Rami

Chapter 9

Ivy sat on the bathroom floor. The cotton jogging pants and long-sleeved shirt felt as smooth as butter on her abused skin. She jiggled the toothbrush around her teeth and foam filled her mouth, threatening to induce another puking episode. But it felt too good to stop. Her breath probably smelled like a corpse’s.

So embarrassing.

At least after she got home, she’d never have to see Rami’s handsome, invasive face again. Surely her rescue would fade from his memory and he’d forget showering with her and holding back her hair while she puked.

A gentle knock sounded on the door.

“How are you making out?”

She rose to shaky feet, hanging on to the counter for support, and spit a mouthful of toothpaste into the sink. “Almost done.” She wouldn’t admit she’d been brushing her teeth for five solid minutes. Glancing in the mirror, she felt her stomach twist. She’d avoided looking at herself until now.

The person staring back at her was a complete stranger. Her eyes were sunken and her face pale and gaunt. The skin around her left eye was a deep purple. She lifted her fingers to touch the spot and winced as pain spread across her brow and cheekbone.

She knew that as the weeks and months went on, she’d get her physical appearance back, but there was no way she’d ever be the same again. The familiar rush of self-pity tightened her throat.

She pressed her dry, cracked lips together to hold back the tears. A wave of homesickness washed over her. Looking at her reflection reminded her of Gigi. She turned to the door and smothered a wave of sadness. Now that she was somewhat more awake and aware, she needed to call her sister. She popped open the bathroom door and walked into Rami’s hulking chest.

“Oof.” She staggered back an inch and he caught her wrist. He’d put on clothes since he left the bathroom—thank god. Now her eyes could focus on his face instead of all the hardened muscle that stacked his frame. Like, did rescuers need that much mass?

Instantly his eyes swept over her, examining. His deep, pacific blue irises were ringed with yellow. The most interesting, brightest combination she’d ever seen. “What’s wrong?”

That was a loaded question. Everything was wrong, but she also wasn’t going to admit that she was hovering on a mental breakdown and she’d been caught up in his soul-sucking eyes. “Nothing. I’d like to call my sister, if you don’t mind.”

She tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear and averted her gaze. As pleasant as he was to look at, his scrutiny made her jumpy.

“’Course you can. It’s four in the morning, though.”

She rounded her eyes. The time hadn’t even occurred to her. For weeks she’d lived in a dark void where time and days bled into each other. Where she didn’t know if it was morning or night.

Gratitude struck her again, and she dared a glance at his face. The whites of his eyes were strained and red, his forehead creased. Although she didn’t know him, she sensed his exhaustion. He was surely going above and beyond what Gigi had asked of him.

“How long have you been awake?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I slept in the van on the way here.”

“You drove?” Her eyes widened further. “From Seattle?”

“Well, I didn’t drive from Mars,” he said with a chuckle.

“It hadn’t even occurred to me that you’d traveled that far. You should rest. I’ll be okay.”

His head ticked to the side. “Your sister has been waiting more than two weeks to hear your voice. I think I can stay awake a little longer. C’mon.” He moved his hand from her wrist to her hip and guided her farther into the bedroom.

Every fiber of her being begged to stretch out on the mattress. She sat gingerly, fighting the urge to drop to the pillow. The room wasn’t anything special, just a basic motel room with a queen bed, nightstands, and a dinette table. But no critters scurried across the floor, no garbage hid the surfaces, and the air was only a little musty—it was a far cry from the acrid-smelling, filth-infested camper.

Even the lumpy bed felt luxurious to her weak, achy muscles. Rami grabbed a cell phone from the nightstand and glanced at the screen. His lips twitched. “I already woke her. I sent her a message when we got you settled and she replied.” He turned the screen so Ivy could read it.

Oh my god! You’re a hero.

Please call me as soon as you can.

I need to hear her voice.

Ivy’s lip trembled, and she took the device. She couldn’t stop staring at the words.

“Here.” Rami reached over and tapped the device that she was too numb to operate, and in a second, the line was ringing.

The shrill sound was a noise so familiar yet so intrusive. After one ring, the line connected.

“Hello?” Gigi’s voice clicked into place in Ivy’s head like the missing piece of a Tetris puzzle. A piece so important to her psyche it was as if she’d been teleported home.

“Gig?” Her voice broke, and tears dammed up her vocal cords. Her body shook and her muscles puddled.

Rami snagged her shoulder before she folded to the ground. He held her in place.

“Ohmigod, ohmigod,” Gigi blurted. “I can’t believe it’s you. I can’t believe it. Are you okay?” she asked breathlessly.

Ivy’s sobs matched her twin’s gut-wrenching cries. Tears coursed down her cheeks, and she closed her eyes. If she didn’t reveal her vulnerability to the other half of her soul, she might break. “No,” she confessed. “I’m not. I mean—I am. I’m in one piece.” It was the simplest explanation she could give, but it was a lie. Physically, she was whole. Mentally, she was a shattered mess.

