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At my back, I hear him shift in the seat. “All right. All right. But I’ll deny responsibility if that feisty wench says no.”
The tinted windows submerge us in darkness, and my tear-stained eyelashes droop, no matter how hard I fight to keep them open.
“It’s okay. You’re safe. Do you hear me?”
A resonant hum vibrates between our bodies, coaxing me toward unconsciousness. The frequency so low, it creates a private symphony just for us.
“I swear on my life, Penelope, no one will ever touch you like that again.”
I need you, my mind whispers as I struggle to stay here with him. Please don’t leave me.
It’s when he feathers a delicate kiss on my forehead that I realize I’ve spoken aloud.
“I’m not going anywhere, sunshine. You can count on that.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Penelope
I wake the next morning in a pair of silk pajama shorts and a matching top, carefully tucked into the sheets of my king-sized bed.
An excruciating headache pounds through my skull, and I moan, unbearably nauseated.
“Good morning, Penelope.” A woman dressed in pink scrubs with lavender-colored hair removes a blood pressure cuff from my arm.
The scent of antiseptic twists my stomach, but her green eyes are soft and kind when she smiles. “How are you feeling?”
“Nauseous.” I hiss when a sharp pain lances the side of my skull. “Can I have some water, please?”
“Sure thing. I brought you some pain meds, too.”
I move to sit up on my elbows, and she supports me by stuffing pillows behind my back as I get my bearings.
“Here you go.” She hands me two white pills before helping me take a sip from the glass on the bedside table. “Sorry I couldn’t get anything stronger, but luckily, you didn’t sustain any life-threatening injuries. You’re going to be pretty sore for the next few days, though. I’ve given Logan and your sister instructions for you to take it easy.”
“I’m sorry. Who are you?”
“Lidia.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear before removing the sheets covering my legs. “I’m a certified nurse, and a friend of Declan. I was asked to keep an eye on you.”
She adjusts the icepacks on my knees, but her hesitation around ‘friend’ makes me wonder if there’s more between them than she’s letting on.
“Thank you.”
She reminds me of a pixie with her purple hair, small stature, and a cheeky smile. “Of course.”
I stare at the cuts and bruises marking my arms and legs as last night’s events unfold in my memory. Being trapped by Koa, those hot, fetid breaths while he kissed me, and his hands, reaching inside my shorts, producing tendrils of terror.
All at once, I feel… dirty.
My sister raps on the bedroom door before prying it open and peering inside. “Can we come in?”
Lidia swiftly replaces the covers. “Sure. I just gave her some medicine, and her vitals are looking great.”
Carrie heads straight for my side of the bed before kneeling beside me, but my pulse turns erratic when Logan enters the room. Unlike my sister, who’s dressed in a pantsuit and heels, he’s casual in a pair of gray pants and a pastel-blue shirt with rolled sleeves.
“Playing hooky?” I tease Logan. “Imagine that.”
His expression softens from a deep scowl to utter relief, and a dull ache conjures the memory of him peeling me off the sidewalk after puking my guts up, then holding me like a child the entire way home.
