Broken Doll {ManxMan}

CHAPTER 27

The next time I saw Bryn, there were bandages on his face and a scowl on his lips, a look of pure indignation in his eyes as he glared at the wall while Tobias demanded what happened. I felt pretty bad for him honestly. His bottom lip was cut and clotted, there were closures keeping a gash across his brow near his nose closed, a bruise on his left cheek and jaw, a square bandage taped onto his right jaw, a smaller bandage taped beneath his right eye, and a thicker bandage against his temple. There were even smaller bandages taped to his knuckles, and I was willing to bet if his took his shirt off, he'd just reveal more bruises and bandages.

The moment he entered the bedroom, Tobias stood up, holding his hands out, eyes wide, "What in hell happened?!" he demanded, and Bryn set one hand on his hip, glaring off to the side.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Tobias scoffed, "Did someone attack you? Was it the rebellion?"

"No, Bryn grumbled, shutting his eyes as if in defiance and folding his arms, snarling, "I went to the arena to talk with some soldiers who'd gone on the mission with us. I ended up sparring with one of them, and they kicked the ever loving fuck out of me."

"I didn't know that was possible," I noted, leaning back against the pillows, sitting on top of the covers with a book in my lap, "Weren't you renowned for your back alley guerilla fighting?" before he could answer I looked back at my book, "Then again that was a long time ago. You must be getting old."

I heard him hiss at that, like he was struggling not to retort by keeping his teeth clenched, and Tobias chuckled a little.

"What soldier did you fight? Carter's right, if someone managed to get the drop on you of all people, we should keep our eye out for them."

For a moment Bryn was silent, and I reopened my book, at first figuring the conversation wasn't that important. I wasn't worried about Bryn really, he was a strong and capable man. It was surprising that someone actually managed to beat him in a spar, bad enough that he had to get bandaged up, they must have really been trying to lay him out, but he was tough. He could take care of himself. I told myself that and found my place so I could continue reading, but his muttering made me freeze, the typed words on the page blurring a little.

"Logan," he had answered, "I get he can't talk, but I wanted to ask him what he thought of everything, what happened on his end, what Josie's deal is, and instead of answering he made a gesture that I don't need to know sign language in order to interpret, before proceeding to kick my ass."

"Did you ask for it?" Tobias asked in a chiding tone, and Bryn scoffed again.

"Of course I didn't ask for it! That blond guy, Carina, he said Logan doesn't normally spar with people, especially in a crowded arena, so I should feel honored, but look at my face! Who just attacks someone for no reason?!"

"Maybe you upset him," Tobias offered, and Bryn groaned.

I slowly closed my book, shutting my eyes and lifting a hand to my temple, a pounding suddenly at the front of my skull, just above my eyes, centered over my brow. It hurt, but I tried to rub away the discomfort.

Something was seriously bothering me about that guy; Logan. It was the way he killed that man at the warehouse, kneeling on his back, knife blade pierced through the side of his neck, no emotion whatsoever on his face. Until he looked up. The look in his eyes when he stared over at Bay, Vinet, and Roy; the utter distain and fury. It was something I'd only ever seen on Demi's face. He hated those three, despised them, and that kind of hatred could only come from something deeply personal.

What did Bay do to Logan? Or what is it Logan thinks Bay did to him?

I'm sure everyone in the rebellion hated the Con Rồng on some level, their joined hatred was what brought the Vidroh into existence after all, their desire to raze the new govermnent, and ultimately Bay, was what bonded all these people together.