damage her body had already sustained.
He couldn’t get the image of the terror in her honey-colored eyes out of his mind, and he swore that even if it took the rest of his life he’d insure she’d never have that look on her face again.
Chapter Five
Rowan woke lying on her back. The warmth pressed close to her made her feel safe. Opening her eyes she found Aidan at her side, one arm thrown across her belly. She was naked under the covers, and from the heat of his skin sinking into hers, so was he.
She should have been mortified, but she wasn’t. It felt right to be lying naked with this man. The light was low but she could still see his broad chest, hairless and deeply muscled. Her fingers itched to reach out and run over his flat stomach.
His large hand across her tummy was warm and strong. Fingers spread wide, they spanned over her, sending little shock waves through her and into more intimate parts.
She felt totally at peace for the first time in her life. Even their hideous situation didn’t seem quite as bad when she was held by this man.
She frowned slightly. Who was she kidding?
Her father was going to kill them both. With the chip imbedded in Aidan’s neck there was no way he could change into his dragon form. He didn’t have the kind of strength they would need without the change.
She prayed Jenna’s man was okay, and that they would attempt another rescue. She wasn’t hopeful, though. Her father had moved them to a deeper part of the compound, three stories below his home. The guards would be doubled and tripled against any incoming threat. William Stone had enough money and connections that his fortress was guarded better than the White House.
The hand on her stomach moved, drawing small lazy circles around her belly button.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I’m not sure how you did it, but I feel a lot better.”
She chanced a look at him and was rewarded with a smile. His eyes crinkled at the corners and she knew it was a genuine smile, just for her.
“You’re welcome, Rowan.” He pushed himself up on his side, propping his head in his hand. “What the hell has he done to you?”
Rowan squeezed her shoulder blades together involuntarily. She shrugged awkwardly before answering. “Father likes to have total control. I wasn’t about to allow Jenna to take the punishment. She is too fragile. Erin, well she’s too traumatized. She found our mother after she was murdered. It only made sense that I take it for them.”
Aidan placed his finger under her chin, gently tilting her head up. “A warrior. I knew it the moment I met you. I can feel your strength coming from every pore.”
“I’m not a warrior, Aidan. Please don’t paint me with that brush. I took the beatings because I didn’t care if I died. When you’re in a prison, even if it is without bars, you tend to give up. I gave up, and until Jenna suggested we leave I never really thought about what the next day in my life might bring.”
Rowan turned to her side and sat up, covering herself with her robe.
Standing, she wrapped her arms around herself. “Don’t make me out to be anything more than a woman who didn’t give a shit about her life. I only did what I did in order to save my sisters the pain.”
She wasn’t a hero. A hero would have gotten her sisters away and killed their father before he inflicted any more damage. No one knew better than Rowan the kind of evil he was capable of. She’d been to his torture chambers, had been forced to participate in his sick experiments. She’d witnessed hundreds die, and never stepped in to help them. In truth, she was a coward. She deserved every single lash. Her scars were her penance for inaction, for the blood on her hands.
A deep sadness twined around her heart. When Aidan found out about her, what she had really done, he would hate her. No matter how strong their connection was, her sins would break any ties that bound them in this experience.
Strong, thick
He couldn’t get the image of the terror in her honey-colored eyes out of his mind, and he swore that even if it took the rest of his life he’d insure she’d never have that look on her face again.
Chapter Five
Rowan woke lying on her back. The warmth pressed close to her made her feel safe. Opening her eyes she found Aidan at her side, one arm thrown across her belly. She was naked under the covers, and from the heat of his skin sinking into hers, so was he.
She should have been mortified, but she wasn’t. It felt right to be lying naked with this man. The light was low but she could still see his broad chest, hairless and deeply muscled. Her fingers itched to reach out and run over his flat stomach.
His large hand across her tummy was warm and strong. Fingers spread wide, they spanned over her, sending little shock waves through her and into more intimate parts.
She felt totally at peace for the first time in her life. Even their hideous situation didn’t seem quite as bad when she was held by this man.
She frowned slightly. Who was she kidding?
Her father was going to kill them both. With the chip imbedded in Aidan’s neck there was no way he could change into his dragon form. He didn’t have the kind of strength they would need without the change.
She prayed Jenna’s man was okay, and that they would attempt another rescue. She wasn’t hopeful, though. Her father had moved them to a deeper part of the compound, three stories below his home. The guards would be doubled and tripled against any incoming threat. William Stone had enough money and connections that his fortress was guarded better than the White House.
The hand on her stomach moved, drawing small lazy circles around her belly button.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I’m not sure how you did it, but I feel a lot better.”
She chanced a look at him and was rewarded with a smile. His eyes crinkled at the corners and she knew it was a genuine smile, just for her.
“You’re welcome, Rowan.” He pushed himself up on his side, propping his head in his hand. “What the hell has he done to you?”
Rowan squeezed her shoulder blades together involuntarily. She shrugged awkwardly before answering. “Father likes to have total control. I wasn’t about to allow Jenna to take the punishment. She is too fragile. Erin, well she’s too traumatized. She found our mother after she was murdered. It only made sense that I take it for them.”
Aidan placed his finger under her chin, gently tilting her head up. “A warrior. I knew it the moment I met you. I can feel your strength coming from every pore.”
“I’m not a warrior, Aidan. Please don’t paint me with that brush. I took the beatings because I didn’t care if I died. When you’re in a prison, even if it is without bars, you tend to give up. I gave up, and until Jenna suggested we leave I never really thought about what the next day in my life might bring.”
Rowan turned to her side and sat up, covering herself with her robe.
Standing, she wrapped her arms around herself. “Don’t make me out to be anything more than a woman who didn’t give a shit about her life. I only did what I did in order to save my sisters the pain.”
She wasn’t a hero. A hero would have gotten her sisters away and killed their father before he inflicted any more damage. No one knew better than Rowan the kind of evil he was capable of. She’d been to his torture chambers, had been forced to participate in his sick experiments. She’d witnessed hundreds die, and never stepped in to help them. In truth, she was a coward. She deserved every single lash. Her scars were her penance for inaction, for the blood on her hands.
A deep sadness twined around her heart. When Aidan found out about her, what she had really done, he would hate her. No matter how strong their connection was, her sins would break any ties that bound them in this experience.
Strong, thick
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