Chapter 27
KAYLA
Light filters through the narrowing of my eyes, and I stretch my limbs, my body achy and sore for some reason I can’t quite recall.
My breathing intensifies as I glance around the room, and panic grips its ugly hand around my throat. Where the hell am I?
It appears to be a simple bedroom. A bed and a loveseat in one corner, plus a cherrywood dresser and nightstand.
I’ve never been here before. What am I doing here?
I try to sit up, but throbbing in my stomach makes me fall back down. As soon as I do, I remember.
Being home. The attack. My stomach…
Oh, no…
I’m afraid to look at what they did to me.
I remember A rescuing me. It wasn’t a dream? Is this his place?
I’m in my own clothing, but different than what I had on when I went to bed. I think. Someone dressed me.
“A?” I call for him.
Where is he?
My pulse thrashes at the thought that maybe I imagined the entire thing. Not the attack, but my rescue. Maybe someone else has me.
“Hello?” My words are croaky, weak. “A? Are you here?”
Keys chime at the door before it opens, and there he is, mask and hoodie on, and somehow that brings me comfort.
“Hey, babe. How are you feeling? I made you some tomato soup for when you feel like eating.”
I fight to sit up, groaning from pain. And he’s instantly there at lightning speed, helping me up to a seated position.
“I have a headache.” My fingers massage my temple.
He takes the bottle of meds and the water, the ones I hadn’t noticed on the nightstand, and gives me two pills. I take it, returning the water bottle back to him.
“What happened to me? How long have I been here?”
His chest rises and falls in quick succession. “Two days.”
“What?!”
How’s that possible?
“Kayla, I’m sorry.”
“Tell me what happened, please.”
I know I won’t like it, but I have to know. I have to know what he knows.
He wrestles with what to say, clenching and unclenching his hand.
“Two people came for you. It was him. The killer.” He chokes up with rage in his tone. “He…”
It’s then my fingers reach for my stomach, feeling the cotton there.
Panic sets in. Adrenaline kicking through my bloodstream. Suddenly, I’m on my feet, breathing heavy. Dizzy.
Oh, God. What did they do to me?!
“Show me!” I yank up my shirt and try to pry the gauze off. “What is it?” I tremble, angry tears filling my eyes. “Show me, God damn it!”
His hands clasp mine and his thumb brushes my skin there. “It’s okay. You’re safe here. Just relax and sit down. I’ll show you whatever you want.”
My body goes rigid, and I nod as he settles me back on the edge of the bed.
“Is it bad?” I wonder.
He doesn’t answer, lifting up my shirt, which I hold up while he slowly removes the tape around the gauze before it’s off completely.
When my eyes dart down, I gasp with quick, jerky breaths.
“No…” I shake my head with a cry. “Wh-what is it?” I pant, staring at the star carved onto my stomach.
“That’s his brand,” A clarifies. “He knew I’ve been looking for him. He left you alive for me to find. He wanted me to know he can get to you whenever he wants.” He growls. “I’m sorry I brought him to you. I’m so fucking sorry.”
My heart races and I jump to my feet. “I need to get out of here!”
Winded inhales assail me as I rush for the door, attempting to pry it open. But when I turn the knob, I realize it’s locked.
I spin around to him. “Let me out!”
“Kayla, you need to lie back down. You’re gonna make yourself bleed.”
My mind returns there, playing it over and over. “Let me out!”
I suddenly feel claustrophobic, my knees bucking, my head spinning.
When he stays rooted in place, I march toward him, hating that this happened to me. That I was a victim again.
Weak, pathetic Kayla. I’m over being weak.
“Just wait a minute, okay?” he pleads. “You need to rest. Please. I want to take care of you. That’s all.”
Pain swirls in the back of my throat as he goes on.
“I got your car, and it’s in my garage. I also made sure to text your friends telling them you went on a little getaway by yourself, a lake house upstate.
They were understanding. So were your parents, though your mom was worried, but I calmed her down.
