Page 49 of Fury

“Goody.” She closed the door.

I held up Serena and washed every inch of her, my fingers smoothing over her white skin, the pink and blue veins visible at every curve. “I got you, baby. You’re with me now. I’ll send Tania out to get us something to eat. We’ll watch some TV and get sleep. Sounds good, right?”

Her head knocked back against the white tile wall, and her lips tipped up in a smile. I kissed her and the world stopped spinning. My soapy hands slid down her back and stopped at her ass. She let out a cry and buried her face in my chest.

If we walked out of this bathroom and that Tania chick blew us to bits, I wouldn’t give a fuck. I’d had this. Serena and me. Naked to each other, skin to skin under a stream of clean, hot water. No chains, no audience, no jeering, just us. Us together.

No, there was nothing less and nothing more I wanted.

Igot Serena into bed andclimbed in after her. She fell asleep right away in the crook of my arm.

“I’m going to get you a T-shirt and some first aid stuff for your arm and chest. And food,” whispered Tania.

“I got money in my wallet. Take whatever.”

“No, I got this.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Thanks, Tania. Hey, a favor? No sliced white bread for me.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “Okay, Mr. F,” she said gesturing to the scars on my cheek and the tattoos down my chest of a series of F’s in different styles I’d gotten recently. I was owning it.

“You come back with good shit, I’ll tell you my name,” I said.

“That’s a deal.” She closed the door gently behind her.

Black darkness had fallen outside and the air was cooler. I heaved a sigh, sinking my head back against the pillow, Serena’s sweet body on mine, and let sleep overtake me.

Gnawing hunger woke me, and my eyes unglued. The bathroom light was on. I sat up, pressing Serena’s body back into the bed. A form was in the other bed, the deep breathing telling me Tania was asleep.

Plastic bags from a convenience store sat on the dresser, and I opened them. Apples, bananas, wrap sandwiches, crusty whole wheat roll sandwiches. I ripped open the thick roll and bit into it. Peanut butter and jelly. Nothing better. I slumped on the edge of the bed and ate.

Muttering rose up behind me, the sheets were tugged and twisted at my side. Serena was having a nightmare. I tossed the food back on the dresser and leaned over her.

“Hey, hey, Serena. It’s okay. Shh.”

I slid in beside her in bed and wrapped my arm around her. She gnashed her teeth, her head shaking back and forth, fists curling in the sheet, warding off someone, defensive. Her legs kicked out, her breathing hard and choppy.

I lifted up, smoothing a hand over her taut face. “Serena.”

She jacked up from the mattress, gasping for air over the edge of the bed.

I clicked on the bedside lamp. “Hey, it’s me, Justin. You okay? You were having a nightmare.”

She only nodded, her head turned away from me.

My hand slid up her damp back, arching under my touch. “I won’t hurt you, you know that, right?”

Her head slumped down.

“Look at me, baby. Please.”

She pulled at the sheets and raised her eyes to mine. So tired.

“Can I touch you?” I asked her. “Can I hold you?”

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