Refugee (The Captive #3)(52)

“I sure would,” Ashby agreed eagerly as Jack entered the room. “Look at what the cat drug in!”

Jack’s nose wrinkled. “I’d say the cat mauled you and hauled you through sewage from the smell and look of the five of you.”

“And feel.”

Jack grinned; he grasped Braith’s hand firmly as he clapped him on the arm. “Good to see you brother.”

“You also.” Jack released him; his smile grew as his gaze raked Gideon’s miserable, filthy form. “Well now, this is a pleasant treat.”

“Wish I could say the same,” Gideon retorted.

Jack laughed loudly as he shook Gideon’s hand and then Xavier’s. “Long time no see.”

Xavier simply bowed his head briefly in response. Braith stood stiffly, immobile as he watched three young men carry in five separate wooden tubs. It took almost a half an hour before enough water was brought in to fill them. Aria remained by her brother and father, the brilliant smile never left her face as they talked.

“Go on,” David urged her when the last of the water was brought in.

Braith was aware of the fact that four of the tubs had been taken into one room, while the other had been kept separate. Aria looked at him as he took a step toward her. “Wait,” David said sharply.

Braith’s hands fisted at his side. He could control his need to pull her away from them but he wasn’t going to leave her alone and vulnerable while she bathed. He didn’t trust most of these people, and he sure as hell didn’t trust Max. The boy was lurking around here somewhere and he’d almost killed her once.

“Not alone,” Braith growled.

David looked as if the top of his head was going to blow off. Braith stepped closer to her, pressing against her arm. “Its fine dad,” Aria assured him. “It’s not what you think. He won’t even be in the room.”

“She’s not going in there alone.”

“Aria is perfectly capable of taking care of herself!” David snapped.

“I know she is, and she’s also perfectly capable of getting herself into trouble.” Aria shot Daniel a dark look as he guffawed loudly. “I don’t trust these people. I don’t trust Max. Whether you like it or not, she is not going in there without me to stand guard.”

“Braith!” Aria hissed as her father’s eyes narrowed in rage.

“Who the hell do you think you are!?” David demanded.

“Hers.” The simple, startling answer knocked some of the anger from David. Daniel’s mouth dropped as Ashby shook his head. Xavier watched intently and Gideon simply strolled out of the room toward the other tubs. Jack dropped his head into his hands and began to massage his temples. “And she is mine.” He touched her arm gently, nudging her toward the backroom. She hesitated, seemingly torn as she gazed from him to her father and back again.

David didn’t protest anymore, but his jaw was clenched in displeasure as his gaze bored into Braith’s back. The room they had brought the tub into was small with a single window in the back. Braith closed the shutters, locking them into place before turning back to her. Steam rose from the tub, a small sliver of soap had been set on the floor on top of some towels and clean clothes.

“A little diplomacy goes a long way,” she murmured.

“They have to understand…”

“He’s my father Braith. I know you don’t understand what that means, not in the same way that I do, but he loves me. I’m his little girl. This is hard for him, it’s hard for Daniel and William, but it’s especially hard for my father.” She was right, he didn’t understand that. “You need to be nicer, and more patient.” She tilted her head, peering up at him as she smiled faintly. “Do you think you can do that?”

He grasped hold of the collar of her shirt and pulled her closer. “I can try, for you.”

“Just for me?”

He grinned. “I sure wouldn’t do it for anyone else.”

She laughed as he began to slide the buttons of her shirt free. He slipped it from her shoulders and tugged it from her arms. He touched her shoulders briefly and turned away before he couldn’t. He listened as the rest of her clothes fell away before she slid into the tub with a groan of pleasure. It was excruciating torture. His teeth grated, he stepped into the doorway, leaning against it as he fought the urge to turn around and go back in there.

His body was so taught with strain from not looking that he didn’t know she had approached until he felt her fingers slip between his own. He relished the supple feel of her skin against his as he pulled her against his chest and held her close.





CHAPTER 14





She was sound asleep in his lap, her hand curled against his chest, her head resting in the hollow of his shoulder as she breathed slowly in and out. As she slept, the tension of the day faded from her features making her appear even younger, more vulnerable, which only made him worry for her more. Max hadn’t appeared again since he’d rebuked her earlier and Braith hoped that he never did.

Daniel was talking quietly, pointing at some of the designs and drawings he had created. “These are all of your cave systems?” Gideon inquired.

“Not all of them,” David answered. “These are the ones closest to the palace. We had others, but some have been lost to cave-ins, and others are too far from the palace to be of any use.”