Page 60 of Scavenger's Oath
“Hey,” I say back, crouching beside the bars.
Then a barrage of scents hits me the moment I sit.
Subtle, but undeniable.
Myles. Ivy.
Sweat. Sex.
It lingers in the air like heat.
She shifts onto her back, the blanket slipping to reveal her throat, and I see it. A faint bite mark on the side of her neck, a bruise on her jaw.
The smile slips from my face as the world comes crashing down around me.
The bruises start to paint a picture in my mind. Hands pinning her down roughly, his teeth on her throat, marking her like a wild animal.
Feeling my heart sinking, I shift my gaze to the floor. “You sleep alright?”
“Yeah… better than usual.” There's a flicker of something shy in her voice. But no shame. “Myles has been nicer this week,” she says excitedly. “Phoenix still hasn’t come back though.”
My stomach clenches, still stuck on the visuals of Mylesdominating her, but I lift my head to meet her bright blue eyes again. “Yeah?”
She hesitates, chewing on her bottom lip. “Don’t tell Myles. Phoenix was… different. I don't know. Not what I expected.”
I force a smile. “He's a bit like that. I'm surprised he even visited to be honest.”
She nods, drawing the blanket closer around her chest. “I'm still figuring you guys out.”
The fact she's even comfortable telling me that, should feel like a win.
But all I can think about is the scent in the air. The bruises. That bite mark.
The snake waited until I was gone. Did he hurt her? Did she cry? Fight him? Beg him to stop?
I want to rip the scent of Myles off her skin. I want to break something, slam my fists into the concrete until the ache in my chest has somewhere else to live.
Instead, I clench my jaw until it throbs.
It shouldn't hit like this.Itold her no. I toldmyselfno. But here I am, chest cracking open like it's the first time I've ever been betrayed.
What the fuck did I expect?
Shifting my position, I rest my forearm on my knee and try to ground myself. Try not to let any of what I'm feeling leak through.
But I want to reach for her. Check the bruises. Ask if she's okay.
I thought I'd be able to handle this. That I could be patient and win her over slowly.
Now I'm staring at the aftermath of Myles getting what I turned down, and it's burning holes in my gut.
God-fucking-dammit!
I should’ve had her first. Marked her first.
Stupid. Weak. Soft.
I hate myself for it for letting it happen. But maybe he gave her something I couldn't. Maybe she liked the violence. Wanted it that way. The pleasure mixed with pain.
