CHAPTER TWO

There was another stretch of silence as the revelation settled over us. No one seemed all that shocked by it other than me. I never would've guessed that was his connection to all of this, but it made sense. Dion was quick-witted and thus far a riddle guru. I could picture him in his father's same position, behind the scenes and away from all the bloodshed.

"Sorry, man," Brody remarked, sounding as if he meant it.

Dion lifted his broad shoulders in a lazy shrug. "Why would you be sorry? I already started piecing it together."

Maverick cleared his throat.

"If you need a moment to break down or anything, take it when we aren't getting ready to go back out there."

I frowned at the same time Lana and Mel turned toward him with nearly identical glares. We had somehow unanimously decided that Dion was ours for the long haul. Maverick took in our expressions and had the decency to look somewhat apologetic. It was more than the other three offered.

"That came out wrong. I meant to say take all the time you need."

"Better," Mel sniped. "Even if it lacked any sincerity."

He shook his head, causing a few strands of dark hair to fall onto his forehead as he stalked off towards the Mustang . Lana circled the table and walked to where Dion was sitting. I moved closer to Mel and went with her to join them.

"Please don't lie to me," I implored in a hushed tone. "How bad is it?"

Her gaze met mine, a flicker of vulnerability shadowing her usually unyielding eyes. She was tough, always the one to shoulder pain of every kind without a whisper of complaint, but this time, even she couldn't completely hide the truth.

"It's not great, Grace," she admitted, her voice tinged with a rare hint of weariness. "But I'll survive."

As she spoke, I could see the subtle signs of her struggle she was doing her best to conceal. There was a slight tightness around her eyes and a barely perceptible grimace that appeared every time she moved. The severity of her injury was a grim reminder of the harsh reality we were facing. None of us were invincible. We could die just like anyone else.

"It was at the school?"

We reached the sofa, and I caught the tail end of Lana's question, seconds before a sudden wave of dizziness crashed over me.

It hit with such an unexpected force that for a moment, the world around me--the dimly lit warehouse, and the faces of my friends--all blurred into a disorienting swirl of colors and shapes. I managed to steady myself, ensuring my expression remained as normal as possible. They didn't need to see this; I wasn't ready for them to know. There were so many other things to worry about, like staying alive.

With a forced casualness, I murmured about needing to use the restroom. No one stopped me, but I could feel their eyes on my back, their unvoiced concerns hot on my heels. In my heart, I hoped they'd simply think I needed a moment alone--a small reprieve consistent with my usually sunny disposition. Once inside the tiny bathroom, I shut the steel door and leaned against it, my hands dropping to my knees as the room seemed to spin.

Something warm and wet began trickling down my face. With a shaky hand, I reached up to touch it. The sight of red smeared across my fingertips sent a jolt of alarm through me. Moving unsteadily, I grasped the edges of a lone porcelain sink, my gaze lifting to the small, circular mirror directly above it. My reflection confirmed my fear-- a thin stream of blood was flowing from my nose, colliding with my lips, and forcing me to taste it.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, realization gripping me. This had to be another aftereffect of Helios . The knowledge wasn't comforting . I had no idea what this drug was doing to my body, what horrors it might bring next. Would I be reduced to the same state those people being held at the asylum were in? With another deep, steadying breath, I turned on the sink and attempted to clean myself up, dabbing at the blood with tissue, thoroughly disgusted.

The bleeding eventually subsided, but the dizziness lingered along with a rushing sound in my ears. My hazel eyes seemed darker than usual; the pupils slightly dilated. I ran my fingers through my wavy hair and bowed my head, closing my eyes again, wishing it to pass. I couldn't walk out of here like this. I wasn't sure I should leave the room at all. If this happened in the middle of the Playground, I would be nothing but a burden on the others.

Lost in a chaotic limbo, I didn't hear the bathroom door open and close. It was his dominating presence that drew my attention as he filled the small space. He closed and locked the door before taking two long strides towards me. Slowly, I turned to face him. He didn't speak, but his hand firmly gripped the back of my neck. Before I could even form words, he pulled me closer.

Instinctively, my hand reached out to rest on his solid chest as he leaned down toward my ear.

"I believe it's time for you to admit you remember me."

I swallowed hard and leaned onto him for support. "I don't know what you mean."

He spoke in a low, husky voice that sent shivers down my spine. "You don't want to lie to me, Sunshine."

