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“I don't know, I came in to find you on the floor. What happened? Are you alright?”

Cupping her forehead, Ivy closed her eyes and rested it against her hand. “Ugh, it happened. It really happened.”

“What happened?” Holding her cheeks, I forced her to look at me. “What happened, Ivy?”

“Panic attack, I had a panic attack. I must have passed out.”

“Shit, Ivy, does that happen a lot?” Bringing my thumbs right below her eyes, I pulled down her lower lids and tried to look deep into her stare. I'm not a doctor, so I had no fucking clue what I was looking for.

Her skin looked pale; the skin under her eyes was slightly puffed. She felt clammy and cold, not warm and vibrant like when I had left.

Wrapping her thin fingers over my hand, she smiled softly. “They come and go. I'm alright, really, I'm fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Why? If I said no, would you take me to the hospital?” Peering at me under hooded lids, she laughed.

It was the first time I had heard her laugh, a real laugh. I couldn't stop myself from laughing with her. “Funny. I'm glad you have a sense of humor.” Stroking her hair, I teasingly said, “And no, I wouldn't take you. But we do have a doctor that works for us, so yeah I'd call him for help if you needed it.”

“Well, shit. You thugs have it all figured out, huh?”

“Us thugs don't fuck around.” Flicking her chin with my thumb, I rested my hand on her thigh. “But you're sure you're okay?”

Leaning over her, she looked so beautiful. Her mouth was parted, breathing slow and casual. Her body relaxed, snuggling into the pillow and letting the bed consume her.

Rubbing her shoulder, I dragged my fingers between her shoulder blades. “Ivy . . .”

Making a sweet, soft moan, she asked, “Yeah?”

“Do you want to shower?”

“You're going to let me shower? You'd have to unchain me to do that, I can't reach the tub, I tried.”

“I will, but you have to promise to be good. Can you promise to behave?”

“I can't promise you anything.”

“Then you stay where you are.”

Rubbing her eyes, she stretched her arms up. “Why are you being nice to me? I mean you fed me, you gave me clothes, now you want to let me shower. Why?”

“I'm a bad man, Ivy, I know that. I've done shit you couldn't ever imagine, but I'm not a complete asshole. I do the things I do because I have to, not because I want to.”

Shaking her head, her lips scrunched to the side. “That's not true.”

Arching a brow, I pulled out the key for the lock and lifted her leg over my lap. “Oh yeah, and how do you know that?”

“Bad men do things because they want to.” Glancing up at me with large doe eyes, her fingers anxiously twined together. “I think you're just lost.”

A single laugh hit my lips as I looked at her with disbelief. “You wouldn't say that if you knew half of what I've done.”

“Try me.”

I couldn't tell her about who I was. There was no way I could let her in on the horrible things I've had to do to get where I am. If she didn't already think I was evil, she would after I spilled that shit.

“No, you don't want to know.” Letting the lock pop free, I held her ankle tightly in my hand. “Now you're not going to do anything stupid, you understand?”

Shaking her head yes, she kept her hands in her lap.