She was so distraught she hadn’t even noticed I’d come in the room until I stepped over to the edge of the bed and whispered, “Remington?”
Without moving, she asked, “What?”
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Anything I can do?”
Remington slowly lifted her head and looked up at me with tears running down her cheeks. Her eyes were red and even more swollen than they were earlier, and her nose sounded stuffy as she answered, “You can let me call my mom.”
“Remington, you know I can’t.”
“Well, you asked what you could do, and I answered.” She sat up with a pained grimace. “I feel horrible. I hurt all over, and I can’t stop thinking about what they did to me. I just want to hear her voice. Even if it’s just for a minute. I just miss her, and my dad too. I should be able to talk to them and tell them I’m okay.”
“That’s not an option.”
“Please.” Her begging tone tugged at me in a way I couldn’t explain. I found myself wanting to give in, which was something that never happened—not with me. “They won’t tell anyone. I promise.”
“As much as I’d like to believe that, we can’t take a chance.”
“This isn’t fair.” The waterworks started up again. “I feel so alone. I can’t take much more of this.”
“I get that.” I wasn’t one of those feely types who knew how to handle moments like this. I closed that part of myself off a long time ago, but something about her made me want to try. I knelt down next to her. “I know it isn’t easy, but for right now, we gotta stay quiet about this. It’s the only way I can keep you safe.”
“I just don’t get it.” Her eyes met mine. “I didn’t do anything to deserve all this.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Then, why is this happening to me?”
“I can’t answer that, Remington.” I shrugged. “Shit happens, and sometimes there’s not a damn thing we can do about it.”
“So, what happens now? I’m just stuck here, hiding away while my parents and friends are out there thinking I’m dead?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Damn. Just my luck.” She shook her head and sighed. “I knew going on a blind date was a bad idea.”
“No way you could’ve known this would happen.”
“Maybe not, but I should’ve never let Madeline talk me into going. She was just so adamant about it. It’s not her fault. She had no way of knowing that Thomas would be involved in all this. I don’t think he even knew. Poor guy seemed just as shocked as I was when those men showed up.”
“I’m sure he was.” I stood up, then sat down on the edge of the bed. “So, why did Madeline think you needed to be set up on a blind date in the first place? I’d figure a girl like you could get any guy you want.”
“What do you mean...a girl like me?” She pointed at the bruises on her face. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough.”
“I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean, but I can tell you this. It’ll be a long time before I even think about going on another date. Actually, after all this, I might just give it up altogether.”
“Hmm...I didn’t take you as the quittin’ type.”
“Oh, really? And what type do you think I am?”
“You gotta have some fight in ya, ’cause there’re not many people who could’ve gone through what you did and live to tell about it.” I shrugged with indifference. “But I’m not one to talk. Don’t do the whole dating thing either.”
“Really? Why not?”
“I’ve got my reasons.” We were starting to delve into a conversation I didn’t intend on having, so I stood up and stepped away from the bedside. “You gonna be all right?”
“Don’t really have a choice in the matter, but yes, I’ll be fine.”
“Good.” As I made my way to the door, I told her, “I’ll be across the hall if you need anything.”
“Okay. Thanks, Shotgun.”
I nodded, then walked out of the room and closed the door behind me. As I entered my room and started to take off my clothes, it hit me. That short conversation I’d just had with Remington was the most I’d talked to a woman in years. I wasn’t sure what to make of it. I was too tired to think about it, so I blew it off as a job that needed to be done. Remington was upset, and I simply did what I could to set her mind at ease. I had too many other things on my mind to dwell on it, so I dropped down on the bed and let my exhaustion take over. It felt like I’d just closed my eyes when I heard someone pounding on my door. “Shotgun!”
“Yeah?”
I was still rubbing the sleep from my eyes when Axel shouted, “We got trouble!”