Page 13 of Chaos
“Is this your room?" I ask, voice small.
Chaos nods, watching my reaction carefully. "It's also the safest place in the compound." He gestures to the bathroom. "Shower's in there. You should probably..." He trails off, the corner of his mouth twitching.
"Scrub the dumpster sludge off me?” Heat floods my cheeks.
"Something like that.” He cracks a smile. “I’ll rustle you up some clothes," he says, already backing toward the door. "Take your time."
The bathroom is surprisingly nice—clean tiles, a massive shower with multiple heads, and thick towels hanging on a warming rack. I strip off my disgusting clothes and step under the scalding spray. It takes three full shampoos before my hair feels clean, and I scrub my skin twice before I stop smelling like putrid refuse.
When I finally emerge wrapped in a towel, there’s a woman standing near the bed. She’s all legs, boobs, and platinum blonde hair. She's gorgeous in that Instagram model way—perfect makeup, perfect tan, perfect everything. Her crop top reveals a toned midriff, and her leather mini skirt barely covers her ass. Her eyes sweep over me with cool assessment.
"So you're the current stray.” Her voice drips with disdain. "Chaos asked me to bring you clothes."
She gestures to the bed where I see some folded garments. "I'm Kandi. With akand ani.”
Of course she is.
"I'm Rowan." I clutch my towel tighter. "Thank you for?—"
"Don't get too comfortable." She cuts me off, eyes narrowing. "Chaos brings home his little playthings from time to time, but they never hold his attention for long. He always comes back to me when he gets bored with his strays."
The petty cruelty in her voice makes me flinch.
"Anyway, enjoy the clothes." She smirks, turning to leave. "Hope they fit."
When the door closes, I unfold and hold up the garments she brought. My heart sinks. There's a hot pink crop top that wouldn't cover my breasts even if I were flat-chested (which I definitely am not) and a pair of denim shorts so tiny they could pass for underwear.
Great. I have literally no other options.
I wiggle into the clothes, wincing as the fabric strains across my curves. Sure enough, the top doesn’t quite contain my breasts, and the shorts cut into my thighs while leaving half my butt exposed. I look like a sausage stuffed into a casing two sizes too small.
Standing in front of the mirror, I contemplate my options. I’m not putting my filthy clothes back on. I could wrap myself in a bedsheet toga-style. I could?—
The door opens, and Chaos steps in, freezing mid-stride as his eyes land on me. His jaw drops and eyes widen before darkening with a mixture of anger and something else that makes my skin tingle.
"Fucking Kandi," he growls, running a hand through his hair.
He crosses to a dresser, yanks open a drawer, and pulls out clothes. "Here." He thrusts a black t-shirt and basketball shorts at me. “Put these on.”
I practically sprint to the bathroom to change. The shirt hangs to my knees, and I have to roll the shorts' waistband several times to keep them from falling off, but at least I'm decent and comfortable.
When I emerge, a gray-haired man with a leather medical bag waits beside Chaos.
"This is Doc," Chaos explains. "He's going to check you over."
Doc has kind eyes and gentle hands as he examines the scrape on my cheek and asks me questions about the evening’s ordeal.
"Just a small laceration,” the older man murmurs, applying an ointment and bandaid to the cut on my cheek. “Won't even leave a scar." His touch is clinical but kind, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
My gaze drifts from Doc's concentrated face to where Chaos leans against the wall, arms crossed over his broad chest. The harsh overhead light catches something on his neck—thin, angry red lines. Scratches.
"Oh my god," I gasp. "Your neck. I did that.”
Chaos's hand reflexively moves to the marks, his expression puzzled. “It’s nothin’.”
“It’s not nothing.” Horror rises in my throat. "I clawed at you like some feral cat."
Doc turns to look, then chuckles. "Those little scratches? He can handle them. I've stitched the man up more times than I can count."