” He takes a step forward. “Sent her lots of texts and photos of a beautiful cabin by a lake so she doesn’t think you’re off doing something crazy. ”
My mouth widens as I cut the rest of the distance between us. “You have this all figured out, huh?”
“I was just trying to help. This is my fault.”
I ignore the pain in his voice. “Let me out of this fucking place!”
“I hate seeing you this way.” He cups my cheeks, and I succumb to his magical touch, my heartbeats slowing a little, like he’s the antidote to my heartache. “I just need you to get a little better before I let you out.”
“Excuse me?” I shrug off his touch. “Who the hell are you to decide that for me? I will never be imprisoned again. Do you hear me?!”
“I’m not keeping you prisoner. For fuck’s sake, Kayla! Do you know what it did to me to see someone hurting you and be too far to stop it?”
He saw it? Oh, God.
“Do you understand that the mere thought of losing you made me wanna fucking die? You don’t, do you?
” He chuckles coldly. “Because you’ve always had people you cared about.
Me? I never have.” He snaps his hand around my jaw and pulls his face near.
“Not until you.” His thumb strokes my lips.
“I can’t take it, feeling the things you do to me, the things you make me wanna do and say.
So yeah, I’m keeping you here until you get better, and then you’re free to go. ”
A lump lodges in my throat until fresh tears skim down my cheeks. His admission was huge for him. I know it was, and I don’t take that for granted.
“I’m not mad at you.” I sniffle, taking his hand in mine and kissing his knuckles.
Our fingers twine together and stay that way, forging a connection much deeper than most have in a lifetime.
“I don’t know what’s happening to me, Kayla.” His raw truth pierces through once again.
“I don’t know what’s happening to me either.” I wrap my arms around his middle and cry against his chest.
He holds me tightly across my back, tighter than he’s ever held me before, like he doesn’t ever want to imagine his life without me.
“You’re gonna be okay,” he assures me. “We’ll get them. There’ll be a reckoning, I swear it.”
“How did you find me?” I perch back, wanting so badly to see him, to look into his eyes. To know this man who’s come to mean something to me.
“I—”
“The truth, A.” I know there’s more.
I didn’t miss the fact that he said he watched me get hurt. How could he have seen it? Did they send footage to his phone?
He releases a long huff. “I have cameras installed in your home.”
A flush creeps up my cheeks. “I’m sorry, what?”
“It’s for your protection, Kayla.”
“How dare you?!” I push him off with two palms across his chest. “How could you violate me that way after what I’ve been through?”
My head, it hurts. I hate this. I don’t want to exist like this. Being watched, preyed on. I can’t trust anyone anymore.
“I needed to make sure the killer wasn’t after you, that the traffickers didn’t return for you. But I fucking failed. I know that!”
“Get out!” I snatch a fistful of his shirt. “Get the hell out!”
He grabs my wrist and brings my body flush against his, and before he knows what’s happening, I grab his mask and yank it off his face.
But once I see who’s behind it, I stumble backward, a cold rush creeping up my spine.
“No!” I trip, trying to get away, my pulse pounding in my ear. “It c-can’t be you.” I tremble out the words, unable to process the face I’m looking at.
How could I not know? How could I have been deceived this way?
“Please, Kayla. Let me explain.”
“No, g-get away from me!” My voice comes as a whispered shout, tears leaking out of the edges of my eyes.
“Please don’t run from me, baby bird. I can’t stand the thought of losing you.” His throat bobs as he draws closer while I back into the door, slamming right into it.
Two palms cage me as his lips, those lips I’ve dreamed about kissing when I could finally see his face, hover above mine.
“I won’t stay here another moment! Not after this!” My heart aches, the betrayal soaking in so deep I don’t know how I can ever forget it.
His lips curl on one side and his gaze grows sad.
He reaches for my face, knuckles feathering down slowly as those eyes, those bright green eyes, pin mine. “I’m sorry, Kayla. But I can’t let you leave.”