Page 32 of First Offense

Oh gods…

He’d been naked this whole time? No wonder his scent had been so deliciously pungent.

“I’ll save you a seat,” he offered, his sensual and dangerous voice making me flinch. It didn’t match the tone he’d used with Auric last night. No snide amusement. Just a soft hum of masculinity.

I almost looked at him because it was the first time he’d actually spoken to me.

But he disappeared in the next breath, the door closing behind him with a whisper of sound.

I drew in gulps of air until their masculine scents diffused, giving me a slight relief.

Although, now that the heady cologne was gone, all I could scent was faint mildew. Not exactly pleasant, but at least I could stop pressing my thighs together.

Listening to the silence, I tried to reorganize my thoughts. Auric’s rage was mostly justified, considering Sayir’s laissez-faire attitude regarding the violence yesterday. I also seriously doubted that the Reformer cared about my well-being, given we didn’t even know each other. He might be my uncle, but we’d never met, and he hadn’t exactly been all that welcoming yesterday. Actually, he’d treated me like a little breakable toy with the head pats and “there, there” approach.

Then pairing us with Novak had been interesting. Definitely not my first choice, given his compatible nature, but he had protected me. Sort of. For reasons unknown.

I grumbled a curse under my breath and dug my palms into my eyes.This isn’t helping. I’d stayed up all night pondering this, and with no sleep, I wasn’t doing any better sorting my thoughts.

Maybe I should have agreed to breakfast.

Sighing, I climbed down from my bunk and used the poor excuse for a toilet and basin. The water was clean enough, and I washed the worst of the grime away from my face.

However, my hair was another matter entirely.

It resembled tangled knots and snarled fuchsia strands. Fortunately, I couldn’t see my reflection. Something told me I might scream if I could.

I glanced at the shower and figured now would be my only chance to use it without an audience.

With a nod, I stripped quickly and rinsed myself to completion. It was cold. However, I felt a thousand times better afterward. I towel-dried my hair, which caused my strands to frizz at the end, but it was better than before.

Dry enough, I shook out my torn, blouse-like top and put on the old clothes, twining my sandals up my bruised calves. Feeling less gross improved my mood, and I peeked my head out into the corridor.

Empty.

Good.

It felt a bit exhilarating to be on my own as I hurried to the cafeteria.Take that, Auric, I thought, proud of myself as I squared my shoulders and clicked my heels along the stone floors.

My chin lifted, some of my regal flair returning, until I turned a corner into one of the communal areas.

Three inmates involved in their own conversation stopped dead in their tracks when they saw me, making me pause.

With the double doors to the cafeteria just past them, I decided to chance it.

“Hey, beautiful,” one of them drawled as I hurried my pace.

Ignoring him, I reached for the door, only to yelp when he shot out a hand and gripped my arm. He pulled me away from the cafeteria and closer to him, providing me with a pungent inhale of his wolfish stench.Ugh.

I glanced down, noting that he only had one hand to grip me with. The other one was severed at the wrist.

My feathers stiffened, my gaze flashing to his. This was the male Noir that Auric had punished during our first day outside in the prison’s yard. The one who had met the sharp end of Auric’s blade for touching me.

Anddddd Auric’s not here now. Great.

“It’s rude not to greet your neighbors,” he said, his tone going low as his friends chuckled and crowded in around us. He waved around his stump. “We weren’t properly introduced last time. I’m Horus.” He leaned in and drew in a long inhale through his nose. “And you smell fucking amazing.”

They want a show? Fine.