When the doctor first walked in and spoke to me, | recognized the voice as the one from when | was unconscious. She had been


    talking to Liam while | was out. | was surprised when Alessia pushed forward, ready to snarl at her. | quickly pulled her back. |


    can’t have her give us away. | noticed Liam looking at me, but he didn’t say anything.


    When the doctor tells me she wants to hook me back up, I’m afraid I’m going to have another panic attack. | don’t want to be


    tethered anywhere. I’m surprised but thankful when Liam asks if there is another way. I''ll do just about anything to not be tied up


    again. I’ve had enough of that in thest seven years.


    When the doctor leaves, | rx until Liam asks about me taking a bath. If I’m honest, nothing sounds better right now than a long


    soak in a tub with hot water. Showers in the coven were cold because the vampires don’t feel the cold. So, | would get in and get


    out as fast as | could. | haven’t had a warm bath or shower since my family and | left the pack so many years ago.


    | look at him weighing my desire to take a bath with the possibility that this is a trick or there is some requirement that | have to


    meet if | ept.


    He sighs heavily. “I don’t want anything from you. | can just tell that you were running in the woods for a while before you got to


    my pack and before that you were in a coven for seven years. You don’t have to, and there is a shower in there as well, | just


    thought a bath would feel better, and I’m honestly not sure you''re strong enough to stand long enough to take a shower, so the


    bath is probably safer.”


    | look to where he pointed. | really, really want a bath. “Okay.” | say.


    He smiles at me as if | just gave him the best gift in the world, and my breath catches. The man is attractive, but when he


    smiles? Wow! He should definitely smile more often.


    “Do you need me to help you to the bath?” He asks me.


    Nope, sure don’t. “I think | can manage on my own, thank you.”


    He nods and moves into the bathroom. In a moment, | hear the water start to run. | sit up and scoot to the edge of the bed. | pull


    the sheet until | can wrap it around myself then slide off the bed until my feet touch. When | try to stand, my legs won''t hold my


    weight. | start to go down, my hands reaching out to catch me. Before | hit the floor, strong arms wrap around me and I’m lifted


    into Liam''s


    arms.


    +15 BONOSTêxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He looks at me, aggravation clear on his face. He carries me bridal style to the bathroom. “Are you determined to undo


    everything I''ve done to help you heal? You could havended on your face, broken your nose and all the healing powers of


    licking won''t fix that. Not to mention, your blood levels are still low and an injury like that could set your recovery back who knows.


    how long.”


    I''ve tucked myself against his body because when he picked me up, the sheet did note with us. I’m naked in his arms, so


    I''ve curled up as best | can to maintain some modesty. He shifts me in his arms, holding me with one arm while he reaches in


    and tests the water. Seriously? How strong is he? He’s holding my entire body with one arm like I’m a child who weighs nothing.


    When he’s satisfied, he gently sets me down in the water. | can’t help the moan that leaves my lips. It feels so good. The heat


    makes my newer punctures feel sensitive, but it immediately starts working on my sore muscles.


    When he sets me down, | pull my knees to my chest, again trying to hide myself from him. However, when | look at him, he isn’t


    even looking at me. He’s gone to the shower and is searching through the bottles on the shelf. When he turns around, | see his


    eyes are zed over. | remember that as the look of the mind link. He sets the bottles beside the tub and walks to the door.


    | thought he was leaving, but he pushed the door closed, leaving it cracked a bit. Hees back, turning the water off and


    coming to sit behind me. “Lean back.”


    | turn to look at him over my shoulder. “What?”


    “I''m going to wash your hair, it’s a mess, lean back.”


    | turn away from him, not sure what to do. | hear him sigh loudly before | feel his hands on my shoulders. | flinch at the touch, but


    he leans in to me and quietly says, “I will not hurt you. You are under my protection now and | take that very seriously. Rx.“