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“All I want to do is stay away from everyone. Well, no, not everyone,” she corrected, tucking her hair behind her ear, her eyes flicking down. “I enjoy talking to you. I see pity in most people’s eyes, and I don’t want to explain or make them feel better.”
“You shouldn’t worry about what they think. You are beautiful on the inside and the outside. If people can’t see past a few silvery lines, then that’s on them,” Nick grumbled.
A whimper escaped her lips as she said, “I still remember the look on their faces.”
He remained silent, fully focused on her as he realised she was placing her tentative trust in him. His desire to hold on tight to her and assure her that he wouldn’t betray her and would hunt down her enemies wouldn’t help either of them.
He could see that she needed to let the rest out, and that had to be done on her own terms. He admired her courage and felt his chest swell that she chose to share it with him.
“For what they did to you, they deserve to be hanged. They should definitely die for what they did to each and every one of you,” he replied through gritted teeth.
“They died the day the cages were burned.” Harper shivered.
Nick carefully moved closer. They hadn’t quite reached the point where they were touching. If he thought it would bring her comfort to have him near her, he would squeeze as close as he could, but she seemed to be holding herself together.
“Were you happy?” People often believed they would be happy after killing their enemies, but it was never that satisfying.
“They became trapped in the escape tunnel after a fire broke out in the cages. The funny thing was that it didn’t satisfy me, and I didn’t even consider hunting them down. There was only one thing I wanted to do: run free, release my pain, and hurt. They had torn me apart for something so simple. Do you know what it was?” Her voice was high and strained and she was shaking.
“No, I don’t.” Nobody had told him why she had scars.
“It’s because I’d been looking at one of the older scientists, and he didn’t like it. He pointed out to me that I was disrespecting him and that animals shouldn’t glare disrespectfully at their superiors, so he whipped me with an electrical line.”
Nick made a rough sound, unable to contain his anger as his hand fisted.
She shook her head quickly. “There was nothing connected to it. Construction was underway on an extension, and wiring was being installed. He picked it up because it was close and convenient.
“He started whipping, and everyone wanted to take part. It was as though he could not stop, and each whip energised the other guards.” She shuddered at the memory. “I could smell every emotion, including hate, disgust, anger, and lust.” She rubbed her wrist like she felt invisible restraints. “I felt ill with the blows coming together so quickly that my head spun. The jeers and laughter still haunt me, sometimes echoing in my mind.” She rubbed the side of her face. “My hair took one month to grow back, and the marks took two months to heal.”
“The pain of what happened won’t go away just because you heal quickly.” His body vibrated with rage. “Any shame will always be theirs,” Nick said savagely. All he wanted was to get his hands on them so he could teach them a lesson.
Deciding to change the subject before he lost his mind, he asked, “Are you bothered by my age?”
“What? No, of course not.” She was genuinely surprised and shocked when he asked this.
“And I’m not bothered by your scars.”
In response, she extended her hand to his fisted hands. Even though it was a simple brush of warmth, he still cherished it, and the effect was instant. Despite its fleeting nature, he found himself anticipating, even looking forward to her next touch.
The fact that Harper was only four years older than Karen struck Nick as he looked at her unlined face.
Harper said she didn’t care; Nick wasn’t sure everyone would feel the same way. His being human was a hurdle they had to overcome. Numbers might take issue with it because they feel so protective of her.
Nick understood some of their concerns. Perhaps they thought Harper, who suffered abuse from humans, would be better off with another Number.
“You’re thinking about it again,” she said suddenly.
It made him frown. “What?”
She reached out with her thumb and smoothed a line that had appeared between his eyes. “You always get this look on your face when you’re thinking about it,” she said.
While she followed the line with the edge of her thumb, he arched an eyebrow, and her lips quirked. At this point, Harper traced her finger down to his jawbone and trailed it along the side of his face. He watched her eyes dilate as she focused on his face.
Taking a deep breath, she traced the dimples on his lips and the tiny laugh lines that had begun to appear. She replied, “I don’t care how old you are.” After catching the glass, she slid it away and sat closer to him.
“You say that now, but what about in ten or twenty years?” She would remain youthful and vibrant for as long as he lived.
“Nick,” she sighed and lightly stroked his cheek. “I like you! How often do I say I don’t care about your age?”
