Get her on the table.
No.
No!
NOO!
GET OFF ME. GET OFF ME. GETOFFMEGETOFFMEGETOFFME!
I jerked awake, slashing and kicking with all I had.
“Easy now.” The familiar hoarse voice filled my ears. “It’s me. It’s Riven. I got you, trouble. Hold on to me. I got you.”
I did, clawing him closer until his warmth was all I knew. I buried my head against his neck and drew in the heavy scent of sweat and pain, faintly laced with the cologne he wore. My throat burned, scalding with every savage rasp of my breath…and still I felt them.
Their hands all over my body.
Their thrusts between my thighs.
I closed my eyes. “I couldn’t fight them all…I tried, but I couldn’t fight them all.”
Silence followed, before a husky, “You survived and that’s all that matters. You hear me? You fucking survived.”
He softly gripped my chin and lifted my gaze to his. “If I could kill them all again, I would.”
Faded memories rose up.
His wide, shell-shocked stare. His lips curled in hatred.
Bang!
The echoes of his gunshots resounded.
He’d killed…for me. Still, it wasn’t enough, was it?
I held his stare and pulled away.
“Please.” He held on, desperately pulling me back to him. “Hate me. Hit me. Whatever you need to unleash that pain, just whatever you need to do…just do it to me.”
I shook my head as fresh tears sprang to my eyes.
Still, he held on, triggering that pain and panic and revulsion inside me. I bucked, fighting against his hold, and swung my hand, hitting his cheek with a crack! “WHERE WERE YOU!”
His head snapped to the side before he slowly turned back. It was those dark eyes I hated. Those dark eyes filled with so much pain. I hit him again and pummeled my fists against his chest until I had nothing left.
“Hate me.” He whispered. “But know this, it’s nothing compared to how much I hate myself.”
I drew in heavy breaths and stared at him.
The truth raged in his stare.
I knew he meant it.
“Walker is going to take you out of here, whatever it takes. I’ll have him take you back to…London…or the Banks, whatever you need.”
London.
The Banks.
My sisters.
I closed my eyes as reality slammed into me. For a while, I’d forgotten who I was here. I’d forgotten everything. My family, plan…my purpose.
Riven brushed the hair from my face. “No one will touch you, Helene. Not anymore.”
But if we did that, then it would all be over, all my sisters had been through…and now, all I’d endured, would mean nothing. They’d win—Coulter’s dark eyes and cruel smirk rose in my head—just like they always won.
“No.” The word tore free before I realized it. “No.”
He scowled. “What?”
I met that stare. “I said, no. I’m not leaving.”
Rage ripped across his face. This time, he was the one who pushed away from me. Kane stood at the foot of the bed, staring at me. Still, he offered his brother no support as Riven jerked a glare his way.
“No fucking way!” He shoved up from the bed and turned to pace the room. “I’m not having it. I’m not allowing you to be here with THEM for another second.”
I waited while he raged, throwing his hands in the air as he stalked the room, shooting savage glares at his silent brother. Then when he stopped and stood there.
“I’m not leaving.” I repeated and the more I said the words, the stronger I became. “I’m not letting this all be for nothing. We’re finishing this, once and for all.”
There was confusion in his stare, anger and desperation as he searched my eyes. Then, slowly, there was a flicker of pride. “Think about this,” He pleaded. “You’re going to walk back in there and pretend this never happened?”
“No.” I whispered, my thoughts far away. “I’m going to make him see exactly what he’s done…and what he didn’t do.”
I came back to my senses and reached down, yanking back the sheets on the bed before I froze.
My body was a mess of betadine smears, tiny band-aid strips, and, under all that, bruising and bite marks.
“I need a shower.” I whispered. “Please help me.”
Riven turned to Kane.
“There’s one in the back of the infirmary.” Kane stepped closer, snatching the sheet from the bed.
“Can you get her something to wear?” Riven added. “And not that fucking bodysuit.”
Kane gave a careful nod. His blue eyes connected with mine. After all I’d been through last night, I still remembered how gentle he had been.
She can hear you, you know. Talk to her.
Kane’s voice echoed back to me.
And what the fuck am I supposed to say?
The truth.
That’s what he’d said. Riven could start with the truth…and wasn’t that all we’d ever wanted?
I took the sheet from Kane’s outstretched hand. “Thank you.”
He gave me a soft smile, one that wasn’t full of sorrow or pity, before he gave me a wink, then turned around and strode from the room.
“Come on.” Riven was there, sliding his hand around my waist before he helped me rise from the bed and wrap the sheet around my body.
“Shower.” He snapped at the nurse.
The poor guy just lifted his hand and pointed to a small hallway at the end of the bay. The nurse watched me as I took a step and winced at the deep flare of agony that ripped through my body. I gave a moan and reeled, reaching for the railing.
“Turn your goddamn head.” Riven warned as he gripped me and we tried again. “While you have a goddamn head.”
The nurse turned away instantly, his cheeks reddening.
“You know, you don’t have to threaten to murder everyone who looks my way.” I groaned, gripping him as he helped me walk toward the hallway.
“Yes, I do.”
A smile rose, alien and gruesome. Still, it was a smile.
He led me to the small block of showers, holding me while he kicked off his boots and tore off his socks. The hot water was slow to come, but eventually steamed up the stall. Riven unwound the sheet from my body and gently helped me inside.
