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“I can see the wheels in your head turning,” Elena said. “And I’m just warning you, from woman to woman, be careful of them. They have left dozens of broken hearts behind them, and I would hate for the next one to be yours.”
I couldn’t ignore the sincerity in her voice. Damnit, whether it was true or not, Elena obviously believed it to be so.
Before I could respond, Ryder slid onto his knees beside me, two thin pieces of wood in his hands. They must’ve fallen from the roof.
“Will these work?”
“Yes,” Elena sneered haughtily, ripping them from his hands. Gone was the vulnerable girl she’d revealed to me. I wondered if I imagined that entire conversation.
* * *
The day was long.
I didn’t know how much time passed, but it felt like months. With no natural sunlight, it was near impossible to decipher night from day. Declan had a watch, but I much preferred to be dramatic than to ask him the time.
Elena had bandaged my arm, back, and braced my leg. I had heard her sharp intake of breath when she saw the burn marks across my skin, but she didn’t say anything. After she was finished, she went to her corner, and we stayed in ours.
Tamson handed me a water bottle, which I gratefully took.
“How are you feeling?” Asher asked me softly.
“Better. I really wish this place had pain meds.”
Ronan leaned forward to grin at me, teeth shockingly white in his brown face. “Don’t be a wuss.”
“Don’t be a puss,” I countered.
From the other side of Ronan, Ryder let out a loud snore. I couldn’t help my giggle. I wondered how the great, “sexy” Ryder would feel if he discovered that he both snored and drooled when he slept. It was no wonder he never let girls spend the night; I would be embarrassed of that too.
Calax chuckled. “Please tell him that when he gets up. It might knock him down a peg.”
“Doubtful,” Asher said.
I turned to smile at him, but my expression froze when I saw Declan. He had been silent thus far, more so than usual, and I feared that he felt left out. After all, we weren’t using sign language to communicate with one another.
I felt a stab of guilt at my negligence.
What type of friend does that?
I squared my shoulders resolutely. It was fine. I made a mistake, but I could be better. I had to be.
Waving my hand in front of his face to garner his attention, I began to sign, “How are you feeling?”
The sullen expression contorting his features softened when his gaze met mine.
“You don’t have to worry about me feeling left out,” he signed quickly. “I’m used to it.”
“Doesn’t it get lonely?” I signed back. Asher, beside me, seemed to realize we were having a conversation and skirted out of the way. When I smiled at him, he winked at me.
“I’m used to it,” Declan said, motions brisk. From the tightening of his eyes, I knew that he was lying. Nobody could be used to loneliness.
“I’m truly sorry,” I said. “I’ll try to do better.”
If that meant facing him continuously so he could read my lips, I would. I was determined not to screw this up.
Declan was silent for a moment. His hand tapped an irregular pattern against his dust-stained jeans.
“Tell me about your friend,” he said at last.
