Chapter 122
“What did you do to him?” I ask again, softer this time.
His gaze holds mine.
“I reminded him what’s at stake and what he’s job truly entails p>
My stomach tightens.
“How p>
He reaches out and brushes a damp strand of hair away from my cheek.
The gesture is almost gentle.
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want answers to p>
“That’s not an answer p>
“It’s the only one you’re getting p>
I search his face for something…remorse, maybe p>
Instead, I see certainty.
“He’ll still protect you,” Zane adds. “Better than before p>
“Because he’s scared p>
“Because he understands now p>
I swallow.
“You scare people into loyalty p>
“I enforce structure p>
“That’s not the same thing p>
He studies me for a long second.
“You walked out of here knowing there were threats outside these gates,” he says. “You put yourself in reach p>
“I know p>
“You put him in a position where he had to choose between disobeying you or disobeying me p>
I don’t answer because he’s right.
“And he chose you,” Zane finishes.
I hadn’t thought about it like that.
He exhales slowly.
“You don’t understand how this world works yet p>
“Then explain it instead of punishing everyone p>
A flicker of something passes over his face.
“Explanations don’t stop you does it p>
The room goes quiet again. I look down at the oversized shirt I’m wearing.
His shirt.
“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” I say quietly.
“I know.
That surprises me so much that I look up at him. He reaches for my hand, wrapping his fingers around mine.
“You are not weak for caring about your sister,” he says. “But you are reckless if you ignore the cost p>
“I thought I could just go and come back p>
“That’s not how this works, that’s why I told you to stay put p>
I lie back down slowly.
He watches me for a second, then follows, settling beside me again with the bed dipping with his weight.
His arm slides around my waist, pulling me back against his chest.
“Sleep, little spitfire.” he murmurs near my ear.
I stare into the darkness.
“You didn’t break him, did you?” I ask quietly.
There’s a long pause.
“No,” he says finally. And I don’t know if I believe that but his hand tightens slightly at my waist and eventually, despite everything still buzzing in my head, my body gives in and sleep takes me slowly.
When I wake up the next day it feels like my body I’ve been dragged in and out of hell. For a second I don’t open my eyes I just lie there, aware of the faint smell of his cologne still lingering on the sheets.
Then I try to roll over to my side only to find that I can’t, there’s some sort of resistance at my wrists that my brain doesn’t register it at first, as sleep is still clouding my mind.
I try to turn to my side once again but my hands don’t follow. Thats when my heart kicks hard against my ribs.
I open my eyes and the ceiling comes into focus first.
I try to shift again harder this time bt metal bites gently into my skin
My pulse spikes as I lift my head, only to see my wrists are stretched above my head. Cuffed to the bed.
Actual cuffs, the fuck?
I pull instinctively, and the metal clinks against the headboard.
“What the hell p>
“Good morning angel p>
I turn my head sharply to see Zane is standing on my side of the bed by th foot of the bed. His standing barefoot with black boxers sitting low on his hips. Like this is normal and I’m not restrained to our bed.
My heart is still pounding ver fast.
“What is this?” My voice comes out rough from sleep and adrenaline.
He doesn’t answer immediately, he just stand looking at me. Like he’s taking in the way I’m sprawled out, hair messy, his shirt twisted up slightly from when I struggled.
I look at him right back and it just registers to me that he’s shirtless, I stare at him the faint line running down his stomach disappearing into that sharp V at his waist. My eyes drag lower without permission.
God.
The muscles along his abdomen flex slightly when he shifts his weight with morning light hitting his skin just enough to outline every line.
For half a second, I forget about the cuffs and everything else. Oh come on you can’t blame your girl when this Adonis god is standing infront of her partically naked.
He catches me staring and one corner of his mouth twitches.
My brain finally catches up that I’m cuffed to the bed.
My gaze snaps back up to his face.
“Why am I restrained?” I demand.
He tilts his head slightly.
“Because I told you yesterday you’d be punished p>
The memory hits like a splash of cold water
I swallow.
“You’re joking p>
“I am not p>
My pulse kicks again.
I snap. “This is insane p>
He steps closer to the bed.
“You left the estate knowing there were threats outside these gates p>
“I’ve heard the speech before Zane p>
“And you put yourself in harm way p>
“I said I was sorry p>
“You said you didn’t regret going to see your sister p>
My jaw tightens.
“Because I don’t p>
“Exactly p>
The cuffs feel tighter now that I am well aware of them.
I tug again but they don’t budge.
“You could’ve talked to me,” I say.
“I did.
“No, you just gave me a bunch of stupid rules p>
“I gave you boundaries p>
“You don’t get to lock me up like I’m a criminal p>
His expression doesn’t chage
“You’re not a criminal p>
“Then what am I p>
His eyes flick down my body briefly.
Then back to my face
“Mine to protect p>
The words send something complicated through my chest.
Annoyance, heat and something else I don’t want to name.
“That doesn’t mean you own me p>
“I don’t own you, never said I did p>
“Then take these off p>