Page 66 of Talk to Me

It hurt too damn much to not be.

But I was alive. I survived.

The shock of it rippled through me. Then before I could let anything distract me again, I stripped off the shirt and moved to climb into the shower.

There was indeed a chair and I wasn’t too proud to not use it. I lingered under the hot water until I’d scrubbed my hair and conditioned it. There were knots everywhere. Some of it was missing in places—they’d yanked out whole hunks at times.

When my hair was done, I went to work running soap over my arms and legs. I had bruises everywhere. I could feel them too. The burns on my arms stung when the soap hit them. A blister had burst near my wrist, but I just kept washing.

I lifted my right leg to brace my ankle against my left knee to wash my foot and grimaced. The bottom of my foot looked like it had been hit with a meat tenderizer. It took more than a minute to wash cause everything stung.

Eventually, though, I had to have achieved clean skin, but I just sat there under the water, letting it rinse over me. Even though it looked clear, I didn’t feel clean.

I wasn’t even sure I felt better.

I couldn’t hide in here forever. Drying off proved a whole new challenge. I’d opened up some cuts on my feet when I’d cleaned them and there was actually a bandage on my ass.

While I needed to ask about that, it would be later. There was a brush and comb in with the other toiletries awaiting me. I perched on the toilet lid wrapped in towel while I worked out the snarled ends. Not all of them came free but the conditioner had helped a lot.

Maybe it would work if I combed it with the conditioner next time.

I’d worry about that later.

There were no more clothes for me to change into except the shirt so I tugged it on and then had to grip the counter to get the towel hung up. Every step was fresh fire to my feet.

Dammit.

“Who’s out there?”

“Just me,” Locke said. “Told you I’d wait.”

“Won the coin toss?” I swiped at the nonexistent tears on my face.

“Something like that. You okay?” Then he paused. “You know, that was a stupid question.”

“No,” I said softly. “It wasn’t. It was a kind question. And no, I’m not okay.”

As much as I wanted to walk out there under my own steam, I couldn’t. I’d end up collapsing or maybe I’d do even more damage to my feet.

“Can you help me?”

The door opened and nudged inward before I’d even finished asking. Locke filled the doorway and I stared up at him. Knowing his stats and seeing him via surveillance cameras really didn’t do him justice.

Justus. Justice.

I almost laughed at my inadvertent pun.

He frowned as he gave me a once over, then he narrowed his eyes. “You’re bleeding again.”

“Yeah,” I said.

“Arms around my neck,” he ordered, and while it came out a little gruff, he didn’t wait for me to comply as he picked me up.

Warm amber and musk with hints of citrus filled my nostrils. It was pure seduction to my senses after too long in the filth, the blood, and the pain. I wanted to roll in him and just wrap myself up in that sweetness.

The bridal hold was almost sweet except now my naked ass was hanging out. With care, I held onto him. Even my fingers hurt. Every inch did.

“Please tell me there are panties somewhere.”