Captivated Read Free

now. No one is going to hurt you.”
    She looked doubtful but didn’t say much. Her color had risen to something close to normal, which he was encouraged by. Andrei held Piper and they shared a look. Piper had broken down utterly after seeing what happened to her brother and Andrei had given her a sedative. He rocked with her, slowly, rubbing a hand up and down her back.
    His friend had found something entirely wonderful in Piper Roundtree. Vincenz hoped it would help Piper get through the grief.
    “Would you like something to eat?” She was thin. He could feel her bones, so very close to her skin. Fragile, and yet he sensed she was a very strong woman despite that. Maybe
because
of that.
    She nodded and after they were able to get some distance from the collapsed portal, the ride smoothed out. “We have a small bathing suite here. If you’d like to clean up a little.”
    Wonder flashed over her face and then she bit her bottom lip. Worry and fear were back on her face.
    “What is it, Hannah?”
    “Would you … stay?”
    His chest tightened at the entreaty in her voice.
    “Of course.” He unstrapped and stood, placing her carefully on her feet. She took his hand and he had no desire to take it back. Leading her through the ship toward the sleeping berths, he took in the way she ate up every detail. And that’s when he noticed her limp.
    “What’s wrong with your leg?” He paused to kneel and examine it closely. Shrapnel had torn through the skin. “I’m sorry I didn’t see this earlier. We need to clean it up. Sit while I get the triage kit.”
    She held very still, her gaze taking in every move he made as he cleaned out the wounds. “I’m going to hold off on the numbing gel until after you bathe.”
    She swallowed hard and shook her head. “I’m fine.”
    He didn’t want to argue with her so he stood, taking her weight as they finished the walk. “Here we are.” He pointed toward the bathing suite. “I can’t vouch for the heat in the water, but there’s soap and it’s big enough to get clean. I’ll see if I can’t find you some clothes.”
    She looked to the door and then back to him. Over and over. And then she slid to the floor, her shoulders shaking as she wept.
    He went to his knees and hugged her, not knowing what else to do. “What is it?”
    “I’m … I’m sorry.”
    “How long did they have you in there?”
    She reached up and touched her scalp. “Eleven.”
    “Weeks?”
    She shook her head. She paused, clearly thinking, and he wondered how hard it was for her just to simply speak to another person after her ordeal. “Months, I think.”
    Nearly an entire standard year? What would that do to a person?
    He took a deep breath even as he sent his most fervent prayer that his father simply drop dead and end this misery for everyone. “Alone? All that time?”
    She nodded and he closed his eyes a moment, needing to find patience when he just wanted to hurt someone.
    “You’re safe now. Is that what’s got you so upset?”
    She shook her head.
    Fine tremors worked through her. He watched her hug that wretched blanket around her body and calculated the odds of getting it away from her long enough to at least launder.
    Perhaps it was the fear of being alone again? “I’ll come in with you. Would that help? I’ll close my eyes. And I won’t leave the room.”
    Her eyes were greenish brown. Pretty. Filled with gratitude as she looked up at him. “Yes.”
    He helped her to stand and one-handed, he grabbed a drying cloth and some clean clothes before leading her into the room.
    Not knowing how close to stand or what she needed, he hoped she’d indicate it if he wasn’t doing it right. He showed her how to turn the water on and turned his back when she began to undress. Not soon enough to miss the scars on the backs of her legs. He fisted his hands again but kept quiet. She didn’t need his anger on top of everything else she needed to process.
    She stepped in and he caught