Page 111 of A Silence So Divine

His head cocks to the side, and the way his eyes roam over my figure has heat creeping over my cheeks.

“Are you afraid?” He’s standing a foot from the bed now, his figure looming over me in the soft light. It casts a halo around him, and I can’t help the way my lips curl into a soft smile.

“No,” I reply. “Are you?”

There’s a flicker of emotion. Just there, in the quiver of his jaw and the twitch of his hand. He doesn’t respond, instead dropping to his knees at the bedside. Warm fingers close around my ankles, and he pulls me closer until my legs dangle on either side of him. Warmed hands travel up and over my arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake. When he reaches my face, his caress softens, fingers barely floating over my features. I can’t help the flutter of my eyes.

A brush of air against my lips has me instinctively leaning forward.

“Not for myself.” The words come out as a hushed confession, and my heart aches. Inching back, I card my fingers through his thick hair, smoothing the wrinkle of his brow beneath my thumb. He leans into my touch, the sincerity in his eyes making him appear so innocent, so boyish. With a nod of understanding, I close the distance and press my lips to his. I want to tell him that I love him, that it will be okay, but I’m worried I’ll only scare him away. And my time with him is already fleeting.

The squeal of the bathroom faucet extinguishes our flame like a sudden wind. He pushes to his feet.

Before he exits the room, he leans over me and presses his lips to my hairline. Tears float in my eyes, and I’m almost ashamedfor him to see them. He’ll misunderstand—think I was lying when I said I wasn’t afraid.

I try to wipe at my eyes, but he’s quicker, and he grips my chin in his fingers.

“Now that I have you,” he begins, eyes boring into mine. “There is no person, nothing, that can take you from me. That is your Fate, Eden. That is ours.”

“You’re not even trying.” Hit.

“Yes, I am!” Hit.

“Well, try harder.” Hit.

“I am!” Hit.

The last blow lands on my temple, and the world somersaults. There’s a ringing in my ears as I hit the ground. Senses gone fuzzy, they clear just as Cecil storms over and throws his hands up.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Sylvie rolls her eyes, turning her back on him and taking a step towards me. She snaps her fingers, and like a well trained dog, I push onto wobbling legs.

“She’s fine,” she replies drolly, lifting her arms in offense once more. My hands immediately fly up to protect myself, but Cecil grips Sylvie’s elbow before she can come at me.

As fast as a striking snake, she spins and jerks from his hold. “Don’t you touch me.” Her words are no more than a hiss, and though it’s not directed at me, even I blanch at her ferocity.

Cecil’s not one to back down.

“You clocked her in the face. That’s not how you train someone,” he retorts, lips pulled back in a snarl. The cut off t-shirt he wears clings to his muscular frame, making him all the more intimidating. Sylvie doesn’t so much as blink.

“If you had it your way, she wouldn’t train at all. Do you think that the Brothers will be gentle? Avoid her pretty face?” She laughs, looking at me. Her mouth is pulled back into a smile, but her gaze cuts like a blade. “No. They’re going to gut her the first chance they get.”

The visual she painted was plenty graphic, and I clutch at my stomach to stave off the sudden urge to vomit. Catching sight of the soon-to-be quarrel, Creed rushes over, half eaten granola bar hanging from his mouth.

“What’s going on?” He asks, but no answer comes. The pair are too busy staring each other down, and I’m too nervous to lift a finger.

“They won’t get that chance,” Cecil says vehemently. “She can protect herself. You saw it for yourself, with Jasper.” My anxiety piques at the mention of the man I injured. I haven’t seen him since, and no one had uttered his name until now.

Sylvie wipes sweat from her brow with the heel of her hand and releases a snort. “You mean right before she fainted? Yeah, a whole lot of good that will do when we’re wildly outnumbered. At this rate, she’s useless.”

I have half a mind to be offended, but I’m not.

She’s right.

Sylvie approaches until they’re toe to toe. It reminds me of that day I caught them kissing, except now she looks like she’d prefer to take a bite right out of him.

“You don’t like the way I train? Fine. Let’s switch it up. Why don’t we put that gift of hers to the test?”