An Oath In Blood (Book #3)

Chapter 22: All-You-Can-Eat Buffet

CORVINA HAWKE

The playful smirk on Warren's lips told me that he was kidding, that the sappy line he'd just delivered was a way to cover up for the fact he was really hurting. But my breath still hitched, a shudder still crept down my spine, and I merely blinked at him, at a loss for words.

Seb's voice down the hall snapped me out of my daze, making me look away from the man in front of me. I pulled my hand out of his grip, schooling my expression into the one I was the most comfortable with: no emotions on display. I liked everything locked away from the world—from Warren because he seemed to inspire the kind of emotions no one had in the past decade.

"I just want to take a look at your injuries, so don't get any stupid ideas." I murmured, keeping my voice as neutral as my expression. Resuming unbuttoning his shirt, I avoided making eye contact with him. But I knew he was watching me. I didn't know if he was brave or just plain stupid for not being scared of me. But then again, I hadn't given him a reason to be scared of me. Yet.

The little leverage I had over him disappeared that day in the penthouse when I shot the flower vase instead of him. The barrel of the gun had rested against his chest, all I had to do was pull the trigger. But I couldn't. For some godforsaken reason, I had turned around and shattered the vase instead.

"You're frowning." Warren said, pulling me out of my confusing thoughts. I wanted to slap him, the way I had when he'd woken up. I wanted to knock some sense into him, let him know that I was here to kill him but–

But you're searching his body for injuries instead, not to worsen but to heal. My subconscious snickered, that snarky bitch.

"Raven." His voice was soft and inexplicably gentle. I ignored him as I unbuttoned his shirt, exposing a very defined chest that had another blush creeping into my cheeks. "Raven." He repeated but I didn't respond, gaze catching onto the redness flaring on his ribs.

"You've got bruised ribs." I composed myself enough to drag my eyes back to his. "I can't see much else. We will have to take your pants off too." I forced myself to not stutter on the last part because I knew if I did, he would go back to being an obnoxious ass again.

"Right." To my surprise, he complied instead of throwing another innuendo my way. I slipped off the bed, turning toward his feet and undoing the rope to free his feet. I'd asked Trish to unbound him but I guess he was wary of Warren. A smile tugged at my lips at the thought. My friend had my back.

Warren slid his pants off his legs and I tried not to stare at his boxers, suddenly aware of his...nakedness. I swallowed once, quickly scanning his legs for any wounds but found none, only lean leg muscles that rippled as he shifted on the bed. As if on its on accord, my gaze left his legs, traveling up to his torso, my brain blanking when my eyes landed on his boxers during the lazy journey.

I hadn't been in the same room with a naked man before. I hadn't been in the same room with a man before. Period. In the academy, the students weren't supposed to fraternize and when I got out, I hadn't had much appetite for love or sex. I had seen Hell at the academy. I had raised Hell at the academy. I didn't think I could stomach intimacy of any kind.

I didn't think I would ever be in this position with a man in my life but the universe seemed to be playing a cruel joke on me these days because the first man I ever saw semi-naked had to be Warren Hale. He wasn't bulky, all lean muscles and defined arms and legs. He didn't have six-pack abs but his abdomen was toned and defined. His arms flexed as he raised one to adjust himself on the bed and the sight made a tingling feeling begin at the base of my spine and slither lower until I felt it in my core that had been dormant for all these years.