Page 41 of Merciless

“The truth,” I confess.

“Which was?”

I don’t answer, and JD doesn’t prompt me for the longest time.

The silence stretches on, and I start to think that’s it. That he’ll tidy up and walk out.

But then his warm fingers connect with my jaw, and before I know what’s happening, I’m facing him, his bright blue eyes boring into my watery, emotional ones.

“Little dove,” he whispers. “I can’t help you if you don’t let me.”

I gasp, but the shock of his words isn’t enough to make me answer. I’m not sure anything ever will be.

There’s only one man I trust in this godforsaken place, and he isn’t staring back at me, asking me to open up to him. Instead, I’m staring back at one of two men who know exactly where I am and who isn’t about to sneak me out because he feels sorry for me.

JD might be playing the nice guy right now, but I can’t forget that he’s one of them.

He’s a Hawk.

Reid Harris’s best friend.

I know exactly where his loyalties lie. And they aren’t with me.

“Who said I wanted help?” I scoff. “Reid is right. I knew exactly what I was doing. I knew I’d end up here, or worse. Time to face the music.”

His lips part to say something, but he swallows back the words before they spill free.

Releasing my jaw, he takes my uninjured hand instead and studies my wrist.His thumb brushes over my tattoo as he reads the words, but he doesn’t comment on it.

Warmth spreads up my arm as he holds me. The urge to jump onto his lap and demand he wrap his arms around me until I’m warm is almost too much to deny. But thankfully, I manage to keep a lid on such a ridiculous request.

“This looks sore.”

“It’s fine,” I argue, trying to rip my hand from his grip.

But he doesn’t let me go. He holds me tight as he reaches for some cream in the first aid kit. He undoes the lid with his teeth before spitting it free and squirting a blob on my wrist.

I watch silently as he works, gently massaging the cool cream into my red, angry welts.

“JD,” I whisper when he moves to the other, being extra careful of my wound.

His touch feels too good.

Warmth rushes up my arm as tingles erupt south of my stomach.

I swallow the whimper that wants to fall from my lips as he continues massaging my skin.His fingertips soothing my sore, exhausted muscles, forcing me to relax for the first time since I was hauled down here.

Fuck, he’s good.

I roll my neck as I think about the magic he could work there. The image of me stripping down and lying before him fills my mind, making my temperature finally heat up.

I almost can’t fight my smirk as I consider what Reid’s reaction would be if he caught us.

I’m meant to be in hell down here, not allowing JD’s hands to show me a little bit of heaven.

I bite my lip when he releases my wrist to stop me from crying out in protest, but the second he reaches for my leg and squirts more cool cream on my ankle, my protests die.

“Lie back,” he encourages, his electric blue eyes holding mine, leaving zero room for argument.

---