Golden Binds

“I’m here, baby.” A rough hand clasped around hers as his familiar face filled her vision. He looked even more unkempt than usual if that was possible. His hair was a mess, parts sticking up, as though he’d been running his fingers through it. There were lines of worry around his mouth and eyes.

Worry over her?

“Here you go, sweetheart.” She turned her head to see Garret. He sat next to her, attempting a smile when he saw her looking at him. But she’d seen the concern.

She took a sip of water, using the straw he held out to her. He slipped a hand behind her head to support her. Immediately, she felt better. Clearer. He laid her gently back.

“Am I dying,” she teased.

Both of them went still, their eyes wide, barely breathing. Shit, she wasn’t dying, was she?

“Fuck, that was just a joke.”

“Not a very funny one,” Joe growled, stepping out of the shadows of the room. It was her turn to stare. Because Joe looked nothing like himself. His hair was mussed, his shirt untucked and buttoned incorrectly, as though he’d dressed in a hurry and hadn’t bothered to look in the mirror.

“Joe, what’s wrong?” There had to be something terribly wrong for him to look like that.

“What’s wrong?” His mouth dropped open. “What’s wrong? What do you think is wrong?”

“Well, no one is dead so . . .” It wasn’t that bad, was it?

“Only because we fucking got to you in time. You could have been killed! Raped and murdered.”

“You’re swearing.”

“Of course, I’m fucking swearing.”

“But none of that happened. It all turned out okay.”

“Okay? Fucking okay?”

“Boy, when he loses it, he really loses it, huh?” she attempted to joke. It failed miserably, again, as Sawyer and Garret looked at her with stony faces. “Too soon?”

“They beat you! You have bruised ribs, a black eye, and so many other scrapes and bruises that we stopped counting them.”

She pulled back the covers, stared down at her naked body. “Hope you didn’t cop a feel while I was out.”

More stony looks. “Maybe it’s time to rethink my future as a comedian.”

“Your future involves living in this castle, under our care and never, ever putting us through this again,” Garret told her firmly.

“Why did you leave your brother’s compound?” Sawyer asked.

She sighed. “You guys must have some really good drugs, I feel fine.”

“The doctor gave you morphine,” Joe told her. “When it wears off, you’ll fucking feel it.”

She winced. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but could you please stop swearing? It’s freaking me out.”

“Well you terrified years off my life.”

“So, we’re even?”

He glared at her. “Not even close.”

“Gigi, you didn’t answer me,” Sawyer reminded her.

“Well, if you must know I was coming to the three of you.” She licked her lips.