Page 29

ZOEY

T he door creaks open, and my body locks up before I can stop myself. My gaze snaps to the source of the sound.

Avery strides into the room like he owns the entire fucking world. Though, in a way, he might. A long white lab coat makes him look every bit the part of a caring doctor.

His pale blue eyes sweep the space in a slow, deliberate assessment. They linger on me a second too long before shifting to Cole, who’s frozen mid-step with his muscles coiling like a predator. The smirk that tugs at Avery’s lips sends a chill down my spine.

“Well,” he drawls, his voice smooth as silk but sharp as broken glass. “You two look cozy.”

Cole stiffens. His entire body goes rigid and he track’s Avery’s every movement.

I narrow my eyes. “What do you want?”

Avery tilts his head and studies me like I’m some puzzle he hasn’t quite figured out yet. “Relax, firecracker.” Amusement curls around his words. “I’m only here to check on you. ”

I cross my arms and don’t flinch when my nails bite into my skin. “You’ve never cared before. Why start now?”

His smirk widens. “Because it was either me or Eugene, and I figured you’d prefer me. I sent him off to do some busy work. You’re welcome.”

My stomach churns at the mention of Eugene, and I feel sick despite the fact there’s nothing in my stomach. I shouldn’t feel relieved by Avery’s presence, but I am. Even though I just told Cole that I trust Avery, I still fight against the feeling. “Am I supposed to thank you for that?” I bite out.

Avery chuckles. It’s warm and mocking all at once. His pale blue eyes darken at my skepticism. “No need for thanks. I’m only looking out for you. Like I have been.”

I glare at him. The anger inside me snaps to life like a flame catching dry wood, and I have to hold myself back from ripping apart this rope with my bare fingers and strangling him with it. “If you were really looking out for me, then you never would have let them keep my insulin hostage.”

Something flickers in his eyes. Not amusement or mockery.

Fire. Pure, molten lava. Dark and all-consuming, that makes my breath catch in my throat.

“That never should have happened.” His voice is lower now and deadly quiet.

For the first time, I believe him. “If I had known, Zoey, then I would have killed the one who took it and given it back to you.”

I want to believe him, but I can’t. “You’ve been treating this as a game this whole time. Trying to see how far I can go, testing my limits.”

“Not with your life. Not like that.”

“No. Instead, you let that man run free and watched him with a grin on your face, and now you walk in here acting like the good guy?”

He takes a step closer. His blue eyes are dark now when they drag over me like a slow caress. Something about it prickles against my skin, but I refuse to back away. Instead, I stand and level him with a glare of my own. Though, I have to tilt my head back quite a bit to do so.

He stops short of invading my space and shoves his hands into the pocket of his long white lab coat, but not before I see a spot of blood on the back of his hand. It’s fresh. “You’ve been through a lot. You deserve special attention.”

My breath hitches at the implication before I can stop it. Dammit. His smirk tells me he heard it. “Don’t,” I snap. My voice comes out sharper than I mean to.

Avery lifts a brow in amusement. “Don’t what?” His voice is calm and teasing, but there’s a challenge to it.

“Don’t act like you care.”

His smirk falters for half a second before it returns, even lazier now. “Or…” he steps close enough to drop his voice to something only I can hear, “don’t make you feel something you don’t think you want to?”

The air shifts between us, charged with something dangerous. Something I refuse to name. Behind me, Cole growls, and I wonder if he learned that trick from Damon.

Avery doesn’t flinch, like any other sane person would have. Instead, he glances over his shoulder with that smirk still firmly in place. “Relax, big guy. I’m only having a little fun.”

Cole’s voice cuts through the tension like a blade. “Why are you really here?”

“Like I said. I care.”

“Do you care about her well-being after nearly dying, or is it more about getting your dick wet?”

Avery laughs. A real laugh this time. “Straight to the point. I respect that.” His eyes flick between me and Cole, and I catch something calculating in his expression.

“You know, this room is far more interesting with the two of you in it.” He tilts his head in mocking thought.

“Maybe we could all have some fun together.”

Heat starts in my core at the implication and then I feel it creeping up my neck, but I refuse to react.

Cole eyes my reddening ears, and I’m grateful when he looks away. He tilts his head to indicate Avery’s hand in his pocket. “What exactly did you do to the guy who toyed with Zoey’s insulin?”

Avery’s face remains unreadable. Blank as a fresh canvas. Colder than the rotters outside these walls. “I took care of it. Like I said, I fucking care.”

The tension thickens. Then a dreg steps inside with an expression tight with urgency. “Avery, we need you. Now.”

Avery lets out a long, dramatic sigh before turning his head and glancing over his shoulder as though the intrusion was bothersome. “Of course you do.” His tone is bored. He shakes his head. “Everyone always needs me.”

His eyes flick back to me one last time, but they’re too dark and unreadable.

“Don’t worry, firecracker. This isn’t over.” Then he walks away, and the room feels colder in his absence.

Cole glances over at me. “Firecracker?”

I shrug. “It’s a thing.”

Avery pauses at the door and gestures to two dregs who are waiting outside. “Escort them back to their cells. Nicely. And give her your jacket. I never want to see goosebumps on her arms again.”

I glance down and am surprised at the raised bumps on my arms that I didn’t even notice. Regardless, I gladly accept the blue cotton jacket that’s three sizes too big.