Bloom and Bone
Chapter 10: Lights Out
The sleeve of her shirt has ridden up her arm, and on her wrist, where the Fisk-Thingās reflection had grabbed her, thereās a large, livid bruiseā the purple so dark itās almost black, the edges tinged with an angry red. Her skin is shiny and tight, like the healed scar tissue over a burn. Looking at it makes Karen feel sick. āThis hurt?ā Frank rumbles softly. Karen shakes her head. āNo,ā she replies, but her voice is trembling. āI honestly didnāt even notice it.ā Ā Frank frowns, like he doesnāt believe her.Ā Karen shrugs. āIt doesnātĀ hurt,ā she insists. āItās justā¦ā She bites her lip, and has to look away to make the admission. āI just donāt like what it reminds me of.ā From the corner of her eye, she can see Frank nod slowly. His fingers slowly trail along the bruise, until his hand is wrapped around her wrist, covering the livid reminder of her waking nightmare. His thumb gently strokes along the inside of her wrist with the lightest of touches.Ā āThis ok?ā he murmurs, and Karen looks back up at him, her breath catching when their eyes meet.
