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“Thought so.” I glanced at the numbers flashing their way toward the one I so desperately needed to see. He was in witness protection? How could—he never told me! Damn it. He lied—
“He said he was going to tell you everything on Christmas Day. I told him he couldn’t, but…I thought he would anyway.” Marshal shook his head. “He actually listened to me.”
I huffed, wavering between anger and fear and rage. Christmas Day? That was almost four freaking months ago. I’d shared everything with him. Had even told him more about my attack. And my body…we’d not had sex, but the things I let him do to me. Things I’d done with him.
Heat steamed up my cheeks, and a heavy pressure weighed down my chest.Shit!
Chapter Thirty-Two
Angelina
“Get behind me.” Marshal stepped in front of me, gun drawn.
Immediately I was yanked back to the day I was rescued from that horrible house. That prison. Teams of police barged in with guns. Shots fired. Screams.
My world tilted, and I grabbed onto the railing behind me. Stay focused.Sober. Try. Long Way To Happy.
The vacant eyes of the monster who’d abused me the most flashed in my mind. His last attempt to end me as the SWAT team came down on him. His crazy, wild screams.
The elevator slowed and Marshal stiffened, his arms rising. “Get to the side,” he said as he moved. I followed, ducking, and working to not puke up the blueberry muffin I’d just eaten. The small box shrunk, pressing down on my chest, stealing the oxygen I needed. No. No. I had to stay strong.Breathe. Focus.
The elevator stopped, and the world slowed as the doors started rolling open. Four guys, with their guns raised greeted us. They kept their weapons aimed toward the elevator as Marshal stepped toward the door, me close behind.
“Angelina!” Hunter yelled as he barged out from his house. “Shit.”
He shoved the guys out of the way, the last one being Marshal and yanked me into his arms. Crushing me with a hug, he buried his face in my hair. “Lina. Lina. Are you okay?” He pulled his face from my neck. “Get the fuck out of here. Give us room.”
Marshal backed away, ushering his men with him.
“It’s okay. It’s okay,” Hunter said over and over as he held me. “God, Lina.”
“Lisa?”
“Mom’s fine.” He leaned back analyzing me with an intense stare. “Are you? Are you okay? I thought you’d be up here. And when you didn’t answer. You weren’t in your apartment. I—I’m sorry. I—where were you?”
“Helping the front desk.” I loosened my grip. “What the hell is going on?”
“I’m sorry, Lina.” He glanced over his shoulder into the hallway then grabbed my hand and led me out of the elevator. “Dad’s in town. I thought—” He shook his head. “He got to you. You were gone.”
I looked down the hall. My door hung from its hinges and splinters of wood were scattered around the carpet. My stomach soured, bile rising.Bad Influence, Stupid Girls, Sober.Hunter reached for me, and that’s when I noticed his bloody knuckles, the crazed look in his eyes.
“I want every guest checked out. Picture IDs at the front desk. Change all the door codes so everyone must come get a new key. And the VIP code. Everything.” Marshal turned toward Hunter and me. “Pack up. We’re leaving in sixty minutes.”
“No!” I shook my head. “No. No. No.” I pushed away from Hunter and ran into his apartment. “Lisa!”
She rushed off the couch and wrapped me into a warm hug. “Shhh.” She petted my hair. “It’s okay. We’re fine.”
“We’re not fine, Lisa. Not fine!” A vise tightened around my chest, instant and intense pressure.
The walls slanted toward me.
“Lina,” Hunter said from behind me as two guys followed him into the apartment. Marshal shut the door, boxing me in. So many people. So close. Too close.
“Look at me, Lina,” Hunter said. “You’re fine.”
He took a deep breath, and I went to do the same, but I coughed.
“Try again.” He knelt before me while Lisa stayed beside me, her arm around my shoulder. “In.” He reached for my hand, and a flash of silver caught my attention. I grabbed his hand with mine, so I saw both of our rings.
