Free Tangled Redemption by Tina Christopher Page A

sheet
around her. His warmth helped. She took the glass and gulped down the water, completely
parched.
    He took the empty glass, set it on the bedside table and
picked up a second.
    She took it and drank, slower this time. Then she rubbed the
cold glass against her forehead. “Where’s Jayden?” Sydney was glad Miguel was
here to hold her, but she wanted Jayden beside her as well.
    Miguel nodded at the narrow door. “Putting away my toys.”
    Fire flared through her. The feel of the thick leather
against her skin, the heavy thud every time he hit her, she sharp sting against
her clit, her nipples. She swallowed and drank more water.
    Jayden stepped into the room and locked the door behind him.
He came over to the bed and handed Miguel the key. The small gesture meant far
more, but Sydney was too tired to untangle the subtext. The metal key
disappeared back into Miguel’s pocket. His eyes met hers.
    For a second she thought she caught genuine emotion in them,
but then the impassive mask slipped across his face again.
    “Would you care for a bath?” Jayden asked.
    She blinked. “Yes. Yes, I would.”
    He nodded and disappeared into the bathroom.
    “Have some chocolate.”
    Sydney stared at the block Miguel held out to her.
    “The sugar will help.”
    With effort she lifted her hand and took a bite. He was
right. The chocolate melted in her mouth and added to the comfort of his
presence. Slowly but steadily she came back to herself.
    Miguel stroked her hair, undemanding and giving her his
strength.
    She cursed herself and her wayward emotions. What the Jade
was she doing? How could she experience comfort—no, more than comfort,
serenity—in the arms of her kidnapper? Before today keeping her emotions
separate from sex hadn’t been a struggle. And she had to start here? Before she
could fall deeper into anger and self-loathing Jayden appeared.
    “The water is ready.” He smiled and helped her up. Sydney
wrapped the sheet around herself like an old Earth toga. So what if they’d seen
her naked? Didn’t mean she would shimmy around the room in her birthday suit.
    He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead as he handed her
over to Miguel. “I’ll be back in a minute.” With a quick smile he marched out
of the room, the snick of the door closing and the lock snapping shut a sharp
reminder she was a prisoner, not an equal, not a treasured lover.
    She wanted to kick herself but the idea of a bath was too
tempting.
    Miguel’s gaze narrowed, but he wasn’t looking at her. He glared
at the space between them as if he saw something.
    She paused and stared at the same piece of floor, but it
remained empty.
    He blinked and if possible his blank face became even
blanker as she walked past him.
    The bathroom was a surprise. She’d expected cold necessity,
but found a wide counter with two sinks, a huge synth-glass enclosed shower and
a jetted tub big enough to hold an orgy in. “Nice. I wasn’t expecting a spa.”
    His right brow rose. “I am a warrior. My body is my weapon.
I need to be able to take care of it.”
    Well, that took the wind out of her. Talk about a dampener.
But she needed that. Why did she keep forgetting he was a Feral Vampire? That
he was responsible for her being here in this situation?
    The water steamed in the tub, the jets rumbling and whirling
the water around. Looking at the placement of the jets and the size of the tub
it held approximately seventy-five gallons. At the moment the jets probably
moved the water at a speed of seventeen gallons per minute.
    Miguel’s hand on her shoulder interrupted her thoughts.
“Would you like salts or bubbles?”
    She gaped at him. “Bubbles? You have bubble bath?”
    He looked at her. “It is easy enough to manufacture.”
    Fuck him. And the fucking impassive Santo Horse he rode in
on. “I like lemongrass and orange.” She dropped the sheet and stepped into the
perfectly warmed bath. With a groan she sat on the bench and allowed the jets
to pummel her.