Never … ever … forget.
****
Present day
Preacher jerked awake at the sound of Robin’s gasp. He didn’t have time to stop her as she hurtled out of bed and ran.
He quickly followed her, not caring about his naked state. The pain in his ribs took a direct hit but he ignored it. The raid the other night with Dog didn’t go according to plan. The men at the docks were stealing from them, but they’d also been made aware of exactly what was going on. They were expecting them.
Rather than a nice quick capture and torture, it had ended in a gunfight, and a lot of punches were thrown. For his troubles, he got a nice direct hit to his ribs. Nothing was broken and according to Randall, he’d be feeling better in no time. So far, he called bullshit, but then it had only been a couple of days.
Reaper was the one responsible for the docks, he just knew it. The men who had taken his dope didn’t have a name for the man who paid them, but in his gut, he knew Reaper was close.
What he didn’t know was why his enemy was lurking in the background but refusing to come out and play. Instead, he was making bad deals. The kind to draw attention to himself, but why?
From his experience with Reaper, the man had a reason for everything. What Preacher needed to do was be one step ahead of the game. So far, he’d been too distracted by Robin. If he didn’t get inside Reaper’s head soon, he had a horrible feeling it was going to come and bite him in the ass.
Rushing downstairs, he found Robin, completely naked, trying to get out the door. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he tried to pull her back.
“Get off me. I have to go. I have … I have to … I’m needed … she needs me.”
“Who needs you?” he asked.
She didn’t answer. Her heart raced.
She pushed him away but he was by far stronger than her. Anything she tried to do to get away from him, he was easily able to stop.
She growled at him, begging for him to let her go.
He refused.
She didn’t like him holding her, and she kept mumbling about being needed. It was like she was caught up in a nightmare. One that only she could see.
Finally, when she gave up and collapsed to the ground, he still held her. She panted and sobbed but didn’t try to fight him.
“I’ve got you,” he said.
He’d repeat the words over and over until she realized she was safe. He was with her and he wasn’t going to let her go. Kissing her temple, he continued to hold her, not letting go.
“What is happening to me?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Do you know what set this off?”
“A dream. I think it was a dream, but it felt so real.”
“You kept mentioning she. What she? Your mom? Someone you remember?”
“I don’t know.” She curled up in a ball. “Please, Preacher, hold me.”
He held her even tighter. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you. You’re safe now.”
“What if someone’s still out there? What if another woman was taken? Do you think that’s who I’m remembering?”
“I honestly don’t know.” He kissed the top of her head. “Talk to me. Tell me how you’re feeling.”
He needed to know what he was up against. Her past was a complete mystery to the both of them, and there was no getting away from it, no matter how much she tried to fight it. “Can we move?” she asked.
“Sure.” He lifted her off the floor and carried her through to the living room. After placing her on the sofa, he wrapped a blanket around her. “I’m going to go make us some hot chocolate.”
“Okay.”
“You’re fine if I leave you alone?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I promise.”
She offered him a smile but he wasn’t convinced.
“I’ll be back.” Once he was in the kitchen, he heated up some milk. His hands were shaking. Nerves were getting to him.
He’d never seen her like this and it scared him. When the milk was hot, he added in the melted chocolate, which he’d poured out from a bag of chocolate chips. Giving them a stir, he added some sugar before pouring out the mugs.
Walking back into the living room, he found her huddled under the blanket.
“You’re naked.”
“So are you.” He handed her the chocolate and took the seat beside her. Sipping at the scolding liquid, he waited.
“I’m so sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize. Honestly, I’m fine.”
“It’s late and I woke you up acting like a crazy person. I don’t even know what went wrong.” She sipped at her drink. “This is nice.”
“I’d rather be with you than have you suffer alone. Do you know what you were thinking? Feeling?”
“I … it’s like I’m missing something or someone. Like I’m needed. It’s important for me to remember. I … I wasn’t afraid. I wanted to go back.” She shook her head. “It makes absolutely no sense at all.”