Page 33

F intan gets up to go take a much-needed shower while I stay with Alex. Hoping she will wake up soon, I gently comb my fingers through her hair as I continuously check to see that she is breathing.

I hear the steady sound of the water running and let my mind drift. Everything we’ve been through in this godforsaken basement. The things we were forced to do down here.

“We underestimated you, little Dove,” I whisper as I lay on my side and continue playing with her hair. Studying her features closely, I notice a change that makes me smile. A sense of possessiveness and unease creeping through my veins.

She dyed her hair. It’s subtle but my heart thrums at the impact it has on me. The blonde pieces around her face remain although they seem whiter than they were yesterday. She dyed the rest black, matching my hair.

She looks like a perfectly blended masterpiece of us . The subtle change in her hair color feels like both a mirror and a mockery of our situation - trapped but together.

“Beautiful.”

Stepping out of the shower, I dry myself and get dressed, hating the fact that there are no clean clothes here for us today.

The image of Alex, unconscious on the floor, plays in my head on repeat and so does the sadness in Kieran’s eyes. His confession still rings loudly in my ears.

I only wanted him to admit to himself that it is okay to be attracted to men and women. I hate that Alex forced him into admitting his feelings.

He loves me.

I walk out of the steamy bathroom and spot the two of them on the floor, exactly like I left them.

“Any changes?” I ask as I move closer. “Not yet,” Kieran responds without meeting my gaze.

I take a seat next to them and sigh. “I’d go get help, but we need her awake to get out of this fucking basement. She should have been up by now, right?” I groan, wiping my hand over my face.

“I guess,” Kieran sighs. “I’ll watch her, go take a shower,” I say, turning toward them on the floor.

Kieran looks from me to Alex and hesitates for a moment but ultimately decides to get up. He nods and stands, a mixture of relief and reluctance evident in his movements.

I watch him as he walks to the bathroom, leaving me alone with Alex on the floor. I reach out and gently brush a strand of hair away from her forehead, my fingers lingering on her skin.

Guilt gnaws at me as I remember the events that led us to this moment. As I sit here, lost in my thoughts, a sudden movement catches my eye.

Alex’s eyelids flutter ever so slightly, a sign of life returning to her. My heart leaps in my chest as I lean in closer, studying her face for any more signs of awakening.

I hold my breath as she starts to blink groggily, confusion clouding her gaze before recognition sets in. “Alex?” I breathe, relief flooding through me. “You’re okay.”

She tries to speak, but her voice is a hoarse whisper as she coughs. Her eyes widen, and she sits up, studying herself and our surroundings.

“Where’s Kieran?” She asks, clearing her throat. I nod toward the bathroom, the sound of water rushing from the showerhead filling the silence between us for a moment.

I can’t help the sudden anger burning away the relief I felt seconds ago.

She almost killed herself and nearly took us with her.