Chapter 176

Harper's POV

Nathan looks at me and doesn’t ask. He orders. “Go, have a shower and change. Then you can come back and curl up with him all you want.”

I nod quickly, not willing to argue. I step into the bathroom and close the door behind me, already pulling off Theo’s bloodstained shirt. My hands tremble as I strip the rest of the way, and I don’t even wait for the water to fully heat before stepping under it.

The spray is sharp and cold at first, but I grit my teeth and let it hit me anyway. Thirty seconds. That’s all I give myself. Just long enough to rinse off the blood, to feel like I’ve done something to wash away the madness.

When I step out, I dry off fast, tug the gown on over damp skin, and run a towel through my hair. My fingers are still shaking as I open the door and step back into the room.