Descending Darkness(42)

“Hey.” He smiles down at me. I have to remind myself to breathe. It still surprises me that he is mine—that I get to spend the rest of my life with him. “How are you feeling?”

I slowly sit up and mentally assess myself. Besides being hungry, I feel fine. “I’m good, honestly. A little hungry though.” He gets off the couch and pulls me after him. When we enter the kitchen, he sits me down in one of the chairs. I look around the table. Everyone is sitting down with empty plates in front of them. It looks like they already ate and are just talking.

“I’m just going to make you toast for now. If you can keep that down, you can eat more, okay?” I nod. I don’t think that I can eat much more than toast right now. I don’t want to risk it.

“How are you feeling?” Liam asks me.

“Oh, just grand. How are you feeling?” Liam smiles at me but doesn’t answer my question. I like it when he smiles. I wish he would do it more often. I glance across the table and see Natalie watching him, a small smile on her face. When she realizes I am watching her, she coughs and looks down at the table.

Colton places a plate with two pieces of toast in front of me and hands me a bottle of water. “Eat slowly,” Logan says. I nod but just stare down at the food.

“Ryanne, you have to eat,” Colton says.

“I know. I know. I just really don’t want to throw up again,” I arch my neck back, so I can see him. He is standing behind my chair. “It’s not a pleasant feeling.”

“I understand that, but you don’t have anything in your stomach right now, so you need to eat something.”

“And I’ve gone longer without eating.” I shiver as I remember the first time Dravin kidnapped me. I went almost a week without eating.

“Eat something,” he demands. He doesn’t like to think about that. I can tell that he is starting to get upset, so I grab a piece of toast and take a small bite. Chewing slowly, I look around the table and find everyone watching me again. When I look at them, they quickly divert their gazes. They’re finally learning.

I swallow the bite and wait. I don’t know if I will start to feel anything so soon, but I don’t want to keep eating if I am going to just throw it up. A minute later, I still feel fine, so I take another bite. I finish the first piece of toast and start on the second one. I finish that one off just as quickly. I sit back in my chair.

“Still feeling grand?” Larkin asks me. He isn’t joking around like he usually is. It’s weird seeing him act serious.

“I think so,” I tell him. Nothing feels different, except now I know how hungry I am. My stomach growls. Loudly. Colton and Liam laugh at me as Colton places a second plate of toast in front of me. I eat this one just as quickly as the other. I start to feel better after eating a little. I sip on the water and lean forward to rest my head on the table. I’m sure there is some table etiquette that I am breaking, but I’ve already done this so many times that I don’t care anymore. I reach up and pull my hair out of the bun and let it fall around me.

“Come on, Ryanne. I’ll take you upstairs.”

“No, no. Stay and socialize. I’m not that tired,” I tell Colton sleepily. I hear a couple people laugh, but I don’t move. Keeping my eyes closed and covered by my hair, I wait for his reply. He doesn’t respond, but I feel his arms wrap under my legs and around my back. He lifts me easily into his arms and cradles me against his chest. “What part of stay and socialize don’t you understand, mister?” I tell him in a light tone. For once, I am glad that he didn’t listen to me.

“The part where you said you weren’t tired,” he answers as he walks out of the room, carrying me.

“I can walk.” I don’t really want to walk, but my stubborn side makes me say it. It is a pride thing. No one can say I didn’t try.

“Let me do this for you, Ryanne.”

Well, if it means that much…I snuggle closer to him and close my eyes, falling asleep before he even reaches the stairs.





Chapter Twelve




I wake up the next morning to the sound of Colton humming next me. I can feel him lightly running his hand through my hair. “I like waking up to you humming.” I open my eyes and stretch my legs out but don’t get up. I am really comfy.

I turn so that I can see his expression. He is watching me. Propping himself up on his elbow, he taps me on the nose. “Did you know you talk in your sleep sometimes?”

“Oh no, what did I say?”

“Nothing major. Just something about gorgeous green eyes. You could have been talking about anyone though,” he says with a very amused smile.