Page 23 of Gluttony (Seven Deadly Sins #4)

Chapter Seventeen

Bowie

“Shh, sleep, Diamond. Sleep.”

Those three little words make my lips tingle every time they flit through my sleep-riddled mind, prompting my body to sink further into the plush nest of soft sheets and plump pillows.

There’s a high chance I’m dead because this feels exactly what Heaven would be for me.

A comfy bed and complete and total silence.

“You’re going to pay for that, Bowie.”

Then the memory of the attack makes my entire body shutter, the cold chill spearing through my spine. Who was that guy? Something is just out of my reach, my mind closing up, like the protection mode gets activated without my permission every time I start to make sense of it all.

“Shh, sleep, Diamond. Sleep.”

This space between sleep and awake is as comforting as it is frustrating.

When my lips tingle again, I search through my memories, trying in vain to figure out if the kiss I can still feel was real or just wishful dreaming.

It feels so fucking real but at the same time…

Hayes? No fucking way. I’m beneath him, and not in a good way.

I must be feeling better if my subconscious is cracking sex jokes.

“You’re going to pay for that, Bowie.”

Damn it, this motherfucker again.

“How do you know my name?” I’m not sure if Sleeping Bowie or Conscious Bowie just spoke but the question still begs an answer. Nothing about the guy who beat the shit out of me felt familiar. Not his eyes, or his voice, or his stature. Not a fucking thing, so how the fuck did he know me?

Just as my mind starts to put the puzzle pieces in place—though it looks more like a Picasso than anything else—my eyes fly open and my body freezes with fear.

The first image I get is Hayes sitting in the chair the guys have been occupying this whole time. Well, except for Hadley. I don’t remember seeing him in my in-and-out moments. Then again, I have no idea how much time has passed because these painkillers are fucking epic.

“Your face is going to get stuck like that. What a shame.” I must still be high if my brain deems it a good idea to speak this way to Hayes.

“Oh, good. You’re awake.” My view of Hayes is interrupted as Orion steps between us, carrying a wooden tray. He places it on a table that looks suspiciously like something in a hospital, with wheels and all. Weirdos. But also kinda sweet. “Got your breakfast and pills here.”

“Aww, you’re such a keeper. Did you steal a hospital table for me?”

“No, we bought it from them.” See? Total keeper.

“Wanna marry me and leave Grumpy and Sadist behind?” Fuck my life, my mouth needs to shut itself up. Like. right the fuck now.

With a grunt, Hayes stands and stalks out of the bedroom while Orion just chuckles, pushing the table over my lap as I sit up, my back against the headboard.

“Does that make you Snow White and me…the prince?” The mirth in his voice is like a thick, warm blanket wrapped around my heart.

“Ew, no. The prince is an idiot. You’re more…

Swoony Dwarf.” I frown because that doesn’t sound right.

“But not Lord of the Rings Dwarves, those are scary looking.” Please make me shut the fuck up.

“Also, I say Dwarvvves not Dwarfffs because that’s how Tolkien said it was supposed to be.

I read it somewhere.” I can feel my face scrunching up, the tightness of my split lip and bruised cheek making me flinch.

On the plus side, it’s not as painful as the last time I was awake.

“Ah, got it. I’m good with Swoony. Now eat and take your meds.” With gentle hands, he helps me sit up. “Although, I’m guessing they’re still working their magic.” No shit, Swoony. Oh, fuck. Now their nicknames are stuck in my highly medicated brain.

Then I remember and I can’t help snapping my fingers and widening my eyes with delight.

“The foreword in The Hobbit! He wrote that. In his book.” Just kill me now so I can stop this nonsense.

“Right, right.” I feel like he doesn’t care at this point and, really, neither should I. Why the fuck am I still talking about this?

Orion leans over me, taking my tall glass of water in one hand and the pills in the other.

These are different from the last ones I took and he must notice my confusion because he chuckles again.

I think I may love the sound more than anything.

Of the three, he’s the one less likely to murder me and bury me in a hole I had to dig up myself.

Maybe.

“No more painkillers for you, pretty girl. Just regular ol’ Ibuprofen.”

I should be happy about this but I boo him and his rule-following instead. I liked flying high, it made me forget that my life is a fucking dumpster fire.

“Fine but if I’m in pain, it’ll be your fault.

” A pang of regret hits my lower belly when I notice the dark shadows cross over his eyes.

I can’t imagine he feels responsible for what happened to me…

“Oh shit! No, I’m kidding. This is all on me, I promise.

