The Bounty

15. For The Birds

[ 15. For The Birds ]

Waking up in a bed, albeit bound to the headboard, was a thousand times better than waking up in a moving vehicle post-chloroform.

My eyes adjusted to the sunlight breaking through the blinds and I whined, turning my head as deep into the pillows as it could go. The memory of last night's activities came crashing down on me like a ton of bricks and the ache stemming from my waist was all too apparent. Another whine rumbled from my throat, this time louder and more prevalent off the walls of the bedroom.

"That's enough of that."

I jumped, eyes shooting open towards the doorway. Hayes stood, leaning on the frame in all of his glory, looking not even the slightest bit normal in the scheme of things. I narrowed my eyes. "My arm is numb. Could I switch?" I asked, truly not feeling anything from the shoulder up. He just stared at me. "Um... please?"

He sighed and strode towards me, pulling a knife from his pocket. Did he just carry one on him at all times? It felt like every time the situation called for it, there one was. I smelled his body wash as he leaned over me, bare chest inches away from my face, and sliced the zip-tie. He didn't move to re-tie the other arm.

I pushed myself up and held my hand in my lap, cold to the touch and completely numb. Hayes took a seat in the chair next to the bed, but still didn't say anything.

"So, what's our schedule looking like?" I asked, trying to make light of the fact that these were my last hours alive. "Breakfast and then a little—" I stopped to raise my arm in a hack-and-slash stabbing motion.

Hayes's eyes were trained on the window and he didn't even react to my joke. I twiddled my thumbs, feeling equal parts anxious and awkward while he proceeded not to say a word. What was he thinking? Did us having sex change the trajectory of his plans? Before, at least he'd clap back with some kind of snippy remark or shut down my lame attempts at cracking a joke. The silence was starting to freak me out.

"Are you... okay?"

His lashes fluttered like the wings of a dove as his eyes fell on me. "Yes," he said. I watched his gaze skim my body and I wondered if he'd had his fix. If I was good for him like he was for me. "Are you okay? Like, are you in pain at all?"

I glanced down at my waist. "Just a little sore," I said. "Nothing I can't handle."

He furrowed his eyebrows, jaw set and eyes almost narrowed. I was brought back to the night before when he was kneeling over me with sweat glistening over his muscular chest and pounding into me. If I wasn't raw and aching, I'd suggest a round two just for the road. He went a little too rough on me, though, so it wasn't plausible.

"I'll fix you something to eat," he said, standing up from the chair and lingering as I rolled out of bed, wincing slightly. He looked like he wanted to say something about it, but bit his tongue.

I used the restroom and then he led me back to the kitchen where I was instructed to sit back on the counter again, just like the night before. Hayes pulled some disgusting frozen breakfast sandwiches out of the freezer and stuck them in the microwave before leaning against the stove and watching me.

"You know it's not hard to make your own," I said, nodding towards the microwave. "Probably better for you than all of those preservatives, too."

He shrugged. "I don't like to cook. These are easy."

When the beeping indicated our not-so-plentiful breakfast was ready, he prepared them both on a plate and we settled at the breakfast nook. Even though I'd complained about it, I scarfed it down like I'd never eaten before. I was starving, after all, since last night's activities worked up a killer appetite and one frozen dinner was hardly enough to sustain me.