CHAPTER13
Colby
Isat and watched as the men packed up their camels and Rafe and Sig took off to the east. I’d never considered myself a picky eater, but I’d grown up in the city. Food had come from the grocery store, and later the chow hall. I’d never seen my meat go from a live creature to being cooked, and all the steps in between. It was slightly off-putting, though if given the chance I wouldn’t care right now. I’d shove whatever they gave me into my mouth.
If only I didn’t have to be fed like a dog. I glared at the sand in front of me. My stomach felt like it was fusing to my spine. I was so hungry, but my pride wouldn’t allow me to give in. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since the last time I’d eaten. I could hold out longer. My stomach moaned in disagreement. It was stupid. I couldn’t escape in a weakened state like this, I had to eat. And if playing his stupid game meant getting my strength back, then I should play it. My ego just wouldn’t let me.
I eyed Arsen as we walked back toward the hut, away from the grove of trees the camels liked to hang out under. Maybe now that Rafe was gone, he’d be willing to assuage my hunger.
“Arsen,” I asked, “could I have something to eat?” Feminine wiles had never been my strong suit, but I wasn’t ashamed to try. I fluttered my lashes and gave him a coy smile.
He gave me a look that said he knew the game I was playing. “I could,” he replied.
Relief swept over me. I was so hungry. “Thank you,” I told him, my smile brightening at the prospect of food.
He went to the fire and cooked up a small amount of rice. I frowned when I saw how little he was making. I wasn’t about to argue now, though.
When he scooped it onto a plate, I leaned forward to take it from him. He swept the plate out of my reach and I frowned.
“The same rules apply,” he told me. He looked so serious. Usually, he didn’t look as stern as Rafe. Right now they could have been twins. “Ask me to feed you and you may have it.”
Oh for fuck’s sake!
My plan had backfired right in my face. Sure, it was dirty trying to pit them against each other, but they were my captors. What did I care if they got pissed at each other? Anger and misery surrounded me like a shroud as I sat down without the food.
Arsen sat next to me and ate it, licking his fingers as he all but rubbed it in my face. That’s why he’d made so little. He’d already eaten, but he knew I wasn’t going to agree to his terms and he’d end up eating it.
“I thought you were supposed to be the nice one,” I grumped at him.
He chuckled and rinsed off his plate in the dishes tub. “We’re all nice.”
“Sure you are,” I mocked.
“You’ll see soon enough.”
“You guys kidnapped me, won’t let me leave, and won’t feed me,” I pointed out.
“We saved you, twice. We protect you and we’re more than happy to feed you,” he replied, anger flashing in his dark eyes. The idea of not providing for me clearly pissed him off.
And okay, what he said was technically true, if you stretch the meaning of true. But I didn’t want them to literally feed me. I just wanted to be allowed to eat for myself. “Why is he insisting on this?”
“He has his reasons,” Arsen replied.
“Which are?” I asked, eyes narrowed.
He fell silent, pulling a knife from his cargo pocket and picking up a hacked up piece of wood. He began attacking it with his knife, whittling away at the outer layers.
I had no way of knowing how much time passed, but it felt endless. I dropped my head into my hands. I wanted to cry, but I’d already wasted more tears on these guys than they deserved. Chas would tease me terribly if he found out I was sitting around crying.Would have…
“What is it now?” His accent was thick, and very sexy. They all had different accents, but his was by far the most noticeable.
“Nothing,” I muttered. Truthfully, I was bored. There was nothing for me to do. I’d almost offered to help clean or cook, just for something to do. The only thing that’d stopped me was the reminder that I wasn’t their guest. We weren’t friends. I longed for my phone and the games I’d gotten used to playing on it. I didn’t know where it was, if the guys had it, or if it’d been dropped in that damned village where we’d crashed.
It didn’t matter. There wasn’t electricity out here to recharge it. I stood, aware of Arsen’s gaze on me, and walked over a small tree near the lean-to. Tearing a branch off, I took it back and poked at the fire, watching as the end burned.
It was probably too much to hope that the mountain would fall asleep so I could get the hell out of here, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t daydream about it.
There were only a few inches remaining of my branch by the time I gave in and threw the rest into the hungry flames. I sighed.