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“I’m not going to judge them until I see for myself that they’re weak. Raw and untapped potential is like clay; it can be molded into a masterpiece. A weapon, too, if necessary.”
Marilyn scowled. “No.No, Neo.”
“You can’t tell me no, actually. TheDirectorhas to tell me no.”
“He’ll see reason.”
“I’m sure he will,” Neo said placatingly. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a bed to sleep on for the first time in weeks. I’m going to take advantage of that.”
He headed down the hallway, and we watched him disappear into one of the doors. Reese left next, followed by Marilyn and Johnny. Aria and I were the only ones left standing in the hallway.
“You don’t have a problem with sharing with me, do you?” I asked her carefully.
She looked dead on her feet. As much as that made me nervous, I didn’t want to call attention to it. “Sure,” she answered tiredly. “What’s the worst that could happen? We’re just sharing a bed.”
I didn’t say a word about how much my angel enjoyed knowing that I would be sharing a bed with her, lying on the same sheets and smelling her scent all around me. Instead, I kept dutifully quiet and followed her to our room.
14
NOT A FAKE KISS
Aria
The bed is big enough for both of us,I reminded myself for the umpteenth time. It was king-sized, so even Sariel’s muscular body could fit in comfortably with me and leave plenty of room to spare.
The room itself was cozy, all decorated in warm, neutral shades of brown and cream. There were two armchairs at the back wall on either side of the window, a standing lamp, a small chest of drawers, a walk-in closet through the door beside that, and an entrance to the bathroom on the opposite wall. There was a huge, hand-stitched-looking quilt covering the massive bed, and when I rubbed my hands along the soft surface, I felt my eyes automatically droop.
I was exhausted. It was as though everything was finally catching up to me.
The fact that those people had touched my naked body, that a crowd had seen it and leered upon it… I shuddered.
Sariel came out of the shower in a pair of soft-looking sleep pants and a white t-shirt that left nothing to the imagination—he hadn’t properly dried himself, so some wet spots had become… transparent.
One would think that after the things we’d been through, a nearly-shirtless Sariel wouldn’t phase me much, but that was apparently incorrect. Between my fight-or-flight mode finally switching off and the bone-deep exhaustion in me, I was vulnerable.
“Bathroom’s free,” he said. “They left you some shorts and stuff so you can change.”
I nodded, padding over to the bathroom and shutting the door behind me.
Everything hit me all at once when the warm spray from the shower washed over me.
I sank into a seat in the shower without really registering that I had done so. I could feel myself trembling, feel the panic creep in as it seized my mind.
I was in over my head. Sariel and I were going to get everyone killed.
The thought triggered memories of the bodies in the hallway as we escaped, the screams of people as they tried to get away from the attack. There had probably been children there.
Bile crept into my throat. I violently expelled the food we’d eaten, heaving it up until I was dry.
I forced myself to stand, wash the vomit off me, and rinse it all down the drain.
There was shampoo, conditioner, body wash, a fresh shaving stick, and a wash rag already. I went to town, even though I was still shaky and pausing every now and then to cry or remind my gut that there was nothing left to expel, so it should stop threatening to act.
I shaved every inch of myself, washed my hair multiple times, and scrubbed every inch of skin I could reach until I was pink and raw, sweating despite being in the cold shower. When I was done, I slathered myself in lotion, blow dried my hair, and braided it so it hung down my back.
I moved with a sort of detachment I was sure wasn’t healthy. I paused to admire how soft the shorts they’d left me were, and the shirt felt wonderful against my skin. I didn’t even care that they exposed a bit of my ass because they were a littletooshort, since the t-shirt was long enough to make up for it.
I yanked open the door, then froze.