I hissed at the sting of the water, one knee buckling until the heat worked its way through all my aches.
“Hold on to the wall.” He murmured. “Let me wash you.”
I did, placing my hands against the cold tiles. He was gentle, using the medicated soap on the washcloth to wash my arms and then my back, slowly working his way to the front.
It’s too much for her to bear.
Riven’s faint words echoed.
So, what are you going to do about it? His brother asked.
Whatever she needs me to do.
I looked into his eyes as he ran the cloth over my breasts and down my sides, gently skirting the torn skin and deep bruising. A deep pang of need rose inside me, one akin to the desperate longing I’d had for my sisters. Only this time, it was different.
My fingers trembled, aching to reach up and touch him. But that wasn’t what he needed. Instead, I closed my eyes, letting the heat wash down my back.
“Trouble.” He murmured. “I need to wash between your legs.”
Get her on the table.
Fuck, that’s it…that’s exactly what we want.
I closed my eyes as my body shook uncontrollably. A low, sickened sound ripped free when he carefully eased the cloth against the sting.
“Trouble?” He froze as the shaking turned violent. “It’s me. It’s just me. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m not ever going to hurt you. Can you hear me, baby?”
He lifted his hand away and rose, his hand so gentle as it skimmed my shoulder, carefully pulling me against his chest. My teeth chattered, gnashing and clashing.
“I was thinking about a trip to Morocco after all this is over. Somewhere hot. Maybe even Australia? What do you think about that?”
“Th-they have s-snakes.” I opened my eyes and looked up at him.
“And spiders bigger than your head,” His eyes bored into mine. “As well as crocodiles and sharks that snatch you out of the water before you even realize it. But I figured after this place, Australia sounds like a walk in the fucking park.”
The corner of my lips quivered. “You’re r-right. Aust-ra-lia s-sounds almost a little too e-easy.”
He grinned, even if was a little sad.
“Here we go.” Kane called, making us jump.
I looked at his hands, and saw the oatmeal-colored sweats he had and a red t-shirt.
“It’s the best I could do.”
“It’s fine.” I rushed, meeting his stare.
I didn’t care what it was, as long as it wasn’t lace and see through. Riven hit the faucets to end the spray and grabbed a towel, before handing another to his brother. There was a second before Kane nodded, took the towel, and helped his brother dry my body.
“Just to let you know,” Riven started. “We’re all going to Australia after this.”
Kane stopped wiping. “We are?”
“Yeah.” Riven snapped. “We are and every other fucking place determined to kill us.”
Kane’s brows rose. “Whatever you need.”
I think the need was more for Riven than it was for me.
I didn’t need to walk through the fire…because I was already rising from the ashes.
“Okay.” Kane knelt, holding open the sweats for me.
I pulled them and the t-shirt on, tugging out my damn hair. I felt almost normal. If it wasn’t for the deep throbbing aches in my body and the searing fire in the back of my throat, I might’ve pretended last night hadn’t happened.
But I couldn’t.
None of us could.
Beep.
Riven grabbed his cell and looked down. “The trucks are coming through the gates.” He lifted his gaze to me. “After the Daughters are finished in the cafeteria, they’ll be starting the transport process.”
I thought my heart was going to burst through my chest. “Then I guess we’d better head to the cafeteria.”
He winced, then stopped. “Are you sure about this?”
“No.” I answered truthfully, and turned around. “But I’ll be fucked if I allow them the satisfaction of not looking me in the eye.”
Riven stepped forward and grabbed my face in both hands. “I’ve known more than my fair share of killers, but you, at this moment, are by far the strongest person I’ve ever known. You want to go to finish this, then let’s finish it. I’ll be right behind you, every damn step of the way.”
He might be a little slow upstairs.
But he was finally catching on.
I gave a nod, fighting the urge to flinch when he eased forward and kissed my lips gently, then dropped his hold.
I met Kane’s stare and returned the small smile before I took the biggest step of my life and headed for the doorway. My legs trembled, but they held as I slowly made my way out of the infirmary and back along the hall.
The faint sound of voices spilled out as I braced my hand on the wall and turned the corner.
Heads turned toward me when I entered, from the Daughters as well as the guards. Walker was there, not bothering to hide his smirk as he watched me straighten my spine.
People speak of hope as though it’s a fragile thing, one made of thoughts and fucking prayers. But there’s not much talk about spite. No, spite wiped the blood from her face with the back of her hand and locked her knees in place…right before she met her attacker in the eye.
That’s exactly what I did, forcing each step as I crossed the space to stop in front of Coulter as he stood with arms crossed amongst his men. Every cell in my body was screaming for me to run.
But I didn’t.
I lifted my gaze and met that cold, amused stare. “You were just how I figured you would be.” I murmured. A sting came as my lip freshly split with the effort. “Small and insignificant. I barely felt a thing.”
There was a twitch in the corner of his eye, and that amusement died away, revealing the cold, stony rage he hid inside.
There were damaged, desperate men like Riven and his brothers…and then there were true monsters, men whose souls were snatched from their bodies by fate just before they were born to this world. Those men were a magnet for the depraved, a hunter for the weakened, an addict for sickening pleasure.
And that’s who I saw then.
“Daughter.” Walker called carefully, not only reminding me of his presence, but Coulter as well. “Your food is getting cold.”
I glanced toward the commander, gave a slow nod, then turned.
Spite lived inside me.
She raged.
She howled.
And she survived.
