Emerge: The Captive: (Book 3)(22)

They fell into a comfortable silence as she finished stitching him up. Santi’s gentle hands drifted over the dark bruise along his shoulder, rubbing a pungent ointment over the tender area.

“Frankincense, lavender and tea tree oil will help with soreness,” she said. “The bruise will fade in a few days, but it should feel better by morning. Now let’s see your hands.” She sat beside him on the bench as she examined the damage to his wrists. “I don’t think I can stitch this.” She prodded the loose skin with a pair of surgical tweezers, pulling it back where it belonged. “I’m going to bandage this tightly and we’ll see how it looks in a day or two.”

Quinn yawned. He was so tired, he could feel it in his bones. He winced when Santi pulled his skin flat against his wrists and sprayed the area with antiseptic before she bound them with surgical tape and gauze.

His grumbling stomach broke the silence. His last decent meal was a distant memory.

“You’re going to need your strength for what’s next, Quinn.” She met his gaze. “They won’t stop until you’re completely broken and you just don’t care anymore. Don’t let them win.”

“They couldn’t break me with pain, so what’s next?”

“A nice break.” She grimaced. “But don’t let it fool you. They’ll treat you like a human being just long enough to make you think it’s all over, and then they’ll turn on you.”

“Build me up just to watch me fall again?” Quinn sighed. It would be better if they didn’t bother.

“Come on, let’s finish up here so we can get you fed before she’s done in the gym. She doesn’t like us underfoot. When she’s home, it’s best to just stay out of her way unless she needs something. If she gets annoyed, she’ll lock you in the white room.”

Santi covered his burned feet in ointment and wrapped them in gauze. “Can you get dressed on your own now?” She handed him a set of folded sweats from the linen closet.

“I can manage.” Quinn moaned as he stood.

“Just come out to the kitchen when you’re ready.” She left him to finish on his own.

Quinn felt a thousand years old as he struggled to put on a shirt and then hobbled down the hall, clutching the wall for support.

When he reached the kitchen, he collapsed on the nearest barstool. He needed food and sleep—and lots of it—to get his strength back. Then he could focus on getting his head on straight.

Santi moved around the kitchen like it was her own, the scrape of the silver chain around her ankle a reminder of her place in this household.

“What’s with the chain? You try to escape?”

“No. I could break it without even trying. It’s just meant to humiliate me and remind me that despite my stellar education and my lofty ambitions, I am nothing.”

She served him a plate of lean chicken and steamed vegetables. No salt or butter, but it was the most delicious thing he could ever remember eating. It wasn’t until he popped the last piece of broccoli into his mouth that he realized she hadn’t eaten anything.

“You gave me your dinner didn’t you?” His cheeks warmed in embarrassment. Idiot. She was obviously starving as well as sleep-deprived.

“You needed it more than I do.”

“The kitchen must be stocked full. Why can’t you help yourself?”

“She’ll know. It’s not worth it. Missing a meal won’t kill me. I’ll just sneak an extra protein drink before bed. She doesn’t count those.”

“Santi … why are you doing this? Helping me? A place like this … you have to look out for yourself first.” He grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“I need someone I can trust. I’ve been here for so long.” Her voice shook. “Some days I feel like I’m going to lose this battle,” she whispered. “When you were here last. Before they took you away. I drew so much strength from having you here. I want to repay that kindness.”

“You need a friend, you’ve got one.” He gave her a smile. “We’re allies in this.”

“Friends.” She turned to the sink to wash the dishes.

Quinn limped to Santi’s side, taking the dish from her. “You wash, I dry.” He smiled down at her.

“She won’t sleep tonight so she’ll be in her study till dawn. We need to take advantage of the time and get some sleep while we can. She’ll wake you in the middle of the night to reestablish her hold on your power. She’ll do that frequently.”

“How long does she have to be away before your power comes back?” Quinn returned the last plate to the cabinet and tossed the towel on the counter.

“The longest she ever left me was twelve hours.” Santi grabbed a protein drink from the fridge, absently shaking it before she downed it. “I can start to feel my power around the ten-hour mark but I can never seem to grasp control away from her. I think the window is more like eighteen hours, but it might be different for everyone.”

She tossed the empty bottle in the trashcan and led him to the bedroom. “You’ll get used to the floor,” she said as she made him a place to sleep at the foot of Livia’s bed.

Quinn was too tired to care. The blankets were soft and the pillow was comfortable. They stretched out beside each other in the darkness. As his eyes grew heavy, Quinn reached for Santi’s hand, grateful that he wasn’t alone anymore.