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“Did I?” His question holds so much weight. I tune in to his aura, pushing past the agony in my head.
Scrambled images of that night play on repeat in his mind. Like oppressive waves in the ocean, they continue to come, threatening to drown me beneath the surface of their strength.
Nic’s frantic nature as he searches for me, running through and around the bar to find me, after his view on me and Kai disappeared from where he was watching. He calls out for me, but doesn’t get an answer. Fear and devastation wreaking havoc on his heart. He hears a loud bang and turns a corner, seeing two forms through the darkness on the ground, almost turning away thinking it’s just a couple unable to wait until they get home to do the dirty, but deciding to look closer instead.
A flash of pale skin beneath a man in a black jacket, his pants around his knees, blood covering the neck and bare chest of the woman beneath him. Her brown hair peeking out from underneath the black hoodie covering her face and arms. She doesn’t move as the man reaches between them and his hips rock forward.
My chest feels like it caves in as the images of me continue to come.
Flashes of the man being pulled away from my body. My legs left open and bared to the world before it’s just a barrage of blood and violence.
Then it's me being rushed to the hospital. Flashing lights, the flurry of nurses and doctors as they take me from Nic’s arms, his eyes following me until I’m completely out of sight. Then it’s Kai’s face being pummeled by Nic’s fist. Not once does he lift a finger to defend himself. Then Ezra gets punched as he tries to break them up, right before Nic’s vision tilters to the floor as he is thrown down and held still.
Then it's me on a hospital bed, hooked up to monitors and machines. Everyone is around me, even Alan. Tears fall from Kai’s eyes as he sits beside the bed, his hand gripping mine like his life depends on it. Ezra standing sullenly at the end of the bed, his face long and withdrawn.
Then, the vision goes blurry as Nic loses himself to his grief.
I pull back on my connection with him, not so far to cut him off completely, but enough to stop the memories from broadcasting to me. I pull my hand away and wipe at the tears I didn’t even know were flowing down my face before grabbing his hand once more.
“What do you mean? Of course you saved me.” My voice cracks as I struggle to speak past my tears. “You got there just in time.”
“You were hurt. Youarehurt.” Nic’s tone is far more broken than I ever thought the man would be capable of. He always seemed impenetrable. Unable to be trifled with through his arrogance alone.
I guess I was wrong.
“What? These? Psht, I’ve been hurt far worse before. This shit heals.” I try to lighten the mood, forcing a humorless laugh from my throat, but he isn’t swayed. His stare is heavy as he narrows it on me with laser focus, the weight of it forcing the fake smile right from my face. “I’m serious. Nic…you got there in time. He didn’t…he almost…but he didn’t. These injuries will fade and heal. You saved me from the one that wouldn’t.”
“Me asustaste, mi vida.” He murmurs the foreign words, pulling my hand to his mouth and pressing a gentle kiss to my palm. Warmth emanates from his touch and I’m more than psyched when shivers trail up my spine.
I’m okay. I’m fine. He didn’t takethatfrom me.
“English,puta, english,” I tease, but there’s really no heart in it as exhausted relief seems to settle over me.
“Don’t put me through that again,please,” He practically pleads to me, and I’m so shaken by the fact that he isn’t ordering me or demanding me to listen, that I just nod meekly.
“Okay.”
“Don’t put any of us through that again.” Alan gruffly interrupts the moment, like he has absolutely no idea he spoke that out loud, and I shoot him a small smile.
“Wasn’t planning on it, Chief.” I stroke Kai’s head absently as he snuggles into my side. Actually, I'm pretty damn sure he’s fallen straight to sleep. “So, did I hear that correctly? You guys can’t find him?”
I’m pretty sure they all know whathimI’m referring to.
“No, he somehow got away through the chaos. I thought you were dying, you were unresponsive, so I rushed you away.” Nic tries to switch back to authoritative, but his aura is broadcasting to me like a neon sign in a glass window.
I’m sorry, it says, but I don’t call him out on it.
“Well he’s not a professional criminal, right? It should be pretty easy to find him.”
“It’s been three days, Wicked. He hasn’t left a single trace of his existence anywhere. Just…gone.” Alan’s tone is regretful and frustrated all at once.
“Well, I’m sure he’ll turn up.” I try to be blasé about the whole thing, but inside, I’m a mess. The thought of running into him somewhere randomly–of him trying to get me again–fills me with a fear so strong my hands shake as nausea simmers in my stomach. “Do you guys think- Could he be…”
“No. He doesn’t fit. He also has a solid alibi for the night of the murder,” Alan answers my unfinished question, and I don’t know if it helps or not to know my stalker is not a violent rapist.
“Right. Can I leave? I’d like to go home, please.” I’m suddenly exhausted, my eyelids drooping of their own accord, but the need to be in my own bed is overwhelming. “Gizmo and Snitch are probably worried out of their minds. And please tell me no one told my nana about this, no need to worry the old bat.”
“Nobody told her. We waited to see what you wanted us to do. You seemed stable enough to wait it out. As for going home…we’ll check for you. Just rest.”
