare into her eyes, trying to figure out her emotions. I can’t allow her to lie to me about this one. Like always, I sense nothing, and her blank expression gives me no answers.

“No,” she answers easily.

I scan her face for any bruises, then her arms.Clear. Clear.I’m tempted to rip that dress off her body so I can check the rest of her. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Then where the hell did that come from?” I point a firm finger at the gaping hole.

She hesitates, and it scares me. Maybe she’s too afraid to admit I hurt her, like it’ll spare my feelings or some shit.Hell no.Fuck my feelings. If I hurt her, I need to know so I can make sure it never happens again.

I cup her face and tilt her head up to stare her dead in the eyes. “Babe, if I hurt you, you can tell me. I’ll make it right.”

“You didn’t hurt me, Trey. That was from Nathan a long time ago.”

I think she’s telling the truth. If so, how have I never seen this hole before? I guess, now that I think about it, I haven’t been in her bathroom much. The first time was when I shoved her ex into the bathtub. I was too focused on making sure he knew who was in charge to even look at the walls. The time after that was when I stayed over. She must have kept this hole concealed with a towel.

I let out a breath, then release her from my grasp. “You’ve gotta tell me if he ever tries to touch you again, okay? It doesn’t matter what time, or day, or place I’m at. Call me and I’ll come running. Understand?”

She nods with a look in her eyes I don’t recognize. All that time spent studying this woman, and here I am, still trying to figure her out.

Together, we make our way back to her living room, where I dump myself over her couch. My brain rattles inside my skull. I should have sat down slower.

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