It shouldn’t be.
Yes, she had a head injury, but this had come on suddenly.
Then it hit her.
“You gave me a sleeping pill.” She tried to glare at Sam, but instead her eyes fluttered closed. It hadn’t been two painkillers that Sam had given her, one had been a sleeping pill.
“You need sleep, and you were being uncooperative.” Sam shrugged unapologetically.
Panic sliced through her. She battled it valiantly. She hated being sedated. Actually,hatedit. It totally terrified her. Who did Sam think he was? Being her bodyguard didn’t give him permission to drug her against her will.
“How dare you,” she raged, or more accurately mumbled.
“Shh,” Clara soothed, helping her to lie back down. “Just rest.”
“I don’t need …” she tried to protest, but her throat felt thick and getting words out was becoming difficult.
“Let your eyes close.” Clara’s hand was smoothing her hair, the repetitive motion made Naomi extra sleepy.
It seemed she had no choice in the matter, her eyes were closing of their own volition. Maybe sleep was a good thing after all. Her brain didn’t often turn off. She didn’t usually get more than a few hours of sleep a night. Most of the time she functioned on sheer force of will. She didn’t like to stop because when she stopped, she thought, and she didn’t like to think. So she just kept moving.
Only now she couldn’t move.
She couldn’t even stay awake.
“We’re right here, Naomi,” Clara said. “You're safe.”
Safe?
When had she ever been safe?
* * * * *
10:31 P.M.
“Are you sure you'll be okay with her tonight?” Nick asked.
“We’ll be fine,” Sam replied confidently. He liked Nick, had been happy to offer him a job when he’d resigned from the police force. More importantly, he trusted Nick. Trusted him even with Naomi’s life. But his gut told him the killer wasn't going to make an attempt on Naomi tonight. He wanted her to suffer. He wanted her to know that he could play with her life. He was going to drag this out before reaching his end game.
“I think we should stay.” Clara was still staring at her sleeping sister. “I don’t want her to be alone.”
“I’llbe here,” he reminded her.
“You're here to watch over her, that’s not the same,” Clara protested.
“It’s not safe …” Jonathon began.
She cut her fiancé off with a glare. “Stop saying that. I don’t care if it’s safe or not. Naomi has been through enough, she never lets anyone help her. She always pretends she can handle everything on her own, but that’s just an act, she needs her family right now.”
“Like I said,I'mhere.” He liked Naomi’s sisters, both of them, but this wasn't up for discussion. “I won't have you or Aggie putting yourselves in danger. If you're here it just divides my attention, that’s when someone is going to wind up hurt. Or worse. Neither of you are to come back here until this is resolved.”
Clara turned her glare on him. “If you don’t want Naomi to throw you out you better ease up with the orders. You know she hates that. Fine, we’ll try to keep away, but I do not agree to not see my sister indefinitely.”
“We’ll organize something in a couple of days,” he conceded.
“If we can't see her for a few days then let’s stay a little longer,” Aggie said.
“No. It’s late. She’s asleep. You can call her tomorrow.” His tone brokered no argument, and while Aggie frowned at him, she didn’t offer one.