“You’re safe.” Gigi’s words boomed with determination. “I need you to know that. You’re coming home and you’re in good hands. Nothing else matters. We’ll get through this like we have everything else.”

Ivy kept her eyes sealed shut. Rami’s hand was unwavering, a constant pressure that kept her grounded. Still, she couldn’t bring her eyes to meet his. It was crazy that she cared whether he thought her pathetic. She sucked in a breath. “Okay.” She steadied her bottom lip. “I’ll see you soon.”

“I love you,” Gigi said.

“I love you, too.” She moved the phone away from her ear and Rami took it and hung up. “When can I go home?” she asked. Blinking open her eyes, she dashed away the tears that hadn’t fallen.

“Soon. We’ve got to get you more stable to travel. Which means you need to let August hook up that IV.”

She grimaced. The catheter was already in her arm but she hated the idea of him messing with it.

Rami’s expression softened. “How about some food first?”

She scrunched her lips to the side. Surprisingly, she didn’t have much appetite. The fact that she’d just puked bile probably had a lot to do with that. “Water would be great.”

He snagged a fresh bottle from the nightstand and cracked it open, passing it to her. “You should try to eat. You need your strength.”

“Did you eat?” she countered.

“I had a couple protein bars and some jerky before we got to the camper. Other than that, not since supper. But I wouldn’t normally eat in the middle of the night. Taschen grabbed some stuff when he got your clothes. Let me see what there is.” He went to the lone paper bag on the dinette table and dug inside. “I’ve got bananas, crackers, and trail mix.” He cocked his head. “Anything sound appealing?”

“No.” She gave a light laugh. “But crackers might be the safest.”

“Good call.” He opened a package and handed her the box of saltines.

Gingerly, she took one of the square crackers and brought it to her lips. The salt stung her skin, but she nibbled anyway. Her stomach clenched around the food but after a few minutes seemed to accept the weight. She pulled out a few more pieces, further invoking her hunger.

Fifteen minutes later she’d had two handfuls of crackers and half a banana. More food than she’d had in one sitting in weeks.

Rami didn’t take his eyes off her. He sat in the chair near her bed, a brooding air surrounding him. The silence grew heavy with unspoken questions. It seemed he wanted to prod but didn’t dare for fear of crossing a line.

“Rami is a unique name,” Ivy said, to break the silence that had started feeling awkward. “I’ve never heard it before.” She bit into another cracker.

His mouth twitched. “It’s Lebanese.”

“Oh, you don’t have an accent.”

“Nope. My mom’s American, my dad moved here as a kid. I guess he just wanted to pay homage to his roots with a Lebanese name.”

“Have you been to Lebanon before?”

“A couple times. My parents used to visit regularly. After I enlisted, my brother took more trips there than I did.”

Interest curved her brow. “Where’s your brother now?”

He glanced away. When his gaze returned to her, it was heavy and full of hate. “My brother, Zain, was kidnapped by terrorists two years ago. He’s presumed dead, but...”

The mushy cracker thickened in her throat and compassion filled her heart. That explained Rami’s stoic demeanor and perpetual angry expression. Guilt flipped her stomach. “I’m so sorry. Here you are rescuing me when you have someone missing.”

Darkness flashed across his face. “I’d do anything to find him. I tried for over a year and then I had to come back to reality. I ran out of funds, resources, and comrades to help.” He stretched his arms over his head. “Enough about that. I’m glad we found you, and I don’t regret taking the job for a minute. Feel better?” He nodded at the cracker in her hand.

She polished it off and forced a smile. Her questions had clearly opened a wound that he’d wanted to keep concealed, but now she knew something about her dark savior. “Yes. Thank you.” She put the sleeve of crackers on the nightstand. “I’m glad you suggested I eat.”

His elbow was propped on the arm of the chair and two fingers were pressed to his temple as he stared at her. “When you attacked me with the nail,” he said. “Was that the first time you fought back?”

She blinked in rapid succession. Her chin quivered as memories washed over her.

“Sorry,” he blurted. “You don’t have to answer that,” he said harshly, as if chastising himself.

She dropped her gaze to her lap and rubbed her thighs. The cotton pants were soft beneath her hands. Nervousness made her want to crawl under the blankets and disappear.

Did he really think she hadn’t tried to escape? “I fought them a couple of times. More so in the beginning.” Her voice sounded distant to her own ears.

She kept her focus on the plaid joggers. “The first time, I used a beer bottle and hit the guy in the head. That was when I woke up in the van, shortly after they took me. Unfortunately, it didn’t do much but make him mad. He hit me... then the woman did. I—I blacked out. When I woke up it was dark. They must have swapped vehicles because I was in a trunk.”

