Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Then he had to go and defend me against my nightmares. I’d been captive for a month and those two assholes were growing braver and braver, getting closer and closer to raping me. I was certain it would have happened tonight if I hadn’t managed to get away.
Now I was in some kind of compound, surrounded by a chain-link fence topped with razor wire. If it weren’t for Eagle, I might have been even more terrified. The gentle way he was with me was at odds with the anger I felt in the hard lines of his chest and arms. I had the feeling it had very little to do with me and more like it was simmering just beneath the surface.
“I can set you up with your own room if you like,” Rose offered. “You’ll have all the privacy you need and be completely safe to rest and heal.”
“Thanks,” I whispered. “I’d just like something to drink. Maybe something to eat. Just that and I’ll go.”
“Like hell.” Eagle lay a hand on my shoulder, squeezing lightly. It was something between encouragement and a warning. I wasn’t sure which, but he didn’t hurt me.
“You don’t have to stay with Eagle if you don’t want to,” Rose said quickly. “I think he’s wanting to take you with him, but that’s your decision. I can vouch for him if it will make you feel better. My husband trusts him implicitly. Eagle is very loyal and dedicated. He’ll be a good protector for you.”
God, I wanted to stay! I was probably stupid, but this place felt safer than I’d ever felt in my life. Even before I was given to Milo. It was all in how they’d treated me since I ran into Eagle’s arms. Literally. No one had commented on my lack of clothing other than to assume I was in trouble. They’d been unfailingly careful with me. Eagle had held my naked form in his arms as intimately as a man could hold a woman and hadn’t reacted with anything other than compassion and urgency to get me help. They’d shown me more respect in the past half hour than I’d had from anyone my entire life.
“I w-want to s-stay,” I stuttered out. I think I was in some kind of shock or something. The adrenaline leached out of my body with each passing second, making me shake in withdrawal. “But I d-don’t know…”
“I’ll treat you good, honey.” Eagle place a finger on my jaw to gently turn my face up to his. “No one will get to you unless you want them in. That includes me. You want me outside the door keepin’ guard, that’s what I’ll do.”
That surprised me and I gasped in a breath. “I can’t ask you t-to do th-that.”
“Your call.”
I thought a moment. My mind was whirling in a million different directions and my heart started to pound. “I’m not s-sure any decision I make n-now would b-be the right o-one.”
“Nyla.” Stitches snapped in a crisp voice, surprising me. I’d forgotten he was still in the room. I jumped and moved closer to Eagle before I’d even realized it. Stitches raised an eyebrow at Eagle. “I think that settles that. You might not realize you trust him, Nyla, but buried in there, your instincts trust him. I’ll let Brick and Sting know you’re under his protection, but they will want to confirm that with you. If you change your mind, all you have to do is say so.”
“OK. I guess I’ll just go with my gut, then.” I looked up at Eagle. “I don’t know why you’re helping me, but I’m grateful. I probably latched on to you because it was you who kept me from falling when I stumbled.”
“Whatever makes you comfortable. Until we can get this sorted out and help you get back where you belong, we’ll make sure you’re as comfortable as you can be.”
“Where I belong…” I hadn’t realized I’d spoken out loud until Rose gave me a strange look. Like she was trying to understand what I meant. “I don’t belong anywhere.” I tried to smile, but it was a pitiful attempt at best.
Before Rose could question me, Eagle tossed a blanket around my shoulders and scooped me up in his arms. The backpack Rose had given me fell to the floor when I started. I was still dressed in his T-shirt, but the ends of the blanket covered my thighs and draped over my side. Hopefully it covered my ass if my shirt tail wasn’t caught by his arm under my legs. Of all the things to worry about, I was horrified at the thought of someone seeing my bare ass. If that was the worst thing that happened to me here, I’d count it a fucking win.
I didn’t consider myself overweight, but I wasn’t skinny either. I carried some weight on my hips, ass, and boobs. At least, I had before I’d been brought to this place. To the two men who’d been tormenting me for the last few weeks. This guy carried me as easily as he might have a child, taking stairs two at a time and moving deeper into the building. Rose followed us, though she had to trot to keep up. She kept pace with Eagle’s long strides.