@@@@@ “Please, Ian,” I pleaded“I want to talk to
@@@@@
“Please, Ian,” I pleaded“I want to talk to him
Ian looked at me for a long minute, then turned to scowl at JaredHe barked out each sentence
like an order
“Her name isWanda, notitYou will not touch herAny mark you leave on her, I will double on
your worthless hide
I winced at the threat
Ian turned abruptly and stalked into the darkness
It was silent for a moment as we both watched the empty space where he had disappearedI
looked at Jared's face first, while he still stared after IanWhen he turned to meet my gaze, I
dropped my eyesHe's not kidding, is he?” Jared said
I treated that as a rhetorical question
“Why don't you have a seat?” he asked me, patting the mat be-side him
I deliberated for a moment, then went to sit against the same wall but close to the hole, putting
the length of the mat between usMelanie didn't like this; she wanted to be near him, for me to
smell his scent and feel the warmth of his body beside me
I did not want that–and it wasn't because I was afraid he would hurt me; he didn't look angry at
the moment, only tired and waryI just didn't want to be any closer to himSomething in my
chest was hurting to have him so near–to have him hating me in such close proximity
He watched me, his head tilted to the side; I could only meet his gaze fleetingly before I had to
look away
“I'm sorry about last night–about your faceI shouldn't have done that
I stared at my hands, knotted together in a double fist on my lap
“You don't have to be afraid o