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Chapter Eight
Skye sat on the edge of the bed, watching Noah, waiting to see when he’d come around. She’d been the one beaten and raped, but he’d come back unconscious. Mitch, he’d smirked at her and given her a warning that he’d be seeing her soon. She didn’t want to think about what that meant.
Even as pain radiated through her entire body, she focused on Noah, not on anyone else.
Suddenly, he started to groan, and she reached out, taking his hand. He opened his eyes, and she gasped.
“Noah,” she said.
He looked at her, and suddenly his arms were around her. Her first instinct was to push him away, but she couldn’t bring herself to do that, not to Noah.
“You’re here.”
“I’m here,” she said.
“I’m so sorry, Skye. I’m so sorry.”
She didn’t need to ask him what for; she knew. “It’s okay. I’m fine.”
He leaned back, cupping her cheek.
“What happened?” she asked.
“He hit me.”
“He did? How many times?”
“Only two.”
“And that knocked you out?” She frowned. Noah was one of the strongest guys she knew. She had seen him training in school. In fact, some of their study sessions had been at the gym, and even she’d been impressed by his ability to weightlift. Most guys were scared of him.
“Yeah,” he said, frowning.
“You’re not used to being knocked out.”
“No.” He looked at her again.
“What? I don’t like that look.”
“Mitch is coming for you again.”
“Oh,” she said.
Moving away from the bed, she stepped up to the corner. The cold seeped into her bones, but she ignored it, rubbing at her arms.
“He does this on purpose,” he said. “He brings people together, makes them like couples, until he starts to break them down. We’re nothing but pets to them. Did you notice how some of them wore collars? It’s where they’ve been claimed by certain people. They’re owned, and with it, comes an added layer of protection.”
Noah climbed off the bed.
She heard him walk toward her, and when his hands touched her shoulders, she couldn’t help the flinch.
“Fuck, I hate this,” he said.
“I know. I hate this, too.”
“He shouldn’t have touched you.”
“Noah, it’s not about being touched here. Can’t you see that? None of this should be happening.” Tears filled her eyes, and the room went blurry. She promised herself she wouldn’t cry. “I don’t know how much more I can take.”
