I flinch, biting my lip. Phantom looks back at me and lets out a sigh, shaking his head. “We’ll talk later, baby doll. Let me cool off.”
I nod, snuggling into Bones’s arms. My bare feet ache, but I don’t move away. I’m safe where I am, even if I’m in pain.
“He’s bold, trying to grab her like that,” Siren mumbles, moving toward the living room and leaning backwards against the back of the couch.
“And leaving that…cage in the yard? Absolute fucking monster. He must have known we weren’t watching outside,” Joker snarls, setting my shoes down next to the back door.
“Which means he’s been watching us. Close,” Cross answers with a sigh. “This location is fully compromised.”
“Agreed,” Bones grunts, squeezing me tight. “We move tomorrow.”
Chapter fifty-one
BoneshandsDelilahoffto me after making his declaration, and I immediately whisk her away to my room. I don’t dare to take her to the med bay, not with Dunne in the forest. It would be stupid to give him another chance to try to grab our girl.
Delilah limps slightly as she sits on my bed, face pale and eyes distant. She’s in her head again, but I need to make sure her feet are cleaned and bandaged before I can see to her mind.
I pull my emergency kit from my closet and kneel before her, gently lifting her left foot by the ankle. She doesn’t fight me, and I gently wipe the sole with adamp cloth.
“He’s really not going to stop, is he?” she asks hoarsely into the silence.
I let out a heavy sigh, shaking my head. “No, honey. He won’t. But we’re going to protect you, okay?”
I look up at her, mouth pulling down into a serious frown. She’s still not looking at me, but she nods all the same. Her expression isn’t giving me any clues to if she believes me or not, but I’m not going to force the subject right now. Not when she’s like this.
Thankfully, her feet aren’t hurt beyond a few superficial scrapes which are easy to disinfect and put bandage strips over. When I’m finished, I look up at Delilah, concern pulling my brows down. She still hasn’t said anything and looks liable to bolt at the first loud noise.
“Honey, look at me, please,” I murmur gently, taking her hands in mine as I shift to one knee.
Slowly, Delilah turns to me, her lower lip trembling. I reach up and cup her cheek with one hand, my heart aching.
“What do you need?” I whisper.
“Out of my head. Please. I…” Delilah trails off as her voice breaks, a single tear escaping from her eye.
I wipe it with my thumb and nod. “Stay here for me. Say ‘yes, Mr. Cross,’ if you agree to let me take the lead,” I say, my voice dropping a little.
Delilah nods. “Yes, Mr. Cross.”
“Good girl. Clothes off for me.”
She moves immediately to obey, but I get to my feet and pace over to my closet again. This time, I pull three thick bundles of soft rope from the shelf, my mind already working. I’ve been dying to get Delilah to myself to do this. When I return back to the room, Delilah is kneeling on the bed, her eyes down and hands resting on her thighs. Fuck, she’s so beautiful. The transformation from just a few weeks ago has been remarkable, her natural curves filling out spectacularly. Her breasts are fuller, her face is a little rounder, the soft dip from her hips to her waist is more defined.
“You’re so perfect, honey. I’m going to use some rope on you, okay? Are you claustrophobic?” I ask, approaching the bed with my ropes.
She shakes her head, her dark hair drifting across her pale skin. “No, Mr. Cross.”
A slow smile spreads across my lips. I was hoping she wouldn’t be. I unfurl the first bundle, moving to start the tie. She’s like putty in my hands as I work, moving where I ask, trusting me completely. I check my knot placements constantly, careful not to apply pressure to nerves. This harness tie should feel like a tight hug, applying deep pressure therapy.
I know it’s working by the time I move on to tying her arms behind her back, which makes my heart sing. Her breathing is noticeably deeper and more even, her eyes softer as she looks at nothing.
“Such a good girl. You look so beautiful, you know. Not just the ropes, but your whole body. I love feeling your softness here.”
I run my hands up her arms, feeling the muscles relax under my touch, no longer skeletal, but proportional.
“And here.”
She lets out a little sigh as I move my hands to her chest, letting her breasts fill my hands. Her breath catches as I massage them, her nipples hardening against my palms.