Page 28 of Indigo

We only go to her room when we absolutely need it. Mostly to drag her to an ice bath in hopes of seeing a flash of the old Indigo. Though I’m a fan of the new and improved, I want her fully aware when she begs for my cock. Call me old-fashioned, but I like when a girl knows what she’s doing.

While we wait for a miracle, I am busy drawing another bath. She had a big night. Between screaming our names and burning up with fever, her moans echoed inside my head much later after she went to sleep.

Shaking my head, I turn on the cold tap and sit by the edge, watching Indigo through the gap of the open door. She’s stillsleeping, breathing softly when she’s this relaxed. I went to the housekeeper again to ask if I could take a couple of sheets with me and change them myself. She didn’t like it but gave in. Clearly, our charm is running out.

It's not only the situation that is out of control. The three of us can’t last much longer. I’m painfully hard the whole day, and my clothes hang off me, as I can’t remember the last time I ate.

The others aren’t faring much better. Hank is quieter than ever. He’s escaping within himself, while Nash is always on the phone, arguing with his family of doctors who know what we are doing is madness. He’s hoping for a miracle, yet none of us has the balls to ask what miracle. What exactly does he think will happen? Does he wish for her to magically unmatch her scent to ours? ’Cause fuck, this is torture, but so is a life without her.

Ice bath ready, I move to the room and hope I’m strong enough to do this on my own. Nash is out there grabbing more food and supplies, and Hank went to check on the horses. I know we are all suffering equally, but for today, I want to be the one to ease their burdens.

“Indie?” I say softly as I sit on the edge of the bed.

Her eyes flutter open, and I smile. “Hey, Sour Peach.”

She licks her lips. “I never told you how much I hate that nickname.”

I chuckle. “I can read it on your face.”

“So why do you keep calling me that?”

“Can’t a man enjoy the cute scowling of his mate?”

She shakes her head, but doesn’t reply. I forget that she doesn’t like to be referred to as our mate. The title slips off my tongue often enough. That’s how I see her. She’s our mate. Even if we never consume the scent-match, I will still and forever see her as my mate. She doesn’t need to do anything to earn the title.

“I have the bath ready for you. Are you ready?”

My hands reach for her, and I see my mistake when she hisses and curls her foot. Decadent perfume oozes off her, and I close my hand into a fist, trying to rein in my emotions.

“It’s okay,” she grits out. “Just do it.”

It’s not okay for me, but I nod stiffly before placing an arm on her back and the other under her knees. She holds on to me for dear life, frail arms around my neck, and I lift her without a problem. She has not been eating, refusing everything we offer.

Another wave of regret barrels against my chest, and I find myself holding on to her tighter. Can’t we do anything right? I want to protect this woman, but how can I when I’m the cause of all her sorrows? I drag myself to the bathroom, only stopping when we are looking down at the tub.

“You ready?” I whisper against her hair.

She doesn’t reply but nods, eyes closed. With a pain in my heart, I place her into the cold water.

“Son of a bitch!”

She always curses, and it makes me smile. It’s another glimpse of the prickly cactus she is, and I love it. I crave every moment of it.

“I’m going to change the sheets, and I’ll come get you out in two minutes.”

Indigo nods, but again, I’m denied her sass. It fucking hurts, but I move to the bedroom and get everything changed so she can have a clean bed tonight. I swallow thick when I come back to the bathroom and find her resting in the bath, head tipped back. Her eyes are closed, tits almost on display above the water, knees slightly bent. She’s a fucking vision.

“Ready?”

She snaps her eyes open and lifts her head off the edge just to pierce me with a look that makes my knees tremble.

“You need to fuck me.”

Her voice is low and thick with sleep, and I almost miss her words completely. I shake my head. Whatever I heard doesn’t make sense, so I step closer, my ears peeled when I say, “What did you say?”

“I’m serious, Cassidy. You have to fuck me. This thing needs to end.”

Her request goes straight to my cock, of course it does, but I shake myself out of the stupor, refusing to let this get to me. Nash was right. We have to remember our promise to her.