11. Dahlia
Chapter eleven
Dahlia
B reathe, just breathe, damnit!
I gasped for air, tugging at the bandage on my throat as it threatened to strangle me.
Hands reached down to stop my hands from ripping it off, and I flinched away until I realized they belonged to Amanda.
I let her tug my hands down from my throat, and she wrapped them around a coffee mug full of water instead.
Her eyes were red as she knelt beside me, rubbing my leg and murmuring soothing things to calm me down.
We were hiding in an empty conference room after I had basically fled the press conference—or as Amanda had coined it, the Flaming Trash Fire .
I had to admit, her name fit it better. I lifted the mug up to my lips, but my hands were shaking so much I ended up spilling half down the sides, splattering my skirt and the carpet underneath me.
“I’m going to fucking kill him,” Amanda seethed as I let out a quiet sob.
We’d met the mayor’s media coordinator in this very same room just before the press-conference was to begin.
Asher stayed with me while Hunter and Amanda went out to the main room where the press was waiting, finding an empty space close to the wall.
The mayor had come in to greet me, his large sweaty hand swallowing up mine in a brutal grip, his smile feeling oily and fake as he looked me over.
Against my better judgment, I’d let him lead me out into the main room, Asher quiet as a ghost as he slipped in behind us, taking a position along the wall, staying in my line of sight.
The mayor’s speech had started off innocuous enough, providing some background on the case and repeating the warning about Steve Curing, including the tip-line number people could call if they saw him.
I’d fidgeted nervously, my palms growing damp as I felt the stares of a hundred people roving my body.
I’d met Asher’s gaze, and he lifted his chin up ever so slightly, so I did the same, faking the confidence I didn’t feel.
He’d given me a reassuring smile that I wasn’t able to return at the time, but it felt nice all the same.
“-our support for the families of the victims, as well as our living witness, our survivor, Dahlia Porter.” The mayor had announced, and this was my cue to look at him, giving a wane smile.
A flash of light had momentarily blinded me, and I looked over my shoulder at the collage of women’s faces now being shown through the projector.
Ice flooded my veins, realizing who these women were.
They all looked so similar to me, we could’ve been blond sisters—or cousins at least—even down to the blue-green eyes and the heart shaped faces.
“We took your Doll away, Curing, and we’re not giving her back.
” I’d whirled on the mayor, my mouth open in shock, not willing to believe the words I’d just heard.
He was gesturing at me, his speech becoming more like a rally-cry with each passing moment.
I glanced at Asher, who was glaring at him with a deadly look in his eye.
The room began to feel too small, there wasn’t enough air in there.
I’d heard cameras going off, flashes of light making me see stars.
“-tried to silence them, take away their voices. Isn’t that right, Dahlia?
” he demanded, and I gaped out at the sea of cameras like a fish out of water, my hand going to the bandage on my throat.
I’d felt like I was moving, or maybe everyone else was, the crowd swaying as everything started to blur.
“Well, we’re giving you your voice back.
What would you like to Curing right now?
” the mayor continued, and that was when my lungs had seized up completely.
This wasn’t part of the deal, I wasn’t supposed to have to talk.
My mouth opened and closed, but no sounds came out. What would I like to say to the man who hurt me, who was going to kill me like all those other women? I had no answer, my mind was a complete blank.
Hands had wrapped around my shoulders, and I flinched until I realized it was Asher.
The mayor was saying something, gesturing wildly as Asher pulled me away from him.
“-just try and take your Doll back, Curing, and we’ll drop you like the school bully you are.
” The words became muffled as the door closed behind us, and we were back in the hallway once more.
My vision was tunneling, my heart trying to restart my broken lungs.
My legs buckled, but Asher caught me against his chest, wrapping his arms around me until all I could feel was his warmth.
I was shaking, small tremors traveling down my spine and through each of my limbs.
I gasped, and my lungs expanded just a little, enough that I was able to exhale in a sob.
Asher pulled away just a bit, and I swayed for a moment, untethered, until I felt Amanda’s hands around my shoulders.
