Page 159 of Bound By Her

Seth let himself sink into the warmth of them. The steady strength of their presence, the way they surrounded him. He wanted them to use him up—to pull him under until he didn’t have to feel anymore.

“We’re going to do this together,” Bryson murmured. “And what happened before? I don’t want to apologize for it.”

Seth tensed.

“Not because I wasn’t wrong—I was.” Bryson’s grip firmed. “But because it’s something I need to show with actions.”

Seth laughed softly, trying to shake off the weight in his chest. “Is that why you’re working?”

Bryson pressed a hand to his chest, mock-wounded. “I work.”

“I’ve never seen it,” Kaydon said. And Seth could feel him smiling.

Bryson scowled. “Well, I work now, okay? Get over it.”

“Does this mean we can make up?” Kaydon purred, dragging his tongue along the back of Seth’s neck. “Because I’m dying for a little playtime.”

CHAPTER 37

NORTH CAROLINA

The afternoon light blared into Adria’s bedroom, and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the flashes of images invading her mind.

Images like her being cradled in Kaydon’s arms. The doctor’s disembodied voice confirming what she already knew.

She would live.

He had said it to be reassuring, but it was anything but. Like a virus, Jonathan was keeping her alive as long as possible, but eventually, he would kill her.

So, what the doctor was really saying was, she wasn’t dead yet.

Adria winced as she rolled away from the light, her broken ribs still healing.

Closing her eyes, she reached her hand onto her nightstand, fingers feeling around for the pill bottle that would help her drift into sleep.

“I had Eric take it away.”

Her hand froze mid-grope. It was Bryson. Kaydon had visited her, and he hadn’t said a word. Just sat there with her until her fake sleeping bored him enough to leave.

Seth had been harder to ignore, but she hadn’t been aware of any visits from Bryson.

She barely tolerated Eric, but she needed him to refill her pills and bring the occasional food.

Adria brought her hand to the edge of the comforter, pulling it over her face. Like Kaydon, if she just closed her eyes for long enough, Bryson would go away.

“It’s been three weeks. The doctor recommended you take them for one,” Bryson said.

What the fuck did he know about what she needed? Anger simmered for a moment before it collapsed in on itself. Her body was so tired, she’d just sleep for a while.

“I’m going to be taking care of you.”

She thought about shouting for Eric, to get his ass in here and speak for himself. But instead, she pulled her knees into her chest, willing oblivion to swallow her into darkness.

Bright light burned all around her as cold air filled her safe space. Bryson had ripped the covers back and was standing at the end of the bed. His stance defensive, his eyebrows pinched, like he expected her to launch herself at him at any moment.

“Go get Eric, now!” She put more strength than she felt into the order.

“You could barely get me to do what you asked when you were in full health. What makes you think I’m going to listen to you now?”

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