Chapter 38

“Here. To keep you warm.”

She eyed the bowl distrustfully, but the smell…it was calling to her. So was the tall glass of water beside it. But Maya kept an eye on him, not touching anything until he lay down on the other side of the cottage and turned his back to her.

“Goodnight. Try to sleep, too. We will figure things out tomorrow.”

When he stopped talking and moving, she devoured everything in sight.

***

He slept like a baby and she was sure she would have gotten far if she had something to pick the lock. He was too big for his cot, the creaking noises alerting her to every move he made until awareness was burning brightly in her system. She supposed she should be insulted that he wasn’t even the least bit troubled about her escaping. But then again, maybe he didn’t care, the offer to protect her was an offhand gesture that wouldn’t extend to searching for her if she did run away.

Bargain.

The idea appealed and had her getting comfortable on the futon, but she couldn’t sleep. With n