He released her. “I just wanted your attention.”
“Well, you’ve got it.” She looked left, right, and sheathed the weapon. “But it’s too dangerous for us to talk.”
“I’ll know if anyone heads this way. You’ll have plenty of time to hide.”
Silence as she pondered his claim.
“I promise,” he said.
Another moment passed before she nodded.
“Vow it. Vow that you’ll stay.” He couldn’t bear the thought of watching her walk away again. Not yet. “Just for a little while. As long as it’s safe.”
Her nose scrunched up as she said, “But I just did.”
“I want the words. Please.”
“Please. Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that word from another person’s lips. Not without a request for freedom, that is. But okay, all right,” she said. “I vow it.”
He waited for any type of reaction from her, but again . . . she never gave one. Not so much as a single twitch. Were the words truly not bonding to her?
“Are you getting married?” He hadn’t meant to ask—actually hated himself for asking—but there it was. He couldn’t take it back. And didn’t want to.
“Not if I can help it,” she replied, chin lifting.
“Tell me why—”
“I’ll talk about anything but that,” she said.
Fury now radiated from her. Fury and more of that fear he’d noticed before, mixed with a healthy amount of desperation and resignation.
Very well. “Are you eating?” he asked. He’d felt the slenderness of her wrist, was as concerned as he was enthralled.
“Since the vow didn’t include honesty, I’ll say yes.”
“So you aren’t?”
Her shoulders sagged. “I am. A little,” she admitted in that velvety voice of hers.
“Eat more.” He lifted the bag she’d tossed at him. During his leap, it had fallen to the side. He dug inside and found the bread.
“I’ll be okay,” she said. “You need the nourishment.”
He heard the hunger in her voice, and saw the way she watched the bread as though hypnotized. She’d been giving him the food from her own plate, he realized, probably not wanting to be caught grabbing extra and announce her purpose. He could barely process that information as he eased the toast to her mouth. Only his parents had ever placed his welfare above their own.
Vika shook her head, long strands of that curling gold hair dancing around her. When that failed to dissuade him, she arched backward. “You first. You’re recovering from all those injuries.”
“I’m more recovered than you realize.”
“You’re definitely stronger, and you’re definitely a fast healer, but no one—”
He turned.
She gasped with amazement. “Your back.”
There were a few scabs remaining, a few scars, but other than that, the skin was mended.
She reached out, traced her finger over one of the ridges. The touch electrified him, and he moaned. He . . . he . . . wanted more, wanted that finger all over him, everywhere. Just as soft, just as gentle. Just as tender.
“Well, I still want you to eat,” she said somewhat shakily, as if the connection had affected her, too.
He forced himself to face her. Control. He wasn’t sure how long they would be alone, and she needed to eat. He bit off a tiny piece from the corner of the bread, then once again placed it at her mouth—making sure her lips encountered the same spot as his own.
A cute little nibble, revealing the barest hint of teeth.
Such an innocent action, yet so lovely to watch.
Color bloomed all the brighter in her cheeks as she chewed, swallowed.
“Another,” he commanded.
She obeyed.
He liked this, he realized. Liked feeding her and knowing he was helping her, even in so small a way. “Another.”
“It’s so good,” she said, and claimed a much bigger bite.
“Isn’t this nice?” Dr. E sneered.
Solo glanced over at him, intending to give him a dark enough look to send him fleeing in fear, but the sight of Dr. E stunned him. In a matter of seconds, the little man had lost weight, his cheeks becoming gaunt, and his pale skin more pallid than before.
“Do you have any idea how ridiculous you look, shoving your gigantor hand at her tiny face? Why don’t you act like a man and remove her thumb, then bust free? Huh, huh? That’s what you wanted in the beginning, isn’t it?”
“Don’t listen to him,” X said, and Solo glanced over at him. “His only purpose is to ruin your life. Tell me you’ve realized that by now.”
Where Dr. E had wilted, X had bloomed. In a matter of seconds, he had gained muscled weight, his cheeks filling out, his skin now glowing brightly. Was Solo’s happiness strengthening X the way X had strengthened him all these years? Was that same happiness weakening Dr. E? Yes, he realized a moment later. It was. And it made sense. His worry had always caused the opposite.
How strange to think he could be happy—something he’d never really experienced before, even with his beloved parents, for he’d always felt as if something important were missing from his life—while trapped in a cage. But he was.
“This girl has only brought trouble to his door,” Dr. E groused. “How is using her to escape wrong?”
“Hurting someone else, no matter who they are or what they’ve done, just to get what you want,” X replied, “is what’s wrong.”
“Get off your pedestal!”
“Why? The view is better.”
“Shut up,” Solo snapped.
“But—” Dr. E began.
“Now!”
Fear returned to Vika’s plum eyes, darkening the purple to a sickly black. “If that’s the way you’re going to act, I’m out of here!”
“I wasn’t talking to you, you have my word,” he rushed out before she could take a single step. Must do better. So easily frightened, this woman, though she immediately bucked up and issued some kind of verbal attack. He liked that about her. She had courage, and though she might be knocked around, she would never stay down.
“Well, then, who were you talking to?” she demanded. “I mean, to whom were you talking?”
Like he could really answer that. “I’m sorry for startling you,” he said, and placed the toast at her mouth.
She chewed, swallowed—and asked the same question again.