She wet her lips and chanced a glance at his expression. His square jaw was locked, his mouth a straight line. There was murder in his eyes.

She gulped. “I tried again. I’m not sure where we were but it was before they took me to the camper. They let me go to the bathroom in a bush at the side of the road. Marty, the woman, was with me.” She practically whispered the words, as if saying them too loudly would bring the past back to life. “I tried to run, and she tackled me. Hit me a few times in the face and gave me a bloody nose. That’s when—” Her voice broke, and she pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead.

Her heart raced and her palms sweated. Waves of memories assaulted her, beat her mind like a tsunami against a sandy beach. “I can’t,” she said with a gasp.

Warm arms wrapped around her, lifting her from the bed. Rami took her spot on the mattress and settled her on his lap. Embarrassment made her want to push him away, but god, it felt too good to be held. To finally feel protected.

She let her head curl beneath his bristly jaw. His body folded around hers, enveloping every inch of her in his heat. “I’ve got you.” His hushed words played on repeat close to her ear.

After a few minutes, her beating heart calmed and she lifted her cheek from his tear-soaked shirt. His eyes met hers, and he swept his hands over a chunk of her hair, pushing the strands behind her ear. “They’re dead. The two people who held you captive. August shot them. But I need you to finish that sentence, Ivy. That’s when...?”

A lump the size of a jawbreaker formed in her throat. She kept her gaze on the stubble sprouting along his jawline. “That’s when they drugged me for the first time.” The words came out bolder than she’d expected. His embrace was somehow giving her strength she hadn’t known she possessed.

“That’s done. Never again.” Promise laced his statement. “Why don’t you get some sleep?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I’m tired.”

He shifted her off his thighs and back onto the bed, and all she wanted to do was reclaim the spot on his lap. “One sec.” Rami strode to the adjoining door and waved August inside.

August smiled cautiously as he approached. “You look like a whole new person.” He reached for the tubing. “Feel better?”

“I won’t be doing backflips anytime soon, but yes, almost human.” She watched as Rami moved to the other side of the bed and plugged in his phone.

Please, don’t leave.

She craved his proximity. Just having him nearby slowed the rush of anxiety in her head. He’d rescued her. Had cared for her. Had been a stable presence ever since she opened her eyes in the camper.

So, yeah, it made sense that she didn’t want to be without him right now.

August grinned, revealing a softness behind his tough exterior. “Why don’t you get comfortable and then I’ll hook it up? It’ll save you from having to get blankets situated while confined.”

She scooched back on the bed and curled up on her side. Her head hit the pillow and instantly she sank into the lumpy mattress. She reached for the comforter and tugged it up while August swapped the empty bag of fluid for a fresh one.

Like Rami, he was tall and muscular, but other than that, they couldn’t look more different. August had a beach-boy look with a surfer’s tan and blond hair whereas Rami had olive skin and dark hair—like night and day.

Rami moved away from the bed, snapping her attention to him.

“Where are you going?” The question bolted from her lips before she could stomp out the desperate waver.

“Bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

August lifted the tubing. “Ready?”

“Yeah.”

He reached forward and removed one of the pieces of tape then clicked the tube back in place. “There. I’d like to get one more bag in you and then you should be good. But you’ll need to make sure to drink a lot of fluids.”

“When can I go home?”

He glanced at his watch. “It’s just after 4:30a.m. If we can all get some rest, we’ll leave early afternoon. But it’s a long drive.” He stood as Rami exited the bathroom. The two men exchanged glances and August opened and closed his hands at his side. “Call if you need anything.”

Fatigue weighed down her eyes, and she nodded in acknowledgment. With her cheek nestled into the pillow, her body went limp. The events of the last couple hours had drained every ounce of energy she’d built up.

Rami’s fingers brushed her shoulder. She opened her eyes. He leaned forward, and the scent of minty toothpaste warmed her cheek. “Hey, I’m gonna sleep in the chair right here, okay?”

She frowned. “You won’t get any rest in the chair.” She swallowed down a hiccup of hesitation. “There’s lots of room in the bed.”

His gaze drifted to the other side of the mattress. “You sure you’re okay with that?”

More than okay.

She rolled her lips together to stop the admission, but it was no use. For some screwed-up reason, she didn’t have a guard up when it came to this dark angel. “I’ll probably sleep better if you’re close,” she whispered.

A muscle in his neck jumped, and he gave one nod. He rounded the bed, and the blankets moved as he got in. She glanced behind her to watch him spread out on his back, one hand behind his head. His shoulder crossed the midline of the mattress—not that he could help it.

In seconds, heat had been generated beneath the covers, surrounding her in a protective bubble. He mumbled something that sounded like “good night,” but she was already pulled down too deep to respond.