guide me out of the room and upstairs, not questioning his motives, blindly trusting him.
Chapter Six
Mathieson leads me into a large bathroom with a huge clawfoot bathtub that could easily fit two people. He guides me to a seat in the corner of the room whilst he plugs the bath and turns on the taps. Water streams out and I watch in a daze as steam rises from the flow of water.
“I’m going to add some oils. They might help…” Mathieson’s voice trails off as he watches me closely.
I nod. “Sure. Whatever you think…”
I don’t know whether this is some kind of delayed shock or something, but my whole body begins to tremble in earnest, my skin rising in goosebumps as the smell of lavender and bergamot permeates the air. I fold my arms around myself watching Mathieson as he moves around the bathroom. He pulls out a large, grey, fluffy towel from a linen cupboard and folds it over a floor to ceiling radiator then grabs some shampoo and conditioner from a large walk-in shower cubicle on the other side of the bathroom and places them on a ledge beside the bath.
“That should be deep enough,” Mathieson says, frowning yet again when he looks at me with his stone-coloured eyes. They seem to change between silver and granite. Right now, they’re the latter.
“Th—thank you,” I stutter, hating myself for being so weak. Why am I falling apart now?
“Do you need assistance?” he asks, as I fail to stand upright. I can’t seem to move my legs, let alone any other part of my body.
“I—I don’t know. I d—don’t feel right,” I admit. I’m trembling so much that my teeth start to rattle, the sound seems as loud as the thunderclap that booms overhead. I jump, startled. “What’s happening to m—me?”
Mathieson steps closer and crouches before me on his haunches. He places his large hands on the armrests either side of me. “I think this is delayed shock. It’s not uncommon after you’ve been through trauma. I’m not surprised this is happening.”
I meet his gaze and swallow down a sob. “Wh—why are you being so nice to me? I h—heard what you said to Berrin earlier today. You don’t want me here.”
He frowns, his jaw clenching tightly. “I don’t. I think as soon as you can leave, you should leave.”
“Why?” I press my lips together, trying to prevent the sob from releasing. I don’t like feeling this way, this weak, vulnerable. It’s not who I am, I don’t think.
“We’ve all been through a lot of shit that has hardened us against humanity. It means that I’m dangerous. We’re dangerous,” he says honestly, and even though I should be afraid, I’m not.
“Am I in danger? Will you hurt me?”
“Take a bath, let the water soothe you,” he responds, casting me one last look. His gaze lingering on the single tear that slips from my eye. He watches it track down my cheek and I see the hunger there, the need.
“Do you want to make me cry then taste my tears, is that it?” I whisper.
He meets my gaze and I see a flicker of recognition in them before he turns on his feet and strides from the room, leaving me with more questions than those I had before arriving here.
As I settle into the bath a moment later, sinking beneath the surface, one prominent thought enters my head. Franklin was lying. We have met before. I know it.
“That’s it, open up for me,” Franklin murmurs. I can feel his hot breath against the skin of my inner thigh as his lips slide upwards along the sensitive flesh. My skin prickles under his soft touch, my core aching for release.
I spread my legs, needing his hot mouth pressed against my wet cunt, waiting for the pleasure I know he can give me. Has given me before.
“You’re so wet for me,” he continues, his finger parting my folds gently and rubbing against the nub of my clit before circling my entrance, then repeating the act over again. “So wet, so warm, so fucking ours…”
“That’s right, you’re ours now,” Berrin growls, reaching for me in the darkness. I feel the rough palm of his hand settle on my stomach as he eases closer to me. I’m completely naked, bare beneath their touch.
Ready.
Willing.
Submissive.
Pliant.
His lips brush against mine, and I can feel the coarseness of his beard graze over my skin. I groan as his tongue parts my lips just at the same time as Franklin