to give him a soft smile as I wrap the fluffy white towel around myself. When I look back up at him, an unknown emotion crosses his face. When our eyes collide, his gaze darkens, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. The air is thick between us, and I don’t understand why. I lick my lips as the thought of kissing him enters my mind.
I blink the thought away. I don’t want to kiss this man.
“I’ll be in the bedroom if you need anything,” he growls, slamming the door closed behind him as he leaves.
The noise vibrates through me, and I wonder what I did to make him angry.
I force myself to dry off and find a cotton white t-shirt and pair of boxers on the counter. I slip on the oversized t-shirt, relishing in the soft fabric against my skin. It ends just above my knees, so it looks more like a dress. I grab the boxers and pull them on next, rolling the waistband until they're somewhat on, then wrap my long, dark brown hair in a towel.
I pick up my discarded dress and place it on the counter before walking to the door. He sits on the edge of the bed, his arms folded over his broad chest. When I walk toward him on unsteady feet, he gets up and steps aside, giving me room to lay back down.
“You should try to get some sleep. If you need anything, I’m in the bedroom across the hall.” He starts to walk out the door, and the thought of being alone again scares me enough to give me the courage to speak.
“Please stay,” I blurt out. “I don’t want to be alone.”
He stops mid-step, giving me an icy glare. “I don’t know what you think this is, but I don’t have the time or patience to babysit you. You are here because my brother has nowhere else to put you—that’s it.” I swallow around the lump in my throat. I want to ask him why he’s so mad, or what I did wrong, but he storms out of the room, closing the door behind him before I can.
I feel beyond alone right now, like I’m back in that cell, only it’s worse because there is someone for me to talk too now. There is no noise apart from my breathing and too fast heartbeat. I remain in the bed, the quilt tucked up to my cheeks, trying to let go of the irrational fear of being alone.
I shouldn’t care. Not really. It’s not Roman’s job to keep me company, so his words, though cold, aren’t false. I should be glad I’m here now, in this nice house, in a comfortable bed, instead of on the cot in the cell. All of this could’ve ended in a much worse way than me simply being alone, but it’s not enough for me.
I try to calm myself. I try to tell myself to just forget about the things plaguing my mind, but I can’t. The emptiness of the room threatens to swallow me whole, and I just can’t take it anymore. My mind is my worst enemy, and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to escape it. I lay on the bed, watching as the room grows darker and darker.
Each passing second makes it harder and harder to breathe. I feel like I’m suffocating, and I don’t understand why. I was alone in that cell for days without caring, but being alone inside this room terrifies me.
Refusing to stay another second, I get up and tiptoe to the door. I open it quietly and stick my head out into the dimly lit hallway. I look left, then right. Roman isn’t anywhere in sight, so I step out into the hall and dart to the door across from mine.
My heart speeds up inside my chest. It pounds against my ribcage painfully. My hands shake as I raise one and knock on the door. Worry fills my gut when no one answers.
The thought of him leaving me here alone in this house consumes me, shaking my body to the core with fear. Before I can stop myself, my hand is on the doorknob, twisting it and pushing the door open. My eyes widen at my actions, and I take in the room before me.
The complete darkness is broken up by the hallway light now spilling into the room. I close the door behind me, and my feet