was really starting to piss me off.
Rafe and Mas exited, leaving Tali there with the clothes Mas had handed off to her.
“How is he?” Tali asked. Sorrow leached the dazzle from her dark eyes. “Massi.”
I shrugged. “Not too bad. He’s definitely been worse. You should see his pictures this time though, Tali. He’s getting so good. Probably good enough to have his own showing.”
She laughed, but the sound ripped my heart instead of lifted it. “He’d never do that. Wouldn’t let any of us do it for him either. He thinks this is all he’s good for.”
I reached out a hand for her.
She slid hers in mine and we sat there in silence.
Chirping broke the melancholia that had settled in the bathroom.
“Let’s try this a different way.” Tali kicked off her shoes after she turned off the alarm on her phone. She hit the button for the drain and we waited while the water slid away.
Using a separate towel, she wiped up the bottom and sides of the tub as best she could. Tossing that towel away, she then stepped into the tub, her feet on either side of my hips. Raising each of my arms, she dried them off with a different towel. Ditching that one, she said, “Arms up,” as she crouched down.
I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and worked to get my feet under me as she raised my upper body slowly. I envisioned us in my mind as the intricate dance of two women in the shower played in my mind. She had me pressed against the wall, her body helping keep me upright.
She gradually lifted and pushed as I used my heels to help in whatever I could. Stuffing my face against her body, I made silly groaning noises into her neck and shoulder. “Oh Tali, so good. Yes.”
We were both laughing so hard by the time I got out of the tub that I almost fell over because my stomach was aching so bad. We stood there, one of us fully clothed holding the other completely naked with a towel between us. Propped up against each other, trying to not lay either of us flat on the floor.
“Everything okay in here?” Rafe asked from behind Tali. “Sounded like things were getting a little interesting for a minute there.”
We burst into renewed laughter. By the time we got our giggles under control, he’d gone again. Tali helped dry me off. I pulled on the tank top while she ducked down, my boy shorts in her hands. Using the counter for balance, I slipped each foot into the correct hole of the shorts.
She had them up and in place before I could take a good breath. “All good, sis. Feeling okay?”
I nodded, smiled. “So much better. Damn that Ryker.”
She snorted. Palmed something from the counter. Held out a glass of water. “Bottom’s up.” She dropped the two small pills in my palm.
I sipped some water into my mouth without swallowing, tipped my head back, let the anti-inflammatory medicine drop into my mouth and hurried to swallow everything before my gag reflex could get involved. I smacked my lips after I drained my glass. “Night night time.”
Tali nodded. “Thank the goddess.” She held her arm out so I could use her as a balancing option and we slowly made our way back into my bedroom. She helped me fall into bed and get my legs situated before crawling in over me.
“Night, shower lover,” she said softly.
“You dry me so well. Night night.”
We both burst into laughter again. It tapered away as we fell into sleep.
Chapter 15 – Willow
I knew I was dreaming. But even knowing that didn’t help ease the terror that held me captive. My body was stuck as my brain raged.
I came to already strapped down and immobilized. The tube in my mouth forced air into my lungs. He stood over me, his handsome face stretched into polite lines. “You have to do better this time, Willow. She’ll die if you don’t. Do you understand?”
Just as I was getting some feeling back in my fingers, I saw him depress the plunger on the syringe that he’d inserted into the IV line he’d set up in my arm.
“ease don do is,” I said, my words garbled around the tube in my mouth. I knew any begging was futile before he started. I had about thirty seconds before everything shut down again.
“You know why I’m doing this, Willow. I’m going to save lives. It’s you who