” Even though I’m not sure about any of this shit, my words ring true for some reason.

“What do you mean by that? No one deserves to have this”—he waves his index finger around my face as if I need a visual demonstration of what’s been done to me—“happen to them.”

“I wish I knew who it was…” I don’t mean to say the words out loud but it seems I have no control over my mouth these days.

“Me too.” When I look back up at Orion, the darkness is back, and with it, a kind of dangerous fire that feels all consuming. From the slight flare in his nostrils to the tightness in his jaw, I know without a doubt that he’d rip the guy’s head off his shoulders.

Okay, maybe not literally rip, but he’d do some heavy-duty damage, that’s for damn sure.

And I like it.

“See? Swoony.”

“Shut up.” There isn’t a hint of malice in his words and it only makes my belly fill with butterflies.

Just as I take my pills and wash them down with my glass of water, I hear Hayes calling out from somewhere in the apartment.

“Ry! Get over here!”

Orion’s eyes meet mine and I can’t help but smile at him, whispering like we’re conspiring against the king. “Oh uh. Grumpy Daddy’s calling and he’s not happy.”

Orion leans in, his mouth at my ear and his breath dancing across my skin. “Don’t ever fucking call him that again.” Then he kisses my cheek and walks away while I giggle like a fucking school girl. Who the fuck am I right now?

Just as he reaches the doorway, he stops and turns.

“Feel free to walk around, stretch your legs out. Hayes and I have our morning run but it shouldn’t take more than an hour. The fridge is full if you need anything. Our bedrooms are off limits, though.”

Silly man should know not to dangle the forbidden fruit in the face of a bored and curious patient.

“Well, now I just want to snoop even more.” Also, them being away is the perfect opportunity to take a sneak peek into the apartment and see where they hide the Abyss. We know it’s here, we saw the Forbes interview Orion gave months ago.

But when he leans against the doorjamb and makes a point of letting his eyes roam down from my face to my legs to my feet, I forget all about the Abyss and let my lips tip up into a slow smile.

“I suggest you take a shower, too. You’re starting to stink up the room.” His words are in complete contradiction to the huge grin he’s sporting, letting me know that he’s joking. Still, a girl’s gotta defend her body odor.

“Asshole!” I throw the pillow that was laying right next to me and when I do, a streak of fire erupts in my chest. I miss him by a mile but my ribs don’t fucking care about that. All they know is that I just backstabbed them by moving the wrong body part.

In a flash, Orion is at my side. “Are you okay?”

“This is your fault, mister.” I’m trying not to laugh because, fuck me, this hurts. “You really shouldn’t pick on girls with broken ribs.”

I’m stunned when Orion glides his lips across my own and breathes out a single word.

“Bruised.”

“Still hurts. Like…a lot.” Our voices are hushed, speaking to each other in secret.

“You’ll survive, pretty girl. If you need help with the shower, you can wait and I’ll wash you myself.” Oh, that sounds like a great time.

My stomach, the traitor, picks this moment to break our little cocoon.

“Eat, we’ll be back in a bit.”

For once, I do as I’m told. I eat, finish my water, and decide nature is calling and she’s an impatient bitch.

It takes me a lifetime to shuffle to the en-suite bathroom, the vibration of every move like a shard poking at my chest. I seriously want to kill the dude who did this. As I sit on the toilet and let nature do her thing, my mind wanders to my attacker.

“You’re going to pay for that, Bowie.”

Nobody knows I live in that place. Mickey and I were fucking careful, we’re the only people who have the address.

It wasn’t the guys…obviously.

As I reach for the paper to wipe myself, I remember the conversation from last week, the night Hadley tied me up to the faucet. Mickey said he’d take care of it.

Surely…no. That’s counter productive, he’d never jeopardize the con by getting me hurt.

I grit my teeth as I quickly wipe and flush the toilet then wash my hands.

This bathroom is everything I ever wanted growing up.

Both a shower and a bath, two sinks, and a nook in the wall where shelves host color coordinated towels.

I’ve pictured their place a thousand times trying to imagine the environment they live in and I have to say the earthy tones are predictable but also perfect for them.

I can’t believe I’m actually here…

That’s when it hits me.

No. No fucking way.

I shuffle back to my temporary bed and look around for my phone.

My tray is still on the table, all contents on my plate and in my glass empty.

I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and try to calm the fuck down.

I’m sure I’m overreacting and this is just my imagination and a fuckton too many serial killer documentaries under my belt getting the best of me.