Page 17 of Darkness I Become
It was stupid of her to put such faith in Cade’s promise. But he’d been decent to her, and he’d seemed so sure of himself that she’d believed him. She wondered what had made Angel decide to move against Cade so decisively, since it had seemed like Cade was trusted to protect Angel personally.
Asha shivered again, but the cold wasn’t as bad as before. She wondered how long they’d leave her here, or indeed, if they’d ever come back for her. Her imprisonment was clearly intended more as a punishment for Cade than for her, but that didn’t mean they cared about her. If anything, it only proved she was merely a pawn to them in whatever stupid power games they were playing.
Chattel,she thought again dully.Nothing more than chattel.
Her question was answered half an hour later, when the door opened. She shot up on her pallet, and Cade walked in, carrying a candelabra for light. He was followed by Leo, and Angel’s enormous bodyguard. While the former two entered, the bodyguard merely waited by the doorway, his arms crossed and a permanent frown etched between his eyebrows.
“I’m sorry,” Cade burst out, crouching beside her. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“Yeah, no shit,” Asha replied acridly. “What the hell happened back there?”
“Power play,” Leo supplied as he set down a large medical bag. “Are you injured, Asha?”
She sighed. “Cuts and scrapes, but otherwise okay, I think.”
“Let me take a look at that hand.”
Surprised, she allowed Leo to examine the hand that Cade had cut during the claiming, and he began to clean it with supplies from his kit.
“Angel does loyalty tests from time to time,” Cade said wearily, not looking at her. “The Blackguard has grown recently, and my guess is he sees me as a threat. So yeah, it’s a power play. A way to put me in my place. Rockland’s a settlement that’s been on his radar for months, and I’ve been planning a takeover for just as long. It takes time to gain sources on the inside, and turn them to our side…but it hasn’t been happening fast enough for him.”
Asha gasped at the sting of alcohol on her hand as Leo cleansed the laceration. He shot her an apologetic glance.
“So, what now?” Asha demanded, piercing Cade with a look. “Am I Angel’s pet? Because if so, do me a kindness and shoot me in the head right now.”
“You’re not his pet,” Cade replied sharply. “You never will be. I’m going to take Rockland, and I’m going to come back for you.”
“You said it’s impossible to do it in two weeks,” she said, and when he opened his mouth to reply, she added fiercely, “Don’t lie to me.”
Cade held up his hands in surrender. “I’ll never lie to you, Asha. It doesn’t look good.” When she made a sound of disbelief, he continued, “But I’ll do it.”
“How?”
He winced. “I don’t know yet, darling. I’ve laid the groundwork, but it’ll be a challenge. I’m leaving immediately, though. Leo will stay here with you.”
Leo started as he wrapped Asha’s hand in clean bandages.
“But if there’s going to be a battle…”
“You’re staying,” Cade replied pointedly. “We’ll bring one of the women to act as a medic. I need you to stay here and keep an eye on Asha. Make sure she’s okay.”
“But—”
“That’s an order,” he snapped back, and Asha was surprised when Leo shut his mouth and nodded in response.
“Time’s up,” the bodyguard said from the door, startling her. She’d forgotten he was there. “Better get a move on, Captain, or I might ask Angel for a turn with your girl.”
“Fuck off, Dax,” Cade snarled. He reached for Asha’s good hand and squeezed it gently. “I’ll see you in two weeks. I promise.”
With a final squeeze and a single backward glance, he and Leo left, and Asha was again entombed in the tiny room.
The first day following Cade’s departure started out better than expected.
Asha awoke at dawn, the sun streaming into the small room through the barred window. She sat up and stretched, silently lamenting how uncomfortable the straw pallet was. Her stomach grumbled, and she wondered whether they intended to feed her at all in the next two weeks.
An hour later, the door swung open. Asha was unenthused by Dax’s return, but thankfully, he was followed by Lana. Her strawberry blonde hair was braided down her back, and she wore a heavier jacket against the morning chill. She gave Asha a look of what seemed like genuine concern.
“I’ve come to get you for breakfast,” Lana said in a rush. “I figured you must be hungry.”
