Page 15 of Silent as Sin
I crossed the room, boots heavy on the floor. Her gaze lifted the second I came close, those ocean-blue eyes locking on mine. Not wide with fear this time, just watchful. Always watchful. But I saw the trust there.
I crouched in front of her, my knees creaking against the wood. “We’ve got business,” I said soflty. “Me and Warden’ll be gone a few hours.”
Her fingers tightened around the hem of her shirt. She didn’t speak, but she didn’t look away either.
“You’ll be safe here,” I added. “Jewel and Elara’ll make sure. And nobody in this place is stupid enough to go against my word.”
A shadow fell across us. Throttle leaned against the arm of the couch, touching shoulder. His smirk was gone this time when he said, “I’ll keep an eye out too. Make sure nobody gets close she don’t want near.”
The words tightened something in my chest. He wasn’t wrong, Throttle was intimidating when he wanted to be, reliable as steel, but the way his eyes lingered on her a second longer than they should’ve made my jaw clench.
Wren looked at him then, just a flick of her gaze, and I swear I saw the faintest shift in her posture. Like she recognized the offer for what it was. Like she filed it away—as trust.
I stood, squaring my shoulders. “She doesn’t need an audience.”
Throttle lifted his hands in mock surrender, cigarette glowing between his fingers. “Not an audience, brother. Just backup.”
I didn’t like it. But Wren didn’t flinch under his words. She didn’t curl tighter the way she had with Rex or Scyth. She just… watched him.
“Fine,” I said at last, voice sharp as a blade. “But my word stands, she’s under me. Anyone steps wrong, they answer to me.”
Throttle’s smirk returned, small and knowing. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
I turned back to her. She was still watching me, eyes wide and unblinking, like she was memorizing every line of my face before I left. My gut twisted hard. I wanted to tell her I’d come back. That nothing in this world could stop me from coming back.
But she didn’t need promises. She needed proof.
So I reached out, brushing my fingers once against the back of her hand, light, sure, enough to ground us both. “You’re safe,” I said again, softer this time. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
Her lips parted, just slightly, like maybe—just maybe—she wanted to answer. But silence won.
I stood, turning toward the hall. Warden’s voice barked for me from the door. Time to ride.
But as I walked away, I knew one thing for certain, leaving her behind felt more dangerous than anything waiting out on the road.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE COMMON ROOMfelt different without Ashen in it.I didn’t lie to myself, I trusted him, and was drawn to the man in a way I couldn’t explain.
The weight of his presence was gone, but the stares lingered. Less obvious now, dulled by Jewel’s glare and Warden’s order, but they were still there. Watching. Whispering.
I sat small on the end of the couch, back straight, hands folding paper. The drink Jewel had given me sat full on the table.
Across the room, one of the women’s laugh cut the air. Muted voices followed, the other two leaning close, words carrying just enough to reach me.
“What’s with the birds?”
“Is she deaf do you think?”
“You think Ashen’s really gonna keep a woman so strange?”
The words pressed hot into my chest. Shame flared sharp, ugly. My fingers dug into the hem of my shirt.
“Enough.”
Throttle’s voice snapped across the room, quiet but dangerous. The sweet butts froze, eyes darting to him. He leaned against the bar, his eyes watching them, his gaze was filled with anger.
“You got something to say about her, you say it to me. Otherwise shut your mouths.”
