Page 30 of Darkness I Become
Eager to distract herself from her confusing feelings, she asked, probably more aggressively than necessary, “So, how does this work, day to day? Am I your prisoner now, instead of Angel’s? Are there going to be shackles? Chains? Or will you just force me to do your laundry?”
Cade rolled his eyes, but he looked like he was holding in a laugh. “You’re free to come and go as you like, but I wouldn’t recommend roaming the Nest alone. I don’t trust any of the men beyond Leo and Dom, and neither should you.”
“Mission accomplished, I hate all of you,” Asha replied blithely, and this time, he did laugh. She liked the sound of it—deep, full, and gravelly—though she’d never admit it. “So, I should stay at the house? What do you do withyour days?”
“Training, in between missions,” he replied, moving to the workbench and picking up a half-finished arrow. “When I’m on a mission, I’m usually gone for a few days to a few weeks at a time. During that time, you’ll be free to do what you want, but some chores would be—”
“You’ll just leave me here?” she said, panic seeping into her voice.
He stopped short, frowning. His gaze pierced through her again in that revealing way she didn’t like, and he made ahmphsound.
“I thought you’d be pleased,” Cade said with a shrug. “A minute ago, you said you hated us all. You’ll be provided for, the same as before, with gang rations. You can spend time with Lana, or the other women. You seem to like them more.”
Did she imagine it, or was there the tiniest hint of hurt in his voice?
Fuck your feelings. This is about survival.
“You can’t leave me here,” Asha spat out, folding her arms. Anger was her veneer over the terror that now pulsed hideously in every part of her body. “You just got back, and what happened while you were gone? I’ll give you a hint: Angel raped me with a broken bottle, and I nearly passed out on the infirmary doorstep before Leo even knew I was there.”
Cade flinched as if she’d struck him. His jaw clenched, and his whole body seemed suddenly tense.
“I’ve claimed you now,” he answered tightly. “He’ll leave you alone.”
She laughed bitterly. “If you believe that, you’re more naïve than I thought. Angel has no moral code, even within his own ranks. If he wants me, and you’re not here as a deterrent, he won’t care.”
She took a step towards him, trying to look braver than she felt. “You got me into this. You can’t just abandon me now.”
Cade glowered at her. “If I wanted to abandon you, I wouldn’t have bothered speaking up for you at the slave market.”
She could tell he was irritated now, but she wouldn’t back down.
“You could’ve let me go,” she gritted out. “We had a bargain. I give you my body, and you give me your protection. Leaving me here isnotprotection, Cade.”
“So, what am I supposed to do?” he burst out, throwing down the unfinished arrow on the table. “Take you with me into dangerous situations, with half the Wasteland’s most wanted? That’s not protection either, but those are my only options.”
Asha walked right up to him, lifting herself to her full height. He was still a head taller than her, but she didn’t care. Their faces an inch apart, she stared directly into his intense, perceptive eyes, arms folded, and murmured, low and menacing, “Not my problem, soldier. Figure it the fuck out.”
His eyes lit up at her challenge. They stared at each other, neither willing to break eye contact. A moment passed between them, then two. She could feel tension emanating off him in waves, could feel his warm breath tickle her face. There was a strange pull between them, and she hated how good it felt.
Finally, Cade said, in a near-whisper, “I’ll handle it. But you may not like my solution, darling.”
The tension broke, and he moved back to his workbench, deliberately turning away from her. She let out a long breath, wondering at the sudden heat between them.
“Rest now,” he commanded. “I’ll wake you when it’s time for the meeting tonight.”
Asha napped fitfully in Cade’s bed that afternoon. The fur blankets were warm, but the worn linen sheets smelled like him, and it made her uncomfortable.
Uncomfortable? Is that what we’re calling it?she needled herself.You’re just mad that the guy you supposedly hate for trapping you here is fucking hot.
When Cade came to wake her, the light outside had dimmed, and the evening air was chilly on her skin. She shivered as she got up, and he wordlessly offered her a jacket from his closet.
“Oh,” she said, surprised. “Thank you.”
She slipped her arms into the sleeves, which were black wool and very warm.
“Where did you get this?” she asked.
“Made in the Settlements,” Cade replied, sounding distracted. “Like most of what we have at the Nest.”
