"Hold that," he ordered.I did. My hand was slick with blood, and the pressure kept slipping."Tighter," he said. "Don't be gentle. It won't stop if you're gentle."Biting my lip, I pressed harder. He moved to the deep, weeping cut on my ribs, uncapping a flask with his teeth to pour the remaining water over it. I jerked at the cold, but his grip on my hip was rough and precise, holding me still.."Talk," he said, without looking up. "How close was it?""Close enough.""Not good enough." The water ran pink down my side. "Details. I want to hear it."I stared at the dark ceiling, avoiding his hands. "The first cut was for my throat. I turned too late. It caught me here—" I twitched my free hand toward my ribs. "The second one hit my arm when I blocked. If the vial had been one pocket deeper...""If it had been one pocket deeper?""I would already be dead.""Apologize," he commanded."For what?"
Last Updated : 2026-10-24 Read more