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“It’s me, sweetheart. Wyatt is currently rowing us to safety,” he told me quietly. “It’s over, Vanna. You’re safe.”
I was still disoriented, but the relief that flooded over my body was very, very real.
I tried to hold back a sob, but the gentle hand stroking my hair made me lose that battle.
I buried my face against Chase’s shoulder, trying to be quiet because I wasn’t certain we were completely out of danger. I tried to keep my voice low as I asked, “How is this even possible? Where are we? How did you get here? Why are you here? How did you rescue me? And how can you see anything? It’s pitch dark out here.”
“That’s a whole lot of questions at one time. Relax, Vanna,” he directed. “I’ll answer all your questions eventually. How are you feeling?”
“I think I’m sick, Chase,” I murmured, unable to stop my body from shivering uncontrollably. “I know I was heavily drugged, and I’m not sure where I’m injured because my entire body hurts.”
“I know, sweetheart. We’re getting you to a good hospital as quickly as possible. Once we get to the helicopter, Wyatt can look at your injuries while I’m hauling ass to get you to the hospital. You’re hurt, dehydrated, undernourished, and probably septic from infection. I’m not going to lie to you.”
Strangely, it was actually comforting that he was being completely honest. “Thank you. It helps to know the truth. I’ve been so drugged that I’m not actually sure how long I’ve been here.”
“It’s been a week now,” he answered. “It took a while for us to realize you were kidnapped because no one saw or heard anything. The government thought you just wandered off and got lost. There were endless search parties that turned up nothing. Torie sounded the alarm when you didn’t get back to San Diego on time. She knew something was wrong.”
“How did you find me?” I questioned, my brain still muddled.
“Now that’s a longer story,” he said gently. “Let’s focus on simpler things right now.”
“God, I feel so dazed,” I groaned. “I’m still not sure that I’m not hallucinating.”
“It’s the drugs and the infection,” he replied. “Wyatt and I are here, and we’re getting you home. You’ll have to trust me. I want to orient you, but I don’t want to overwhelm you right now. You can get all the complicated answers later. I just want you to know you’re safe, Vanna.”
Safe?
Honestly, I hadn’t experienced anything except fear and pain since the moment I’d realized that I was being kidnapped.
“I was so scared, Chase,” I admitted softly, my heart acknowledging what my brain couldn’t at the moment.
Chase was here.
He was real.
He and Wyattwereactually rescuing me.
As ludicrous as this all might seem, it was truly happening.
“I tried to escape,” I explained. “I was beaten for every attempt. I knew they were going to traffic me. I guess it just became easier for them to keep me unconscious. That’s when I started losing track of time.”
Chase rocked my body slowly. “You were brave, Vanna, and you’d have to be crazynotto be scared shitless. Especially since you realized what their intentions were. Did they sexually assault you? We have to know so we can treat you for that when we get to the hospital.”
I shook my head slowly. “I don’t think so. If they did, I don’t remember it. But I’ve been so out of it—”
“It’s okay,” Chase said in a husky tone. “We’ll get you checked over for that anyway. Don’t get frustrated because you don’t remember things. You were drugged. Wyatt gave you Narcan to reverse the opiates, but I’m sure you were sedated, too, which is why you still can’t think clearly.”
“I want to remember,” I told him. “I just…can’t.”
So much of the whole experience was still a big blank spot in my head.
I’d been held captive for an entire week, but all I could recall was the first day or so.
“It’s okay, Vanna. Let’s just get you well right now,” Chase replied in a steady, comforting voice.
I let out a small sigh. Like I had a choice? It was highly unlikely that my head would suddenly clear. “I guess I’ll have to focus on that,” I told him. “I’m definitely not up to debating you right now.”
This Chase was new to me. This man who was holding me, gently reassuring me, and making me feel safe was a part of him I hadn’t seen since I was child. He’d patched me up several times when I was a kid, but I’d probably forgotten exactly how kind and reassuring he could be.
