Page 64 of Kept

I can’t lean on anyone.

I can feel his eyes on me. Before he can say anything, I turn, rushing out of the room. Maverick’s voice calls after me, large footsteps striding across the floor as he follows, but I can’t be around him.

I need to be alone.

I need to get used to it.

But as I dart through the hallway, running for my room, a shadow emerges from the wall and I collide with it blindly. Enzo folds his arms as I stagger back, his eyes bleeding into darkness.

“What happened?” he demands. I can’t look at him either. Ryder emerges from the dungeon, his handsome face looking more serious than I’ve ever seen it. I glance at him and his expression changes, concern filling it as he takes a step towards me.

Maverick comes up behind me, filling the rest of the space with his energy as the three of them crowd me. They’re all saying things, and it’s tooloud.My head is pounding, and I feel dizzy.

Too much.

Enzo reaches for me, but I dart under his arm.

I just need space.

Enzo snarls something at Maverick as I reach the top of the stairs, and I glance behind me. They all look so angry. Maverick mutters something too low for me to hear, and Enzo stalks out. The crash of a door sounds in the distance, and I flinch.

I’m bringing trouble to their home. Making them fight amongst themselves.

Maybe… maybe I should never have left.

When I reach my room, I climb under the cozy covers on my bed, hauling them until they cover my head and my breathing heats the small space in muffled pants. I don’t want to look outside. I don’t want to do anything at all.

The pounding of my heartbeat gradually settles inside my chest. Curling up into a ball, I fall into a restless doze.

The slamming of the door jerks me awake, and the covers are ripped away.

Flinching, I glance up at Enzo. His eyes are still black.

“You’re angry,” I whisper, and his head jerks back. He tilts it to the side, examining me.

“And you’re sad. Why are you hiding?”

I half shrug, my arms still wrapped around me. “It makes me feel better. Why are you mad?”

Instead of answering, his hands reach out and roll me over. I stay still as he climbs into the bed next to me, pulling me back against him until my back rests against the warm cotton of his black shirt. “What are you doing?”

“Hush,” he mutters. “You’re cold.”

I am, I realize. His arms wrap around me, chasing away the icy sensation in my limbs as I gradually relax into him, the tension leaking away from my muscles as we lay in silence.

“I’m sorry,” I say quietly into the silent room.

His breath huffs against my hair. “Why are you sorry?”

“For earlier. You didn’t enjoy it.”

I squeak as I’m rolled again, and Enzo appears over me. Dark hair falls over his forehead as he leans in, our noses almost touching.

“Who told you that?” he snaps. Swallowing, I glance to the side, but his fingers trap my jaw. “Prey.”

The demand in his voice brings out that curling, twisting sensation in my stomach.

“I thought… you sent me away.” Avoiding his eyes, I stare determinedly at the carved wooden table next to my bed. “And Ryder was disappointed.”

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