Page 7 of Knot Enough

SEVEN

Everything ached.

My serrated skin was raised and puffy. The Alpha sliced a name.

Who is Lennox? To make things worse, my stomach growled.

I don’t know how long ago Axel gave me a sandwich.

I questioned it at first, but if they wanted me dead, they would have killed me already.

There’s no window, no sunlight, no way of knowing how much time has passed.

I stopped trying to move because I hated the way it felt when the cement touched my raw skin.

My bones were cold, and I missed my bed.

Maneuvering so I could sit up, the chains clinked, and a shiver ran down my spine.

I tucked my knees in and wrapped my arms around my legs.

I’m surrounded by shadows, and there are a million different things that could be hiding down here with me.

I pulled Kane’s shirt tightly around me.

Asshole. I was thankful for a fucking shirt. The bar wasn’t just on the fucking floor, it was in hell.

Somewhere above my head, floorboards creaked.

It wasn’t close, but being surrounded in silence, I picked up on sounds better than before.

The door groaned, and I knew someone was coming.

If not for that little light outside of my cell, I’d be hyperventilating.

When I was little, my parents would leave on trips, and Valerie would lock me in the closet. I hated the dark and never got over it.

Lowering my chin, I cupped my nipples and closed my legs beneath me.

Holding my breath, I waited anxiously. It felt like an eternity, but eventually, he appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

Axel, the bear-like man with broad shoulders, thick biceps, and green eyes that held a softness I couldn’t understand.

I lifted my nose to try and scent him, but nothing.

Once he opened the cell door, he placed a tray on the ground. Steam rose off the bacon and eggs as saliva pooled. There was even a bowl of fruit and a glass of water. My gaze darted to his green ones, but before I could get a word out, the cell door swung shut.

“Wait,” I whispered.

I cleared my throat and repeated myself, only louder this time. He stopped and his shoulders hiked, but he didn’t look back. His second act of kindness gave me bravery. “Why are you doing this to me?”

Without another word, he resumed walking, and this time, when I called after him, he didn’t stop. I crawled to the food and stuffed everything into my mouth. Only when my plate was clean did I note the fork. My eyes watered as shame washed over me.

Even the pack I was supposed to be placed with would have been better than this.

I shoved the tray away. The dishes slid off, and the glass cracked.

I didn’t bother crawling back; my wound would get infected.

I cried until my head hurt and my chest jerked with involuntary sobs until eventually, I fell asleep.