Page 9 of Blade

"Also," Blade continued, "we need to talk about rules after breakfast. I meant what I said last night."

With that, he left, closing the door behind him.

Lily flopped back against the pillows with a groan. Rules. Great. Just what she needed. More restrictions. More control exerted over her life by people who thought they knew what was best for her.

First her parents with their suffocating expectations. Then Greg—her ex-fiancé—with his demands that she be someone she wasn't. Then Pedro's Rejects with their threats and violence.

And now Blade.

She should be furious. Should be plotting her escape.

Instead, a small part of her, the part she'd tried to bury for years, felt something dangerously close to relief.

With a sigh, she threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her ankle throbbed, but it was better than yesterday. The bandage Blade had applied was still secure.

She stood carefully, testing her weight. It hurt, but she could walk. She limped to the bathroom and found Blade had been in there, too. He’d laid out a brand-new toothbrush, toothpaste, and hairbrush on the counter beside a clean towel.

He'd thought of everything.

After using the facilities and making herself as presentable as possible in a borrowed t-shirt, Lily steeled herself to face her captor. Protector. Whatever he was.

The smell of coffee and bacon guided her to the kitchen. Blade stood at the stove, his back to her, flipping something in a pan. Pancakes, by the smell of it.

"Sit," he said without turning around. He'd heard her approach despite her attempt to move quietly.

Lily slid onto a stool at the breakfast bar, watching him warily. His movements were precise and efficient, nothing wasted. Everything about him spoke of discipline and control.

He set a mug of coffee in front of her. "Cream and sugar's on the table if you want it."

"Thank you," she murmured, wrapping her hands around the warm mug.

A few minutes later, he slid a plate in front of her. Pancakes, bacon, and sliced fruit. Far more food than she'd eaten in one sitting for weeks. She’d managed a few bites of her spaghetti last night before exhaustion overtook and he took pity on her.

Her stomach growled loudly. Traitor.

Blade sat across from her with his own plate, watching as she tentatively picked up her fork.

"It's not poisoned," he said dryly.

"I know that," she snapped, then immediately regretted it. Antagonizing the man feeding her probably wasn't the smartest move.

But instead of anger, amusement flashed in his eyes. "Good to see you've still got some fight in you."

She didn't know how to respond to that, so she took a bite of pancake instead. It was delicious. Fluffy and perfectly cooked, with just the right amount of sweetness.

"You said you couldn't cook," she accused after swallowing.

He shrugged. "I said I wasn't much of a cook. Never claimed I couldn't manage pancakes."

“I could eat pancakes for every meal,” she replied.

“I’m sure you could, baby girl. But, you need more nutrition than that.”

They ate in silence for a while. Lily was hungrier than she'd realized, and before she knew it, her plate was empty. She'd devoured everything.

"Want more?" Blade asked.

She shook her head, suddenly embarrassed by her appetite. "No, thank you. It was good."

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