A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 513

Especially with eye spasms.

"Ahem."

Rex coughed into his fist. "No, I just haven't been sleeping well."

Then, he looked at Janice Garrett and asked pointedly, "Mrs. Garrett, your ankle must be killing you, right? Is the pain becoming unbearable?"

Mrs. Garrett pretended she didn't hear a word.

These two brats!

Elissa was genuinely worried. "Mrs. Garrett, are you..."

"Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine!"

Mrs. Garrett grasped Elissa's hand, which was freezing from holding the ice pack. "Elissa, it gets so boring living here all by myself, and now that I'm injured, I can't even leave the house."

She looked at Elissa with an apologetic expression. "Could you stay with me for a little while?"

Hearing this, Elissa froze.

It wasn't a huge request, and Rivercross Residence belonged to Rowan anyway. Even the staff were the same familiar faces she had grown up with.

However, she hesitated. "Should we ask Rowan to come back and stay with you?"

"Him?"

Mrs. Garrett immediately scoffed, clearly dissatisfied with her grandson. "He's way too busy. He doesn't have time to keep me company. Even when he does come back, he's always M.I.A!"

Wow.

Rex listened in sheer awe.

He almost wanted to scream in Rowan's defense. It wasn't that Rowan never spent time with the old lady; it was that she found his single, brooding presence to be a total eyesore.

Unaware of the underlying truth, Elissa smiled and asked casually, "Does he not usually come back here?"

—Of course he's going to come back, especially once you move in.

Rex was just about to interject when Mrs. Garrett waved her hand dismissively. "No! He doesn't have the time. Don't worry, it'll just be the two of us."

"..."

Rowan's gaze drifted down to her fingertips, which were bright red from the freezing ice pack. He frowned imperceptibly, closed the distance in three long strides, and pulled her toward the powder room.

Warm water cascaded from the faucet. He leaned over, holding her hands, and washed them with agonizingly gentle strokes.

They weren't cold anymore; they were incredibly warm.

So warm that Elissa's heart rate spiked. She tilted her head and found herself staring at the striking, razor-sharp lines of his profile.

His long, thick eyelashes were lowered, casting shadows over his high nose bridge. His lips were pressed into a tight line as he meticulously washed her hands, treating her like a precious treasure he had just found after years of searching.

Watching him, she couldn't help but softly call out, "Rowan."

She clearly felt his fingers tremble against hers. His jaw tightened.

Then, he let out a low, husky, "Yeah?"

The man who used to demand she say his name properly was now suddenly nervous.

Amused, she tilted her head and teased over the sound of running water, "Rowan?"