Page 46 of Taken By the Convicts
“And I can’t stay. So maybe you should lock me back in that empty room because I promise you, I will escape this bunker. I’ll find a way back to the med-center.”
“You were just as trapped up there. Jayce told me you never left once in the three weeks since you arrived. That building is as much of a cage as this bunker, except more dangerous. Zev told me you were attacked by one of the med-techs, that’s how you ended up in the hole.”
“I prefer to be there.”
“Because you can’t stand us. Or is it just me?”
“It has nothing to do with you.” Another glance down the hall. “Or even Jayce. I wanted a unit, and this is a good one I suppose, but I can’t stay down here.”
“So this isn’t about being locked up.”
“Not entirely,” she confessed.
“Why is the med-center so important to you?
She swallowed. Hard. “It’s not the med-center that’s important to me, but the work.”
“The majority of men that come in there for treatment don’t deserve to live.”
“Maybe not, but I’m not doing the work for them. I’m doing it for me.”
“What does that mean?”
Her eyes met his. “I need to know I matter.”
Chapter Eleven
MELINA
Melina needed to get away from Ivan, before she did something she couldn’t undo, like sleep with him. He’d never respect her, or listen to her if she slept with him, despite how much her body was thrumming for more of his kisses, his touch.
She’d thought for sure the scars on her back would discourage him, or at least make him understand that she knew what it meant to be punished. Displaying her back had gained Ivan’s sympathy, but nothing more. He remained determined to keep her here. She’d stay trapped in this underground bunker forever if he had his way.
Yesterday, Melina had darted into Reece’s room to get away from Ivan. He wouldn’t pursue her into Reece’s room. Each man seemed to respect the other’s territory, at least when it came to their rooms.
What was she going to do about Ivan? The man was determined to protect her, but keeping her down here wasn’t the way. She didn’t do well in enclosed spaces. The only reason she maintained her composure this long was the size of the bunker, but each day the underground refuge felt smaller than the last.
She hadn’t seen the sun in four days and already she felt as if she couldn’t breathe. To make matters worse, she’d slept on Reece’s bed last night while he slept on a mat on the floor. While she’d only slept in his arms one night, she missed that last night, but he’d avoided her, and she didn’t know why. She hadn’t wanted to return to her room, where anyone could enter, especially Jayce, but Reece deserved to sleep in his bed, not the floor.
Last night, Reece had left the bed the second she’d climbed in next to him. He couldn’t explain why he distanced himself, but worse than that, he hadn’ttriedto explain. That worried her.
She suspected Zev was the reason Reece had turned cold to her. Having sex with Reece on the stairs had been unexpected, but not as unexpected as her attraction to Zev.
For as much as she could understand a lot of Reece’s hand signals, she needed to hear his thoughts. Going to Zev, who always seemed to know what Reece was thinking, was out of the question. This issue, whatever it was, was between her and Reece.
Melina stared at the blanket and pillow on the floor. Reece had set up his makeshift bed again. She returned the bedding to his bed, checked the hall, and snuck back to her room where she stripped out of her clothing and climbed under the covers, waiting and listening to the sounds of the bunker.
The muted sounds of Jayce and Ivan talking in the kitchen lulled her. Then two sets of footsteps descended the stairs. Zev and Reece had returned. Her heart raced as a shadow appeared outside her door.
“Reece?” she called out. Her door opened. The light flickered on, making her squint. He hit the override and adjusted the brightness. He stood beside her bed, filthy, covered in blood.
“Are you okay?” she sat up, alarmed at the sight of the blood. The blanket slipped from her grasp. Reece grinned, and she realized she was naked. She quickly drew the blanket over her breasts.
He made a sign forgun. “Oh, that’s from the animal you killed?”
He nodded and signedshower. He wanted to clean up. Before he left, he knelt by the bed and kissed her. Her Reece was so sweet.
“You’re not mad at me?”
