Silver(11)

Why did she feel so safe all of a sudden?

She picked up a pastry and put it to her lips and was surprised to see a tear drop onto the plate in front of her. She kept her head low, hoping neither of the two men left in the room noticed, but she heard Adrien stir behind her.

“For heaven sake, what’s wrong?” he asked irritably, sounding mildly panicked. The thought brought a smile through her tears. “Stop that crying at once.”

She didn’t, though, just kept eating the pastries, trying to ignore the extra salt. She couldn’t explain exactly why she was crying. Maybe it was just relief. Maybe it was the sad realization that being treated this well should have happened to her at some point earlier in her life, rather than now, for the first time.

Yeah. Maybe that.

“I said cease your crying,” Adrien said, louder now. He stood and came over to the counter, placing a hand on it and glaring down at her. “I demand it.”

She gave him a wary glance, then returned to eating. “I don’t very much care what you demand. Your friend Citrine is nice, and I think I’ll go with what he says.”

“But I saved you,” Adrien snapped. Despite his harsh tone, there was real concern in his eyes. This was a man who was better than his actions implied.

She looked into his silvery, light eyes and sighed. “That doesn’t give you the right to tell me what to do.” She brushed off her hands again, this time on her jeans. “But I do feel grateful, and I’ll try to stay around and help.”

“You just want the apartment.”

She shrugged. It was true, but she also did feel indebted to this man, and a little concerned for him. With that bandage on, he looked just a bit… helpless.

Despite his size and muscles.

“I’m going to take a shower,” he said, walking to the back.

“Be careful with your bandages,” she yelled. “You need help with that?”

She heard him curse in response and guessed that meant no. Pity. She hadn’t meant anything bad by it, but she was perfectly willing to help an injured person. Particularly one who was injured for her.

It had nothing to do with seeing him naked in the shower.

She looked over at the remaining man, who was staring at her as if he didn’t know what to make of her.

“What are you looking at, Viking?”

“You seem much bolder now,” he said quietly, crossing his arms over his massive chest. “What has changed?”

“Food in my stomach,” she said. “A warm bed. I’m a fighter. That’s how I’ve survived this long. But everyone can feel a bit beaten down when they’re at their lowest.”

“And this is your lowest?”

“I’d say last night was, though it’s a close tie with a few other moments.”

“What exactly happened last night?” Sever asked. His eyes were a dark gray, much different than Adrien’s. But they still had that otherworldly air to them.

“Do I have to go over it again?” she asked, feeling slightly ill just thinking of it. “I snuck in here to catch some sleep, Adrien chased me out, and then he came to save me when some guys got bad ideas about me.”

“I see,” Sever said. “He chased you out?”

“Well, just the way he looked at me when he came across me, I knew I’d better get out of there.”

“How did he look at you?” Sever asked, a smile curving his face.

She thought back to last night, to looking up at him for the first time. “Like I was garbage.” She waved a hand. “Not like I’m not used to that, but it was different. Like he hated me down to his soul.”

Sever crossed one leg over the other and leaned back. “Interesting.”

There was a knock on the door, and Sever looked up. “Come in,” he said, and Kelsey felt slight trepidation at who it might be.

She turned to face it as it opened. A black woman with beautiful, sparkling eyes, a bright smile, and fashionable clothes came in, looking like she owned the place.

Her curls were caught up in a trendy style at the back of her head, and she wore simple, perfect makeup.

She wore a tailored suit over a curvy body and pretty high heels that Kelsey immediately coveted.

She crossed to Kelsey and stuck out a hand. “I’m Robbie,” she said brightly, shaking Kelsey’s hand a little too excitedly. “And I’m so glad to have another woman around this place.”

Kelsey had to laugh at that and sat back as the other woman released her.

Robbie paced for a second with folded arms, a grin on her face. Then she turned to Kelsey again. “So tell me again what happened with Adrien?”

Kelsey sighed, but for this woman, who instantly was kind and treated her like anyone else and not some homeless person, she didn’t mind repeating the story.