"I don't," I replied, my words sincere.

His fingers gently glided up to weave into my hair, and he tilted my head back. I placed my other hand against him, taking advantage of the closeness between us to steady myself. This was a tame gesture compared to how he usually touched me when we were alone. He never hesitated or held back; instead, he pushed past any boundaries I had set, and there was no stopping him.

His actions were becoming increasingly hands-on, with no regard for restraining himself in front of others. He squeezed a little tighter, moving his face closer to mine. I knew he wasn't going in for a kiss - that would be too gentle and proper for him.

As I expected, his lips grazed over mine and brushed against my jawline. "That's all I needed to hear."

Suddenly, there was a prick on the side of my neck that made me flinch. His grip on my hair prevented me from moving as I let out a small whimper, feeling a cold, burning sensation spread through my body. Despite the discomfort, Ky continued to speak calmly, providing a distraction.

"What did you just inject me with?" I demanded, trying to push against his chest. He wouldn't budge. A sudden sigh of relief escaped my lips as the symptoms from Helios slowly began to fade away.

The room stopped spinning and the buzzing in my ears quieted down. Then, with a tenderness I wasn't expecting, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the spot, the tip of his tongue lightly soothing the sting before drawing back to look down at me.

My eyes drifted to the used syringe lying on the ground. "What did you just inject into me?"

"Just a temporary solution," he responded calmly.

I felt a different kind of relief wash over me. Whatever it was, it would help me last a little longer in my current state. "Where did you get it?"

"It doesn't matter."

"With everything that's happened, I think it does."

"No." He tightened his hold on me, his grip becoming almost painful.

"It's always going to be me taking care of you and fulfilling your needs. You don't need to worry about anything else."

I struggled to speak, my voice barely above a whisper. "How did you know I remembered anything?"

"How could I not? I'm curious about how much you recall. I've been eagerly anticipating the chance to remind you of everything we did together, Sunshine.

"I'm not sure if Lana and Mel remember yet," I said, trying to shift the focus away from myself.

He leaned in closer, his face almost touching mine. "Why are you thinking about them when you're in my arms right now?" Despite the intensity of his gaze, there was a flicker of vulnerability that I hadn't seen before. It made me wonder what secrets he was hiding behind those calculating eyes.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. "I can't just forget about them. They're my best friends, Ky."

His grip relaxed slightly, and he let out a heavy sigh. "I know they're important to you, but right now, you need to focus on yourself."

"If I do that, will you explain how all of this came about? Because I only have fragmented details and none of them are positive."

His expression hardened as he processed my request. After a moment of tense silence, he finally spoke, his voice low and measured. "There are things you're not ready to hear yet, Sunshine. Just know everything was to protect you, to keep you safe."

"Protect me from what?"

"From a truth that's going to shatter everything."

I felt a surge of frustration at his cryptic words. "Do you understand I'm not sure if I can trust my own mind?"

"You can trust me."

I wanted to believe him I truly did, but the uncertainty gnawed at me, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. I pushed myself away from him, needing some physical distance to clear my thoughts. His hand shot out and grabbed my throat, pulling me back to face him. "You can feel however you want," he growled, "even if it means hating me. But I won't let you walk away--not now, not ever." His eyes bore into mine with such raw emotion that it was almost suffocating.

"Have I ever?" The words escaped my mouth without any thought or conscious effort. I felt the sudden urge to cry, and I had no idea why. It was as if a different part of me was watching this unfold, and she despised it with every fiber of her being.

It wasn't the way he spoke or how he held me that made her heart ache, but she could tell he was in pain. Everyone was hurting in their own way.

Without warning, the lights flickered and disappeared, leaving us in pitch-black darkness. As we waited for the power to return, a red glow bathed our surroundings. In the distance, a siren blared once again, signaling the end of our brief reprieve. It was time to go back into the Devil's Playground.

Ky pressed his forehead against mine before letting go and stepping away. "Time to get moving, gorgeous." He turned and headed towards the exit of the bathroom.

My hand instinctively shot out and grabbed onto his shirt, my fear of being trapped in this small space while chaos raged outside taking hold. Doors tended to open and close without any logic in this place; it was almost as if they had a mind of their own.

He immediately understood my silent plea, not resisting or questioning my hold on him. Instead, he moved with purpose, his body language exuding a readiness to face whatever awaited us beyond the door.