Taken

Chapter 17 (Part 1)

My breath stalled in my throat when the bed shifted and a heavy arm fell over my side. My back that was facing Silas grew warm as his chest moved to press against it. All that separated us was the thin material of the clothes we had gone to bed in. On opposite ends of the bed. It wasn't enough to quell my worries that he could feel my pounding heart-

My lips pressed together to hold in a gasp of surprise at the light brush of lips that grazed the back of my neck. I stiffened, entirely too aware as he nuzzled into me. His breath grazed over my skin as I focused on his breathing. It evened out into the deep breaths I had been listening to for the last few minutes that indicated he was asleep.

Waiting another minute to allow his sleep to deepen further, I decided to move before the doubt-filled thoughts filling my head had me changing my mind. The allure of his warmth that had me wanting to sink back against him was disconcerting.

It's because it's cold, I tried to tell myself, but the excuse fell flat. Though the air felt crisp, the covers I lay beneath made it more than comfortable for sleep. More than Silas's heat should have felt.

Pushing away the thought that Silas was even capable of providing comfort given his ill-tempered predisposition, I shifted under his arm, moving slowly and carefully before stilling to look over my shoulder at him. When he didn't stir, his breaths remaining the same, I continued to slip myself free. My teeth ground together as his arm slid over my arm and across my back as I twisted my body to softly drop to my knees on the ground. I shivered as his fingers slipped from my shoulder and landed on the bed.

My eyes snapped to his face and my breath caught. There was a small crease forming between his brows as they softly pulled together. It had me stilling. Although I knew my actions so far could be explained away as needing a midnight bathroom break, that didn't stop my heart from hammering against my chest at the thought of his eyes opening and locking with mine. My heartbeats grew so loud in my ears that I was afraid they would wake him.

Several seconds dragged by before his brows softened and I was able to release my breath and draw in another. His features relaxed, slumber easing the tension that typically tightened them and made me afraid to draw his ire. In this state, he didn't look nearly as scary as I knew he was.

My fingers unconsciously rose to my neck, grazing the soft leather surrounding it. The memory of it tightening had me slipping my fingers under it and pulling it away. Was this why he still had me wearing it? In case I decided to try and end him in his sleep? It was clear he didn't need it otherwise. He could steal my ability to breathe without it.

I swallowed hard at the memory.

With my eyes alternating between his face and the even rise and fall of his chest, I began to move again. Lifting a knee to my chest to place my bare foot onto the ground to push to a stand, I paused midrise as my eyes fell to his hand. My eyes squinted as I shifted out of the path of the moonlight drifting through the windows to get a better look at the darkened splotches that had caught my attention. My fingers curled, resisting the urge to reach out for the bruises that painted Silas's knuckles and had the corners of my lips pulling down into a frown.

Was that why he had taken so long to come back after he had left? Because his temper had gotten the better of him?

I wondered if they had anger management classes here.

Sighing inwards, my eyes returned to watching Silas breathe as I rose to my feet. Taking careful steps, I made my way to the bag holding our clothes. Crouching beside it, I reached in and pulled out the set of clothes I had placed near the top in preparation. Ones no one would recognize me in. With the thicker fabrics clutched in my hand, I turned, my eyes flicking between Silas's shut eyes and the door leading into the washroom.