she could sleep more comfortably. She had refused to let go of him, and he had realized he didn’t actually want to let go either. The bunk was too small for them to sleep comfortably side by side. She had curled up on top of him, her cheek to his chest and her left leg thrown over both of his.
No woman had ever been brave enough to touch him first or to demand his attention. His scarred face made them nervous and his reputation preceded him. He had never been the cuddling type. When he had been younger and learning what he liked, he had tried to hold his lovers or sleep next to them. It never worked. He was either too hot or couldn’t relax with another person touching him.
That hadn’t been a problem tonight. He had fallen asleep within seconds of getting Maisie situated in his arms. The reason why it was different with her was simple. She had seen him at his very worst. When he had been at his most vulnerable, she had treated him with respect and kindness. She had taken care of him, fed him, washed him and even given him pain medication she smuggled into the cell. She hadn’t dehumanized or degraded him, hadn’t emasculated or hurt him. She had shown only the sweet gentleness of her too-big heart.
He wanted to protect that big heart of hers. He wanted to keep it safe. Keep her safe.
The only way to do that was to never let her out of his sight. That meant walking away from the only life he had ever known, his entire career and all of his friendships. It would mean starting over. That idea should have scared or unsettled him, but it didn’t. Not if Maisie was with him.
Is that what she wants?
It was likely that Maisie wanted to get as far away from him as possible. He wouldn’t blame her if she did. He had brought nothing but suffering and violence into her life. If the tables were turned, he would leave her at the first chance and run fast in the other direction.
Unable to help himself, he reached out and curled a few loose strands of her dark hair around his finger. He wanted to bury his hands in it, grip tightly and tilt her head back so he could kiss her until she was panting for him. He wanted to slide his fingers other places, too. He wanted to map out her body with his hands and his tongue. He wanted to show her something better than suffering and violence. He wanted to show her pleasure and joy.
She moved slightly and shifted a little before waking completely. She looked confused at first, but then her gaze settled on his face. She smiled, and his heart leapt into his throat. He couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to wake up to her like this every morning.
She rubbed her face and then made a series of signs. He frowned, hating that he couldn’t understand her. He hadn’t yet had a chance to crack open the sign language guide Cotton had given him. She smiled gently and took his hand, turning over his palm and tracing letters on it. B-A-T-H-R-O-O-M.
“Bathroom?” he confirmed.
She nodded and made a sign, placing her thumb between her forefinger and middle finger and waving her hand side to side. He repeated the movement and earned a bright smile from her. “I’m a quick study,” he assured her. “I’ll learn your language if you’ll teach me.”
“I promise,” she said, using the only other signs he understood.
He climbed over her and out of the bed. As soon as he was standing, he took hold of the long IV line and moved it out of the way so she could get up without getting tangled in it. She looked so much better after all of the fluids, vitamins and medications. The IV bag was nearly empty so he motioned for her to wait a moment. He rifled through the medical supplies and found what he needed. Back at her side, he disconnected the IV from the port in her hand and covered it with a seal to keep it clean. He tossed the IV bag into the trash and grabbed his weapon from the nearby table, tucking it into the back of his pants.
Maisie seemed worried about the gun and reached for the tablet that had been inside the crate with her. She tapped the screen