“No.” I waved him off. “Get back. Everyone get back.” I held her close, rocking her. “I’m so sorry, Lina,” I whispered, pressing my lips to her forehead. “So fucking sorry.”
I’d missed how smooth her skin is, her melon scent. No way did I want to reunite with her as a result of some asshole thugs trying to hurt her.
George stood up and started barking orders to security. I zeroed in on Lina, brushing her hair back, kissing her temple, her closed eyes. “You’re safe. I got you. I’m never going to let go again.”
* * *
Angelina
Sweaty bodies, foul breath, and the stench of week-old tuna saturated my senses. They’d finally left me alone. So tired, I was so tired.
The metallic taste of blood coated my tongue, and I turned to spit. My sore cheek met something soft. The pain lessened for a while as I closed my eyes and disappeared into my mind. I’d lost track of how long I’d been stuck in this stinky basement and the last time I’d eaten. The chill seeped into my bones making me feel brittle and…broken.
Tears stung the back of my eyes, but it hurt too much to let them out because of the cuts on my face. I shifted slightly to ease the pain on my right side, but my hands fastened to the bedpost above my head restricted my movement. A wave of nausea swarmed over me.
A door creaked, and my stomach clenched. They were back. No. No—
“No!” My voice and burning throat yanked me out of the nightmare.
My shirt clung to my chest like a second skin. I pulled the sheets up as I looked around. Familiar pink walls with pictures I’d seen day in and day out for years sent a sense of peace over me.
The blood raging through my brain and my heart hammering drowned out every other noise around me.
My door burst open, and Hunter thundered through, fingers folded into a fist, and his eyes dancing every direction. “Lina?”
I scooted back in my bed, stunned at his presence. And that’s when reality hit me spot on the head. I’d been heading to class. Three guys ran after me, chasing me up the stairs. I’d kicked one, but the other, he grabbed me, tried to drag me away.
That was when I saw Hunter. He tackled the guy. Saved me.
“You screamed.” He hurried to me and skidded to his knees.
I stared at him, but I couldn’t speak as my tongue was thick with dry mouth. He’d come to the campus, he’d found me. After all this time, he was here, by my side. He’d chased my nightmare away, too. I’d not had that dream for a while.
I grabbed the pillow and hugged it to my body.
“You’re safe.” He glanced around. “Nightmare?”
I nodded. “How are you here?”
He sat back on his heels. “You scared me.”
“What time is it?”
“Don’t worry about that. You—”
“How long was I out?” Damn it, I’d passed out. I’d made it so far, too. I was on the campus, heading to class! And then all hell broke loose.
“It’s morning. You slept all night.”
“What happened? Who were those guys?” I shook my head, clearing the sleep and the remnants of the nightmare from my mind.
“Marshal’s team is on it. Not sure.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not.” He shook his head. “I swear it.”
I didn’t trust him. He’d lied so perfectly about everything to me, he could be lying now.