“Baby girl, hey, you’re okay,” she murmured, smoothing my hair out of my face.
I tried to respond, but another sob bubbled up in its place, and I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to keep from falling apart.
“Ms. Porter! Any comments on Mayor Cormack’s bold proclamation?” someone shouted.
“Hey, this is a restricted area!” Asher snapped, storming past us, going after the reporter who’d clearly followed me here.
Hunter pulled us both to the nearest conference room, and Amanda had whisked me inside to sit down.
“Stay here,” he had told us, shutting the door behind him.
I could hear Asher shouting through the wall.
That had been a while ago now, and we still could hear voices floating toward us through the thin walls of the conference room.
I couldn’t move even if I wanted to, my whole body felt paralyzed.
I managed to get a sip of water, willing myself to swallow it before it just dribbled out of my mouth.
“As soon as we get out of this closet, I’ll find you something stronger,” Amanda murmured, and I choked out a small laugh.
Amanda jumped to her feet as the door opened, but it was only Hunter and Asher, both grim-faced. “Hey, real quick, what the fuck was that nonsense?” Amanda snapped, her fury leveled at Hunter. He pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head.
“I have no idea,” he muttered. “None of that was in the overview we were given. As far as I know, that was all spur-of-the-moment. I’m so sorry,” he announced, looking at me when he said the last part.
“I would never have let you do that if I’d known.
” He looked genuinely upset, and I knew he was telling the truth.
None of that felt planned, it was more like a rant than a speech by the end.
A knock at the door had us all on edge, and a small brunette woman stuck her head inside.
I recognized her as the media person for the mayor, and my heart thundered in my chest.
“Hey guys… just wanted to debrief really quick,” she announced, her voice a little too breezy.
“I think you’ve done quite enough,” Asher replied, his voice cold and oddly menacing. She bristled at his comment, turning to ignore him, her eyes focusing on me. Amanda stepped up, her hands balled into fists, and I grabbed the back of her shirt to stop her.
“I know things got a bit unscripted there near the end, but sometimes Mayor Cormack likes to add some emotion into his speeches, for authenticity,” she explained, as if he hadn’t just waved me in front of a serial killer like a prize that had been stolen away.
“What do you need from us?” Hunter asked sharply, crossing his arms.
“Well, Mayor Cormack would love to get a couple pictures with Ms. Porter, and I believe the press has some questions they would like to ask her as well,” she told him, eyeing us nervously.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Asher snapped, and Hunter gave him a sharp look, but he ignored it. “He’s not toting Ms. Porter out there in front of those vultures like some kind of trophy.”
“Cross, why don’t you go grab Ms. Porter some more water,” Hunter suggested pointedly, but Asher waved him off, advancing on the media woman until she was forced to back up a step, her back hitting the wall behind her.
“Do you know what you idiots have done? I could have you charged for disrupting a federal investigation, for harassing a witness-” he growled, and Hunter put a hand on his shoulder.
“Dr. Cross,” he emphasized. “Go find Ms. Porter a bottle of water. Now, please.” Hunter was shorter than Asher by nearly half a foot, but he had an air of authority that was undeniable.
Asher clenched his fists, staring down at his partner for a long moment, before stepping back and walking out without another word.
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, and, from the looks of it, the media coordinator did the same.
She opened her mouth to continue talking but Hunter cut her off immediately.
“No, we’re done here. Ms. Porter will not be returning for pictures, and you can forget about any other press opportunities with this or any other case,” Hunter told her, his tone razor sharp.
Her face scrunched up, and she looked like she was going to argue with him, but he just stepped smoothly out of the way and held his arm out.
“I’ll walk you out.” Her shoulders rose in indignation, but she nodded firmly, shooting me one last desperate look before leaving.
Hunter followed her out, closing the door behind him.
“Jesus, she really had the fucking audacity, didn’t she?” Amanda huffed, and I let out another choked laugh. I wiped my fingers across my cheeks, trying to clear off any remaining tears that might be hanging around.