Page 30 of Hide or Die

The interior of the cabin was an undifferentiated blur as Flynn led me deeper into the structure. I blinked as an overhead light fixture flared into life, revealing a bathroom. It was basic—almost institutional—with a sink, a toilet, and an area ringed off by a plastic shower curtain. The floor was tile, sloping subtly toward the shower area at the back. A set of plain shelves near the sink held folded towels.

Flynn lowered Leo onto the closed toilet seat and steadied her in a seated position, her chin lolling against her chest. “She’s asleep, so you have to tell me what’s a boundary and what isn’t. Can I bathe her?”

I dragged as many brain cells back into working order as I could. “Uh... no. I’ll do it.”

“Okay,” he said. “I can lift her in for you, though? Maybe keep her underwear on if that would make you feel safer.”

I nodded, aware that I’d already made too many compromises on my packmate’s behalf—and there would probably be more to come. “All right,” I told him.

Flynn nodded and efficiently stripped off the filthy remains of Leo’s smart gray skirt-suit, leaving her in her light green bra and panties. He sniffed her again, and I tried not to bristle.

“Don’t think we have all that long,” he said, lifting her and carrying her across the room to the shower area. He placed her carefully on the floor, back propped in the corner. “Get in there with her. There’s soap, and I’ll bring you the shampoo I stole from the hotel room in Bucharest.”

Numbly, I stripped off my clothes, too wrecked to have any concern for my nakedness. It didn’t matter—my scarred and abused body hadn’t felt likemefor a very long time. Flynn’s deep brown eyes raked down my length, and I shivered under his gaze.

“Back in a minute with the shampoo,” he said.

I stepped into the shower and turned on the water, angling the spray away from Leo’s body. It ran rusty for a few seconds before clearing, and warmed up a few seconds after that. A large hand passed a small shampoo bottle around the edge of the plastic curtain, and I took it.

“I’m gonna go get things ready for you,” Flynn said, over the sound of spattering water drops. “Don’t either of you drown while I’m gone, or I’ll be pissed.”

I still couldn’t seem to muster words. Flynn left to do... whatever the hell he was doing, and I made a concerted attempt to scrub the worst of the last few days off both of us. Leo woke as I was trying to wrestle her around to get her hair rinsed properly.

“Kam?” she slurred. “What’s going on?”

“It’s all right. We’re safe, I think. I’m getting us cleaned up,” I answered, aware that my voice sounded flat and distant. “Lean your head back for me.”

Her head lolled backward into the spray, and a sensual groan of pleasure cut through the steamy atmosphere. When I was confident I’d managed to rinse most of the soap off of both of us, I turned off the shower and retrieved a couple of towels.

Drying off was hit or miss, and it was fairly apparent the pale bra and panties weren’t doing much for Leo’s modesty while they were damp. I wrapped the towel around her as best I could, and was contemplating my own filthy clothes when Flynn returned.

He stopped in the doorway, blinking, and I couldn’t miss the way his brown eyes darkened. After a beat, he broke himself free of his temporary paralysis. “Damn, but if that isn’t a sight,” he muttered, seemingly to himself. He shoved a bundle of cloth at me, and I took it. “Here. T-shirt and boxers. Figured you wouldn’t be in a hurry to dress in what you’ve been wearing.”

“Thank you,” I managed, and shrugged into the comically oversized clothing. It smelled like laundry detergent, with only the faintest clinging scent of spicy musk.

“Brought one for her, too. Just the shirt, though. It’s not clean—thought the smell might help her some, later.” Flynn hesitated. “Jax’s would be better, but it’s pretty disgusting with all the blood and stuff on it. I figure we can just put it in the nest for her in case she wants it.”

I stared at him, uncomprehending. The...nest?

Blinking free of my confusion, I held my hand out for the other shirt. “She’s awake—sort of. I’ll help her get this on. Thanks.”

He handed it over, and I ducked behind the shower curtain, where Leo was still huddled on the floor in her towel.

“Hey,odama,” I said, trying to keep my tone soothing. “Smell this for me, and let me know if you want to wear it.”

I lifted the soft T-shirt to her nose. She breathed in, and her pupils dilated as she let out a decadent moan.

“That’s good enough for me, I guess,” I said. “You want to lose the bra first?”

“God yes,” she murmured, plucking at it ineffectually.

I helped her out of the bra and into the shirt, which hung on her tiny frame, covering her to mid-thigh. Distantly, I was aware that my desire to fuss over her was pretty much the only thing keeping me on my feet. My stomach—settled somewhat now that I wasn’t in imminent fear of death—grumbled, demanding food. I had a sneaking suspicion that my blood sugar levels were sloshing down around my ankles somewhere.

Tossing the damp towel aside, I slid the shower curtain back.

“Hi, Madam Ambassador,” Flynn said. “Can I pick you up? I’m supposed to ask first whenever you’re awake, but it’s going to be hard to move you otherwise.”

Unfortunately, Leo’s eyes went dazed and overwhelmed the moment they settled on the towering alpha in front of her.

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