Page 80 of Brainwashed

I can’t leave. This is where I belong.

“No thanks,” I hum. “I’ll stay for a bit. I want to see how this goes.”

“Alright, well, I’m out. Do those keys open that door out there?”

The door I was going to open before I found him.

I’m not meant to go that way. I’m meant to go back.

“You take ’em.” I hand Dash the keys.

“Thanks.” He pauses. “What size shoe do you wear?”

My eyes fall to our feet and I notice that he has no shoes on. Chuckling, I step out of my sneakers, giving them to him as well. He’ll need them more than me.

“Thanks again, Darcey,” Dash says in a friendly tone. He blinks his hazel eyes at me, reminding me so much of Cameron it hurts my chest for a second.

But I guess this is the moment I never got with Cam. I never got to say goodbye, because of his asshole father, and the circumstances surrounding his leaving.

And maybe Cam and I never would have worked. Maybe we’re like Dash and me…Better as friends.

“You’re welcome, Dash.” I wave at him. “Don’t forget us.”

Don’t forget me.

“Oh, I won’t.” He flashes me a bright, gorgeous smile—just like Cam would—and waves back.

And then he’s gone.

I stand in the same spot for minutes, staring at the open door. I could just sit down. Wait for one of the guards to find me here, or the control room to report what’s happened to Velle. It’s inevitable, after all. That’s what my staying means. That I’ll have to face the repercussions of my actions.

And so will Dr. Love.

At the mention of him in my mind, my feet move on their own. I walk out of the cell into the hallway, and then I’m on a mission. My steps are light but determined as I stalk the corridors. Only a minute or so later, I’m standing outside his office.

Taking in a breath to steady my suddenly racing pulse, I lift my hand and knock. I hear him walking to the door, and when he opens it, my stomach twists into a knot.

His amber eyes actually widen as he looks me over. His pupils dilate, and my breathing shallows.

“I’m here,” I whisper, shivering under his intense gaze. “I’m… I’m still here.”

Something strange passes over his features. His brows slope together and his lips part. But he doesn’t speak.

Instead, he grabs me by the arm and pushes past me out of his office, dragging me along with him. He’s walking fast, and I’m stumbling to keep up while he tugs me, like a puppy on a leash. His hand is around my wrist and I’m not sure why, but it feels incredible.

“W-where are we going?” I ask stupidly, and of course he doesn’t answer. But after walking for a few moments, I realize we’re rushing in the direction of the showers.

When we get there, he brings me inside and closes the door behind us. Now that he’s let go of me, I’m just hovering in place while he stares. I don’t know what to think, or what he’s thinking, but his gaze is more intense than I’ve ever seen it.

He stalks toward me, and I back up, like an instinct.

“Felix,” he growls my name. It zips up my spine like a harsh chill.

And then it settles in my balls.

He’s still coming at me, and now we’re directly in the shower area. I back up into the wall and he follows me, crowding me until there are only a few inches between us. I gulp, my heart racing and my limbs trembling while his broad chest moves with visibly sturdy breaths.

“Tell me what you did,” he demands, pupils blown out. “Tell me everything.”