“I didn’t mean to make your life hard,” Priest said, finally standing up to his full height. The heavy chains fell to the concrete floor.
Cleo smiled up at him. “Don’t worry about it.”
She stepped away and was about to go to the stairs that led up to the main house. Boss had already given her a tour, and some of the things she’d seen had made her blush. Plus, Harb had already told Boss and the entire room that he was going to go and enjoy some rough anal with one of the pain sluts. It was obscene. She didn’t have a clue how she was going to face him, knowing what he’d done.
Priest grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Cleo frowned. “Okay.”
“You shouldn’t just accept it, Cleo. You don’t have to smile and laugh everything off.”
“I hate to break this to you, Priest, but you’re also putting your life on the line to protect me, and trust me, I don’t even know why. I’m a no one. I’m not important.” She started to chuckle again. “I’m shocked, to be honest. Maybe I am in shock? I mean people can suffer delayed shock symptoms right?”
“Cleo.”
“I’m not important, Priest. I’m not intelligent. I work whatever job I can to pay the bills. I’ve never been special to anyone. I wouldn’t even know how that felt. I’m the kind of woman that if I die, no one will mourn. No one would even come to my funeral or realize I was dead. That’s how damn miserable of an existence I have. I don’t even want to think of what it’s costing to keep me alive. I appreciate it, but if it costs lives, then I’m not worth it.”
She suddenly felt incredibly sad.
Turning away from him, she walked up the steps toward the main door.
“I would come hunting for you,” Priest said, making her stop in her tracks.
Her hand was on the knob, about to twist it, to let herself out of the basement.
She couldn’t have heard that right.
“Your loss wasn’t ignored. I saw it. I came for you.”
She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Cleo didn’t turn around, too emotional to face him. “Priest, you came hunting for me because you have an obligation. Nothing more.”