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Oh no…Merrick would be home soon. There was no hiding this from him, he would have to know. And when he knew, he would kill Osian.
He might have shielded me from the less savory parts of the organization, but I knew what would happen next. As my male guardian, Merrick now had the right to Osian’s life if he chose to take it.
There was a blood debt that had to be paid.
My hands shook as I looked down at my palms. Tracing every line, wondering if I had what it took to sign Osian’s death warrant.
But…it didn’t really matter if I did or not because as soon as Merrick found out what had happened, he would hunt down Osian. He would kill him tonight, I was sure of it.
Upstairs, my hands shook as I filled the tub and sank into the steamy water. I couldn’t find an ice pack, so I wrapped a frozen pack of mixed vegetables in a washcloth and pressed it to my swollen face.
Downstairs, the door banged open. I squeezed my eyes shut as Merrick’s steps faltered. Pausing as he took in the mess down the hallway. Then his footfalls continued, but they were soft and steady. Like he was stalking as quietly as a cat down the hall.
My bathroom light was the only one I’d left on, knowing he would come looking for me.
His footfalls came down the hall and my bedroom door creaked open. There was a long, long silence and I wondered if he had left. My scalp prickled and I pushed myself back against the opposite wall of the tub. The pulse in my face quickened, making the bruise throb.
Quick as a flash, Merrick pushed open the door and entered, his gun out. A shriek burst from my lips. We gazed at each other in shock.
“Clara,” he said huskily. “Is there anyone else in the house?”
I shook my head.
His whole demeanor changed as he shoved the gun under his belt at the small of his back. He leaned over the tub, wrapping my wet body with a towel, lifting me to sit on the sink.
His eyes fell to the bruise spreading slowly over my face. Heat radiated from my eye, making me squint. His hand came up and almost touched it, but then he stopped himself.
“What happened?” he said.
He was so professional, so controlled. I was infinitely grateful for it. I needed stability right now, not panic and concern.
The hands on my face were so gentle, so tender. Cradling my chin and keeping my eyes on his, locking me into the safety of his gaze.
“Osian came here and I tried to break it off with him. He found out we were sleeping together and things escalated really badly, really fast. He hit me twice with the back of his hand,” I said in a rush.
I didn’t want to cry. Now that the rage had worn off, emotion reared its head. My eyes stung and I blinked hard, trying to keep the tears at bay.
“Okay,” he said calmly. “Did he throw the knives at you?”
“No, no, that was me,” I said. “I threw the things. And I’m sorry about your statue, I hope it wasn’t worth much.”
His fingers raked through my hair, guiding my head to his chest. The front of his shirt was soaked from my wet body, but he didn’t seem to care. He just cradled me to his chest.
“My brave girl,” he whispered. “I am so sorry this happened.”
A hiccup escaped me, followed by a little sob.
“I’m going to call my doctor and have her come here and look at you,” he said. “Who would you like to stay with tonight?”
“What?”
“Candice? Let me call her,” he said.
“Why not you?”
He lifted me in his arms and picked up a towel, carrying me out and setting me on the bed. I sat there numbly while he dried me off and dressed me in a soft, pink sweatsuit. Then he sank to his knees and there was a grave hardness to his face that chilled me.
“There is a debt that needs paid,” he said.
