Shax professed his devotion to me, only to have that affection evaporate practically overnight because of Angel? Was I going to be Emily’s Angel? I hoped not. I might not understand her reason for picking Merdon, but I wasn’t about to get between the two of them.
Stepping under the spray of hot water, I did my best to wash away my doubt along with my dried sweat. I stayed until my fingers pruned and the temperature cooled.
Dressed in clean pajamas, I left the bathroom with my hair still wrapped in a towel. The room was dark despite the lights shining along the wall. My bed beckoned.
Tired from what felt like the longest day of my life, I crawled under the covers.
The last thought I had before I was pulled under was that after the hell I put up with during my waking hours, I better get respite during my sleep. I should have known better. Life never played that fair.
Dreams tortured me, leading me from the sprint through the woods all the way to the moment where I plunged the knife into my sister’s mouth. I woke, panting and shaking, fear clouding my mind so much that I didn’t know where I was when I looked around.
When a shape moved in the chair beside the bed, I screamed.
“Hannah.”
The sharp sound of my name in that deep, familiar voice broke through the worst of my panic. I fought my way out of the covers and stumbled to the only shelter I had. Huddled in Merdon’s lap, I sobbed against his chest, clutching his shirt. One arm anchored me to him.
He didn’t rock me or make soothing sounds, but he did run a hand over my hair again and again. I focused on that feeling, blocking out everything else. My breathing slowly calmed, only disturbed by an occasional hitch.
“The humans in Tenacity fear to leave the protection of their walls,” Merdon said, his hand continuing its languid path. “They fear the wrong thing. They believe they are safe if they stay where the infected can’t get to them, but it won’t be the infected that kill them. The walls, and eventual starvation, will be their end. Like you, they are dying from the inside and refuse to see it.”
I lifted my head, my face inches from his, as I met his gaze. There was no judgment in them. Maybe a hint of anger.
It was the other emotion I saw that had me pulling away from his hold. I didn’t need or want his concern.
Without a word, I returned to my bed and nestled under the blankets. Fear of more dreams kept me awake until the sky started to lighten.
A big hand shook my shoulder roughly.
“Wake up. You’ve slept enough.”
I groaned and rolled away from the offensive appendage.
“I need to learn how to use a bow so I can shoot you,” I mumbled.
Merdon made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort.
“You have five minutes to meet me downstairs.”
“Why do you hate me?” I complained, burrowing deeper. “I need rest. Cassie told you.”
“You also need food and have already missed breakfast. Five minutes,” he repeated before walking out of the room.
I huffed, never opening my eyes. That was my first mistake. The second was falling back to sleep.
Arms scooped under me. My eyes flew open. I barely registered what was happening before Merdon had me over his shoulder. My full bladder protested at the pressure.
“What is wrong with you? Why can’t you wake me up like a normal person? I need to pee.”
“I did wake you up like a normal person. You chose to ignore me.”
“No, I was tired and fell back asleep. Tired people do that.”
Each downward step drove his shoulder further into my over-expanded organ.
“Seriously, Merdon, I will pee on you if you don’t put me down now, and it won’t be my fault because you’re choosing to ignore me.”
He grunted and set me on my feet in the kitchen.
“Bathroom then food.”
I hurriedly nodded and waddle-walked to the bathroom. I barely made it to the bowl. Mentally calling him every name imaginable because he’d almost made me pee myself a second time, I glared at the closed door.
The damn man needed to understand personal boundaries. If he wanted to get up in some woman’s business, he could focus on Emily.
Opening the door with force, I stomped my way to the kitchen where Merdon waited beside the island. He regarded me with a singular focus. Ignoring him, I marched over to Emily,