Page 82 of Broken Ties
Again, my Bond panics.
“Gryphon, what the hell?—”
“Just shut up,” I snap, my frustration bubbling out of me as I pull her into my chest and make sure she’s not going to fall out of the damned pathetic excuse for a bed in her effort to wriggle away from me.
I wait until I’m sure she’s comfortable there before I slowly, carefully, splay one of my hands out on her bare stomach underneath the thin nightshirt she’s wearing. My palm warms as my Gift flows through me and into her, turning off her pain receptors with ease.
The silent tears flow down her cheeks unchecked.
She lies as stiff as a board in my arms without so much as a word between us. I could say a lot right now, a dozen things come to mind, but instead of starting a fight, I just enjoy having her so close to me. For a minute, I can ignore everything that has been said between us, about us, around us. I can just be a Bond taking care of the most important person in my world. And for a moment, she can lie there and let me.
Once I have her tucked comfortably into my chest, our legs tangled together and her head over my heart, she croaks out, “Thank you.”
I think that’s all I’m going to get out of her, and I’m happy to leave it at that, but then more words tumble out of her. “Leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. This pain is nothing compared to that.”
Pure, unadulterated truth… and I have no idea what to do with it as she falls asleep in my arms with her next breath.
I barely sleep.
The very idea of rest feels insulting while I have my Bond in my arms like this,finally, and when the frustration and blind rage that filled me thanks to the sobs that shook her tiny frame finally eases off, I can let myself soak in the feel of her splayed out on my chest. Nothing creepy or crossing any of her boundaries, I just appreciate my Bond without her being awake and scowling at me.
Her hand is still wrapped around my wrist. It’s almost like she was planning on shoving it away at first, but then her pain stopped and suddenly she was clutching at it like she was scared I’d move it away. She’s wearing an old, men's shirt, the collar too wide and her shoulder peeking out of one side, and her bare legs are tangled with mine. I could write essays about the miles of perfection that are her legs, how badly I want them wrapped around me properly. She’s taller than most of the women in her class but still tiny when compared to her Bonds. Her attitude makes me forget it sometimes, but asleep as she is, there’s a vulnerability about her.
She’s already everything I ever hoped for lying in my arms, but when she murmurs nonsense in her sleep and turns to bury her face in my neck, one of her legs hitching up onto my thigh as though she’s desperate to climb all over me, I’m almost evangelical, and the story I’m telling myself about how respectful and patient I’m being right now falls apart.
I want her climbing over me. I want herunderme. I want her riding my face, sucking me deep down her throat with that smart mouth of hers, and grinding on every inch of my body. I want her in ways that don’t even make sense, but fuck it, I want it all with her.
The little mewling whine she lets out as I slip away from her is all I need to hear to be sure my gut is spot on.
My Bond craves me as much as I crave her—presenttense. She wants me now just as much as she ever has, and no matter what it takes, I’m going to find out what made her run. Whatever threats she’s facing, I’m going to eliminate them and enjoy every second of it.
But first, I need to take care of her, and as much as I’d like to, I can’t spend the entire day holding her to keep her from feeling any pain. There’s still that mountain of paperwork waiting for me, and Kieran is Transporting me for recon in a few short hours. We’re no closer to finding the Magnifier, dozens of Gifted are still missing, our safety measures need to be tightened, and any holes in security are a risk to Oli, which is unacceptable.
This is also my chance to speak with her, and hopefully her guard is down enough that some information might slip through her barriers and I can find out if someone else is messing with our Bond Group.
It takes me half an hour to run down to the nearest drugstore, filling a bag full of candies and snacks that Ky usually keeps on hand, as well as the Midol she needs, before I race back to my Bond.
Unlocking her door, I get it secured behind me quietly only to turn and find her bed empty. From the corner of my eye, I find my Bond not only awake but freshly showered and still getting dressed. She has a shirt on, and underwear, but there are those perfectly long legs of hers on display for me, and I make no secret of my obsession with them.
When she starts to fidget, I hold the bag out to her like a peace offering. “I grabbed you the pills you need. I also grabbed a heat pack and some junk food. My sister lives on candy when she’s PMSing, so I guessed you’d want that too.”
My Bond just stands there blinking at me, a faint blush on her cheeks that is far too inviting right now. “Why would you do that?”
I set the bag down on her bed as she startles and gets back to pulling her clothes on. With the blush on her cheeks deepening, she turns away from me, but that only gives me a view of her ass as she pulls on her jeans, a wickedly torturous sight I will go to my grave remembering as I imprint the image onto my soul.
Shit.
Stick to the plan, Shore.
“I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to answer it honestly.”
Grimacing, she cuts me a look over her shoulder. “And why would I answer it for you?”
A scoff rolls out of me at her dry tone, so different from the usual bravado she throws around. “I helped you last night, didn’t I? It’s a simple question, nothing too intrusive.”
No matter my intention, my Bond seems to always assume the worst of me, and the reminder of my help last night is no different. I wasn’t trying to imply she owes me some compliance, but she clearly takes it that way as her eyes narrow at me.
After another beat, she shrugs slowly. “I’ll answer what I can. I can’t promise you any more than that.”