Page 60 of Kings of Decay
Willow forced him away. "Shut up!"
I moved between them, glaring at my brother. This was not the time to start another fight, something he was an expert in. "Let's just get back to the cabin."
Chapter forty
Willow
Iwoke up in soft black sheets covered with a fluffy fleece blanket.The trip back to the cabin felt like a dream.
I was exhausted, my muscles ached, and all I could think was, why did I run away in the first place?
I was safe in bed, but I ran away.
Somehow, being with the brothers felt like the safest place in the world, even when I couldn't shake off the memories of him holding a knife against my skin or Ainsley's fingers forcing their way inside me. My lust and fear pulled me, running in opposite directions until I felt like I was going to explode.
I opened my eyes. Ainsley was sitting on the end of the bed, typing away on his phone. The blue glow illuminated the otherwise dark room.
Pearce was standing by the window, staring out into the night.
Both of them turned as I sat up. I realized then that I was naked. I held the blanket up to my chest. “You’re awake,” Ainsley said, placing his phone on the nightstand and standing up to face me.
“What happened?” I asked, feeling confused.
Pearce turned away from the window. “We found you in the snow,” he said, his voice low and rough.
I swallowed hard, remembering my failed attempt to escape. “Oh,” I whispered, my eyes cast downward. "Yeah, I remember."
Ainsley came to sit next to me, lifting my chin with his hand so that our eyes met.
"We're not going to hurt you, Willow. We promise. As long as you do what we say, you're safe here with us."
I nodded, unable to find the words to respond. I wasn't sure I believed him, but I wanted to. I wanted to believe that these two men, who had kidnapped me and used my body, could somehow be my protectors.
Pearce sat down on the other side of me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me close. I rested my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
There was a long pause.
"How?" I whispered.
"How what?" Pearce asked.
"How do both of you do this? You're not normal."
Ainsley let out a bitter laugh. "No, not at all."
Curiosity tugged at me. I wanted to know more about them. I wanted to see all of them. Their dark and their light, whatever tiny specks of it were left in their black hearts. I glanced up, meeting Ainsley's gaze. His eyes were a mirror to his brother's, cold and distant. The silence stretched between us.
"Fine," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We're not normal...but we're not animals either. We still have souls."
I looked back down, feeling the weight of his words settling heavily on my shoulders. "Not animals, but you've both hurt me more times than I can count. What's your problem?"
"I'm really not in the mood for healing and hugging it out," Pearce interrupted. "Do you want to be with us or not?"
What did I want?
"I don't know," I admitted.
"Then don't decide," Ainsley said. He grabbed my hand. "We have nothing but time."
