Uncaged by Candace Blevins

Author:Candace Blevins [Blevins, Candace]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Excessica
Published: 2017-02-10T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Darnell

I looked over every inch of her body and mentally cataloged every scrape, cut, and developing bruise. I’d bought her brand of shampoo and conditioner to keep handy, and I washed her hair for her despite her protests she could do it herself.

Once we were out of the shower and I had her dry, I rubbed arnica on the bruises, used a butterfly bandage on two of the bigger cuts, and put soft cotton socks on her feet with the admonishment she shouldn’t walk barefoot until the cuts she’d received from the forest floor had healed.

She was tired, but not sleepy, and I didn’t think she’d go back to sleep. I sat her on a stool at my kitchen island and put coffee on.

“What triggered it?”

She shrugged. “I’ve been on my own with no one to lean on. I had to be strong. I loved our evening together, but it’s the first time I’ve let myself be vulnerable to anyone since… well, since you.”

I could almost feel the fur on the back of my neck standing up, but the human part of me knew I shouldn’t take this personally. Or, hoped I shouldn’t. I took a breath, centered myself, and asked, “The specific trigger. You were fine when you went downstairs. I heard you go to the bathroom, and something triggered you before you went back to the kitchen.”

She looked at me a few seconds before saying, “I love that you made me sore. I loved what you did to get me that way… but when I wiped and felt it, and the evening came back…” She shrugged again and I breathed in to smell the tart, sour smell of her conflict.

I poured her coffee and handed it to her. When I’d known her before she’d drunk it with tons of sugar and as much milk as coffee. Now she preferred it with nothing added, and it was yet another reminder of how prison had changed and hardened her.

“Would you change anything about our evening together, if you could?”

I was terrified of her answer, but I needed to know. She took several long seconds to consider the question before shaking her head.

“No. We’ve both changed, and I liked what you did to me. I’ll figure out how to be vulnerable in bed without letting it carry over into our day.” She breathed in as she sat up a little straighter. “I can’t depend on you to take care of me, Darnell. I need to make it on my own. I’ll never be able to repay you for the help you’ve given me — a place to live, spending money to get started, and a job I basically just needed to show up to accept. I know I’m indebted more than I can ever repay, but I hope you understand why I need to be my own woman.”

“Anything more than we’ve already covered?”

She flinched as if I’d raised a hand to her, and I realized I’d snapped the words out.

“I’m sorry, Keesh.

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