AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s only been a few days. Healing takes time, Leon. The physical wounds will fade, the emotional ones, the mental scars, they take so much longer.”
“She just tried to kill herself, Thirteen. I’m not leaving her in your care for a moment longer.”
“And why do you think that is?” she asks. There’s no anger in her voice, just a sad kind of truth.
“I know why. I want to fix it.”
“I’m not sure you’re the right person for the job,” she replies, brutally honest. “I’m not sure any ofusare.”
Leon growls, the rumble rising up his throat threatening. “Don’t start that with me again. She is not going home. She ismine.”
“Konrad and Jakub would beg to differ.”
Leon grits his teeth so hard I can hear the sound it makes, like stones being scraped against one another. “Konrad and Jakub can go fuck themselves!”
“You know this reprieve won’t last. They’ll come for her, Leon. Then what? Will you kill your brothers?”
“If I have to,” he grinds out.
Thirteen throws her hands up in the air, shaking her head in frustration. Still I remain mute, numb. I hear what they’re saying but don’t react to it. “Really? When it comes down to it, you’ll take your brothers’ lives?” she asks him.
“I’ll do what I have to do. I always have…” His voice trails off as he looks at Thirteen. “Violence is the only language I understand.”
“Is it?” she asks him softly.
He shakes his head, cutting his gaze to me whilst addressing Thirteen. “You can stay, or you can go, but my mask is coming off and if you see my face, you know as well as I do that you’llneverleave here.”
“Leon,please,” Thirteen implores.
“It’s your choice. Make a decision.”
“Christy, I—” she begins, her voice cracking.
The emotion in it stirs me enough to turn and look at her. She’s devastated. She doesn’t want to leave me alone with Leon, but equally she doesn’t want her future to be confined to this castle.
I don’t blame her for it. She still has a chance to be free. I can’t take that away from her.
“Go,” I whisper, forcing my mouth to move.
She reaches for me, grasping my hands and pressing a kiss against my cheek. “I won’t do that.” Pulling back she glares at Leon. “I will sleep on the chaise. I will look away from you, but if anything happens and I’m forced to look upon your face then I will take the punishment for it. I will remain here for the rest of my days. I will never leave Ardelby Castle.”
“You would do that for Christy?” Leon asks, confusion mixed with a little dash of awe.
“I would do that because it’s therightthing to do.”
With one last wavering smile at me, Thirteen turns on her heel and strides across the room settling on the sofa. Once her back is to us both, Leon removes his mask, dropping it onto the floor beside the bed then turns his attention back to me.
“You’re still wet. I’ll dry you,” he states.
I don’t protest, instead I remain still as he grabs a towel from somewhere to the left of the bed and begins to gently run it over my body. I can hear the way his breath becomes more and more laboured with every stroke. Again I expect him to take advantage.
Again, he doesn’t.
And I don’t react to his touch. Numbness gives me respite from everything. I’m grateful for it.
“There, you’re dry,” he mutters, pulling away for a moment. I can hear the sound of him removing his wet clothes and I fully expect him to be naked as I feel his weight dip the mattress as he lies down next to me.
“I won’t touch you,” he rumbles, leaning over me as he pulls up the throw folded over the end of the bed and lays it across my body. The material is soft and smells of lavender and bergamot. I draw in a deep breath, allowing the scent to wash over me.
