Inferni

Chapter 10

Declan left a little time after that with a promise that he would come back and check on me, and I was left alone in my new room.

I sat on the edge of the floor near the bed with my head leaning on it. My eyes were closed, and I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the house, even though I had a feeling that it wouldn't last long.

My breathing became even, and I slowly started to doze off but was jerked awake when there was a knock at my door. I turned in that direction and grew tense, my eyes opened.

"It's me," a deep male voice said when I didn't say a word, and I had a feeling that it was Justin. He cleared his throat, and I had a feeling that he shifted on his feet. "Can I come in?" He paused and cleared his throat again. "Please."

"Uhhhhh..." I said and blinked, not sure why he was here and silently praying that he wouldn't send me away because he didn't like what Jill did. "Yes, yes, of course. Come in."

I silently cursed myself for sounding so hesitant and silently prayed to the Gods that he wouldn't ask why I was. I stayed seated on the floor, not bothering to get up and greet him, even though a part of me wanted to since it was the "right" thing to do.

Justin opened the door and walked into my new room. He looked around the bedroom before he looked at me, frowning, and I bit my lip nervously, not knowing why he was frowning.

Justin cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. "Now, why are you on the floor?" he asked and dipped his head in greeting, and I shrugged and grimaced. "Is it comfortable?"

"It's a lot better than what we had to sit on at the house, yes," I replied hesitantly and cleared my throat while I shifted on my butt. "We usually sat on the floor there or in the beds they provided us, but the beds weren't that good and felt like we were sleeping on bricks." I shrugged and grimaced.

Justin slowly nodded before he gestured to the little sitting area that I had in my room. "Why don't we sit over there so that we both can be comfortable, yes?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.

I hesitated but nodded. "Ok," I said and started to stand. I bit my lip to keep myself from groaning out in pain when my side started to ache, and I silently cursed myself for having to deal with bruised ribs.

"Are.. you ok?" Justin asked and took a step towards me with furrowed brows, and I tensed but didn't back away because the bed was behind me. He stopped moving and held his hands up as if to say that he wasn't going to hurt me.

I nodded. "I am," I confirmed, even though I wasn't. I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet. "I have a few bruised ribs that were pulled when I stood, but they will heal and be fine."

Justin frowned but nodded, and I had a feeling that he didn't believe me. He stayed silent and watched me stand fully, studying me and trying to find secrets that even I didn't know I had.

When I was in a standing position, he gestured to the seating area again and started to walk that way, and I followed him, praying that he wouldn't kick me out of the house like I thought he would.

I didn't want to go back...

"Sit," Justin said and gestured to the seats. He waited until I sat down before he sat down in front of me. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat while he placed one leg over the other. "Now," he said and raised an eyebrow in question, "what are you hiding? Why do your eyes change colors like that?"

I bit the inside of my lip and schooled my features so that he couldn"t tell that I was nervous. I didn't say a word while I stared at him, trying to decide if I could trust him or not.

Not yet... something in me seemed to say, and I blinked but didn't say a word, silently agreeing with whatever the voice said. Not until you get to know him a little better...