Page 10 of Ravaged Soul
“Well that’s a first.” Hyland snorts.
“Don’t get used to it.”
Head rotating, my cheek presses against the over-washed softness of his standard-issue, black t-shirt, allowing me to lookup at him. His mouthwatering scent intensifies, like his wild essence is baked into the fabric.
My limbs have turned into exhausted spaghetti, but I don’t want to admit that he’s right. I couldn’t tear myself free from his arms even if I tried. My body has turned against me.
We cling to each other for several minutes. Hyland doesn’t force me to talk, holding the comfortable silence until I feel my equilibrium returning. But when he inhales, I know I’m in for a lecture.
“If you let anyone be there for you, Em, you could have this whenever you need it. We want to support you.”
“Leave it,” I mumble back.
“We need to talk about your behaviour.”
“Hard pass.”
“We’re going for tough love, then?” Angry fireflies swarm his green stare. “Hiding out down here and beating a punching bag for hours on end until you collapse isn’t helping anyone.”
Indignation solidifies into a silver bullet, ripping through my veins. “It’s helping me!”
“Helping you to do what? Avoid reality?”
“Maybe! Yes!”
Hyland pushes out a sigh, his rigid muscles moving against my frame. Softening. Embracing. Pulling me deeper into a false sense of a security that I really cannot afford.
That doesn’t stop my broken body from craving it, though. Fuck, I want him. I want the comfort he relentlessly provides. Even when he’s pissed, he will crack his big heart open to offer himself up. If things weren’t so complicated, I’d leap at the chance to take the relief.
“I know it can’t be easy to wait for results,” he continues. “Lord knows, I’ve done it enough times on cases. But Tom is safe as long as the bounty remains on your head.”
“You can’t know that.”
“Luis won’t risk hurting him and losing his leverage against you. We have time to find a way around his ridiculous demands.”
“For how long?”
Hyland winces. “I can’t answer that.”
“Then it doesn’t make me feel better. You’ve asked me to trust you yet given me no time frame for when this will end. All while I could bring him home right now.”
“By sacrificing yourself?” he lashes out. “Going back to Gael? To the fighting pits? Is that what you want?”
“Of course not!”
“Then trust us. Trust our team. We will find Tom.”
“I’m trying!” Exasperation bleeds into my voice. “You’re asking for too much.”
“Is that why you’re barely eating? Not sleeping? If Axel didn’t make you take your meds, you wouldn’t even bother. At this rate, you’re going to be dead before we can bring Tom home.”
His parting shot lands with the destructive impact of a megaton bomb. I feel myself recoil, dropping Hyland’s gaze as tears expose my lack of control, blurring my vision.
“Oh, Em,” he hushes. “Don’t cry.”
“Just let me go.”
Pulling against his embrace, I wriggle to escape.
