[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Rosemary wondered if Gunner was one of them. Her mother couldn t have him killed
like she d done the others her father wouldn t approve.
But she might have sent him with the gift to punish him, or to test him.
Either way, Rosemary wanted him gone. She slipped out of her skirt and pulled the
dress over her head.
 Let me help you with that. Gunner circled her, his eyes showing appreciation at how
well the dress fit. He took the ties at the back from her fumbling fingers and did them up
tight. Then he curved his hands over her shoulders, massaging them before passing his
hands down her sides to smooth the dress.  Perfect.
 You swore. Rosemary reminded him to hurry things up.
 I did. He opened the door. Rosemary could hear the girls chattering in relief and Felix
asking them to get out of his way. He glanced back once.  Such a shame, Rosemary. He
gave her a sad smile.  You really are the fairest of them all.
The door closed behind him and Rosemary let out a sigh, turning to the mirror above
the dresser to assess her composure. She didn t want Felix to see how shaken she was by the
encounter. She didn t want him to worry.
ROSEMARY ENTWINED Bianca Sommerland
71
There was a twinge of pain at the base of her ribs. She brought her hand up to rub it
away and felt how the ties dug the material into her flesh. Gunner had done them up too
tight.
Now that he was gone, there was no reason to keep the dress on. Rosemary tugged at
the end of one of the ties. It wouldn t come loose. Gunner had knotted it. She opened her
mouth to call Felix. The dress constricted, cutting off her air. She cried out as it crushed her
ribs.
 Rosemary! Felix was on the other side of the door, turning the knob futilely, banging,
kicking.
Rosemary s lips moved, but not a sound came out. Blood spilled from her mouth and
dripped from her chin to splatter on the floor as she collapsed on her side, hand extended
towards the door.
A gift from her mother. She should have known. Her mother hadn t given her a gift
since she d turned from an ugly duckling into a graceful swan.
No one had ever rivalled her mother in face or form. Her mother wouldn t stop until
the same could be said again.
For the first time, it looked like she might succeed.
ROSEMARY ENTWINED Bianca Sommerland
72
Chapter Ten
The white light sparkled, like she was seeing it through water. It brought to mind the
pool on the roof of her father s private penthouse in Memphis. She remembered visiting him,
floating on an inflatable duck, all of eight years old. Leaning over the side, she d trailed her
fingers in the water, watching the lights ripple. One time her father had tipped her over and
she felt like that now, like she d awoken to a shock of cold water. Only this time she didn t
come up laughing and splashing. She came up gasping.
 You re okay. Shiloh filled her vision, his soft features tight with concern. He brushed
her hair away from her face and kissed her, once, twice, then took her hand and held it.
Rosemary blinked at him. Shiloh rarely instigated contact. He must have been worried.
 I m fine. She didn t feel fine, but she didn t want him to freak out. To Kurt, Wylie or
Chetan she d have admitted that she felt like she d been hit by an avalanche and was still
digging her way out. Shiloh needed reassurance.  How did I get here?
Here was a hospital room, she could tell by the heart monitor beeping beside her, by the
tubes in her arms and the sterile white walls. Shiloh s soft, natural scent of sweet basil and
sage filtered though the bite of antiseptic as he leaned over her.
 I brought you. I found you.
 You got through the door? That was impressive. Shiloh had definition, but much less
bulk than the others and he never used brute strength. He was an artist. He loathed anything
that required any kind of exertion out of the bedroom, that is.
 Felix tried breaking down the door. He couldn t break the spell. I could. Shiloh
looked down at his hands, letting his overgrown brown hair hide his face.  Felix cut the
dress off you though. He saved your life.
 You both did. Rosemary combed his hair away from his face with her fingers and
made him look up with a slight tug.  Thank you.
The door opened. Felix poked his head in.  She s awake? He came in without waiting
for an answer.  How you feeling ?
One look at his face and Rosemary cut him off.  What happened to you?
ROSEMARY ENTWINED Bianca Sommerland
73
Felix grinned sheepishly.  Kurt. He flipped his lid when I told him what happened.
Don t worry, the girls weren t too happy with him either. Security s still sorting it out.
Rosemary shook her head and tried to sit up. She reached for Felix, eyes on the ugly
black bruise that covered half of his face. She might not be able to heal herself without
feeding, but she could heal those in her nest.
Felix brushed her hand away and sat on the bed.  No. Leave it, you don t have the
strength and I deserved it.
 No, you didn t. Rosemary let Shiloh help her sit up, wincing as pain seared across her
ribs like a flash of fire.  Let me& 
 He did deserve it. He knows better than to bring you anywhere without making sure
it s safe first. He admitted one of the girls had a new boyfriend he d never met, Kurt said,
joining them. He swiped his hand over a deep set of scratches on his face, smearing blood.
 But I ll take care of him. Let Shiloh take care of you.
 But&  Rosemary stopped herself when Shiloh hunched his shoulders.
 I ll get Largo if you want, he said.
 No, it s not that. Rosemary sighed. Kurt nodded at her and shoved Felix out. He
closed the door and left her alone with Shiloh. She tried to think of a way to make Shiloh feel
better.  I really need your help Shiloh. I m not strong enough to&  [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]