Captured (The Captive #1)(23)

She could feel the tension that seized him, the anger that locked his bones, and yet his hand against her ribs remained surprisingly gentle. He leaned closer to her, his mouth momentarily pressing against her ear. She could feel the brush of his lips against her skin as he spoke. “It won’t happen again.”

A single tear slid free, a shudder tore through her, neither of which she could hide from him. He wiped the tear away before sweeping her into his arms. Aria gasped, expecting pain to explode through her, and yet the way he cradled her did not leave any room for pain. It was so gentle, so sweet that she could only gaze up at him in dazed wonder. “Don’t.”

He did not respond to her simple word, did not look at her again as he left the room. Aria tried to squirm against him, tried to break free, tried to feel some anger again, but she was so beat down, so broken, that she could not find much of a protest. True panic tore through her when he placed her down in the middle of his room. She tried to jerk free, but he grasped lightly hold of her wrist, pulling her gently back.

“You need to be watched over. Broken ribs can be dangerous.” He said simply, as if this was enough of an explanation for everything that was happening now. As if this was enough explanation for everything that she found so confusing and dizzying. It was not, but she did not argue. She simply wanted to sleep again, if she could.

They stared at each other for a long moment before he released her wrist. He lifted her gently again, placing her down upon the softest, most wonderful thing she had ever experienced. It was only after she sank into the mattress that she realized she was in his bed, and it was only after that realization that she knew she never wanted to leave. Her hands stroked over the thick blanket, the soft sheets. It was a little bit of heaven here on earth.

Then, the fear kicked in. She was in his bed! She tried to sit up, but pain lanced through her side causing an involuntary gasp to escape her. He was at her side instantly, his hands upon her shoulders as he tried to push her back down. She wanted to struggle against him, but there wasn’t much fight left in her at the moment.

“Rest Arianna, relax, I won’t hurt you.” She eyed him wearily, unable to believe him. He sighed softly, shaking his head at her. “You can’t sleep alone tonight, you might puncture a lung. You need to be watched over, and since I much prefer my bed you will be staying in here for the night.” Her mouth parted as she gaped at him. He was going to stay in here, with her? She thought her heart was going to leap out of her chest as it hammered wildly. “I can tape your ribs for you…”

“It’s ok, I’ll be fine,” she assured him quickly. It would be a little too intimate if he did such a thing; it was bad enough he expected them to sleep beside each other tonight. Plus she preferred not to have her ribs taped, especially before going to sleep.

He held the nightgown out to her, rolling it up within his grasp. “Put your arms up.”

She frowned at him before lifting her arms slowly up. She struggled to keep her face blank as her body screamed in protest. He studied her for a moment before gently rolling the nightgown over her. She lowered her arms back down, relief filling her as the pain eased slightly. He adjusted it, pulling the material easily down her legs. Heat flooded her face; she ducked her head as his hand brushed against her thigh.

He quirked an eyebrow at her, but refrained from commenting on her reaction to his touch. “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

She tilted her head, staring questioningly at him. “Why would I?”

Frustration hardened his face, his jaw clenched. “You are to tell me whenever someone mistreats you.”

“Don’t like it when the property gets bruised?” she retorted angrily.

She did not know why she was baiting him, didn’t know why she was being so rude when he had been nothing but nice to her tonight, but she couldn’t stop herself. There was something about him, and this whole situation, that caused a volatile and swift reaction from her. Apparently he hadn’t known what Lauren was doing to her, and he had not condoned the girl’s violent actions. He had been rude to her when his brother had been here, but she could not expect him to be nice to her in public, could she? Aria shook her head; she was too tired and too wounded to try and wander through the conundrum that was him.

“No, I don’t,” he replied coldly.

She bit her bottom lip as she studied him from beneath her lashes. Her question had truly aggravated him. “I didn’t mean…” her voice trailed off, she didn’t know what she wanted to say to him.

“Didn’t you?” Aria shook her head, but there were no more words within her. Mainly because she was certain that she owed him an apology, and she hated to be wrong, and hated to say she was sorry. Especially to someone that was her enemy, wasn’t he? “Come on, you need to rest.”

She lay stiffly upon the bed, her hands digging into the blanket as he laid it gently over top of her. He did not lie down beside her but stood up, pulled off his coat, and disappeared into the bathroom that she had used upon first arriving. She listened to the water as he washed himself before returning.

“You will have to eat tomorrow.”

Though it was a command, his voice was nowhere near as gruff as it had been before. She didn’t take offense to the command; in fact she sensed a hint of worry in his tone and demeanor. It warmed her further. Maybe she was far more wounded, and beaten than she had realized she thought dimly. Especially if she was already feeling as if she could trust him again, when she had so firmly decided that it was the last thing she ever wanted to do. “I will.”