didn’t hurt or kidnap women. But under pressure?
Fuck.
I straightened, my muscles tightening. “He didn’t... he didn’t hurt you, right?”
She furrowed her brows again and slowly shook her head. “No. I would have done some damage if he tried.”
I couldn’t help but smile at that. This girl had fire in her veins.
Mine.
That one word bounced around in my head, and as fucking insane as it was to claim ownership of a female, especially one I literally just met, it still seemed pretty fucking right.
“So Frankie kidnapped you, and he’s keeping you here against your will?” Just my fucking luck that this woman—this angel— was here against her will. Yet despite no doubt hating everyone in this fucking house, here she sat beside me on the bed, letting me touch her hand, memories of her singing to me, of her comforting me, so damn real it tightened my chest.
“Yeah, but—” My throat tightened as I saw the apprehensive look cross her face. I felt like she had more to say, but she let her lips tightly press together.
I wanted her to tell me all her secrets, all her hopes and dreams, all her fears and worries. I wanted to protect her, to keep her safe. I wanted to make sure no one made her feel less than, not even my brothers, not even my twin who had taken her. He may not have physically hurt her, but the pain he caused her by his actions was just as bad.
“They say they won’t hurt me, that once you’re better, I can go.” She looked back at me, her blue eyes big, her expression vulnerable. “I don’t know if that’s the truth—”
“No one will fucking hurt you. No one.” Even I heard how certain those words were as they came out of me forcefully. They came out so sharp and hard that Zoey’s eyes widened marginally. Before I could say anything else, the bedroom door opened, and in strode everyone in the whole house. Dom and Amelia, Cullen and a Kimber, and then there was Frankie.
Zoey let go of me instantly and moved back as far as she could go, the wall at the opposite end of the wall stopping her retreat. I already missed her presence, her scent and touch, her warmth and the sound of her voice.
I heard everyone seeming to talk all at once, felt Kimber checking on me, looking at my wound, but my gaze was locked on Zoey and hers on me.
And the entire time everyone fucking fussed over me, every time someone threw out that it was a damn miracle I was alive, that I probably owed some otherworldly entity a fucking favor for still being here breathing, that entire time, I watched Zoey. I stared at her, memorized every curve and hollow that made her up, knowing that no matter where she was, where she ran to, I’d find her.
She’d leave eventually—no doubt about that—but I knew I would follow her. I already deemed her mine.
Chapter Thirteen
Zoey
I didn’t know how much time passed since Wilder had woken up, since we had this weird interaction, this almost comforting and perfect silent exchange, but Kimber and Amelia pulled me out of the room so the guys could have alone time.
This was the first time I’d been out of my prison, although if I were being honest, I was starting to see it as anything but, because Wilder was in there with me.
I could have left since leaving the bedroom and the guys with Wilder. Amelia and Kimber weren’t even paying me any attention as they made dinner. Yeah, I could have left a handful of times already since being out here... yet here I was, standing by the back window, staring out at the lawn that was as far as the eye could see before disappearing into the thickness of the woods.
This place was isolated, and although I don’t think we’d driven terribly far to get here when Frankie had taken me, I’d been in shock. I couldn’t have told anyone my name at that point, let alone know how long we’d actually driven. We definitely weren’t in the city anymore.
Why didn’t I leave? Fuck if I knew. I could have blamed it on fear, but that would have been a lie.
I could’ve said they would’ve caught me before I tried to scale the gate, but that wouldn’t have been true.
I could have even reasoned they’d find me, and I didn’t want to know what they’d do to me