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I hug him again. He’s surprised I’m the one initiating, but he must know I need it because he hugs me tight. “I’m safe with you, right?” I murmur against his chest.
His grip on me tightens protectively. “Always,” he rumbles. “As long as you’re mine, no one else will ever hurt you.”
There it is.
An echo of what his father said.
I’m safe, as long as I’m his.
As long as I cooperate.
I swallow, pushing the thoughts away.
I don’t want to think about it anymore tonight. I’m too numb to know how I feel anyway.
When I lean back, Silvan tucks a lock of hair behind my ear and leans close so I can feel his breath on my lips. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
I guess so.
There’s an “or else” that hangs over my head making me wonder if I’ll ever feel free again.
If I’ll everbefree again.
I guess the only way out of this that doesn’t go badly for me is ifSilvanchanges his mind and lets me go. His father already said that would be okay.
He gives me a good-night kiss, then takes a step back.
He stays on the porch until I’m safely inside the house with the door locked.
I watch out the window as he walks back to the limo.
Seeing those two guys at his dad’s house has made me paranoid, so I watch for another minute or so after the limo pulls away to make sure no other cars pull up.
I guess they don’t have a reason to.
I agreed to “play ball,” whatever that means.
When I’m satisfied that no scary goons are coming to kidnap me, I finally leave the entryway. The house is dark, so Mom must be out.
I’m relieved.
I go to my bedroom and drop my bags, then I strip off my nice clothes and the new bra Silvan bought me and pull on a comfy sleep shirt.
Despite the overall numbness, I do feel a little lonely when I slip between my cool sheets and settle my blankets around me and I don’t feel Silvan’s lush fur beneath my fingers or his strong arms wrapped around my waist.
I miss his heat.
Maybe I just miss him.
Clearly, my brain is too broken for proper thinking tonight, so I close my eyes, forcing all the unpleasant thoughts away and tell myself to just go to sleep.
Tomorrow is a new day. A calmer day.
Tomorrow, I get to go back to some semblance of my real life.
Chapter Thirty-four
Sophie
