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“It’s not important. Rest.”
For now, I concede. I look toward the window where daylight filters in. “What time is it?”
“Go back to sleep.”
“How did I get here? They drugged me. I can’t remember anything after.”
“I fetched you.”
“How did you find me?”
“Easily.”
I trail my hand over his side. The familiar weight of my engagement ring pulls my attention. It shouldn’t be there, but it is, as if Anne never took it. “The ransom—”
“It’s over, Lina. You’re safe. Forget about the rest.”
“It’s so much money,” I whisper, miserable with guilt.
“Which I would’ve gladly paid.”
“Would have?”
“I didn’t have to.”
I’m still angry with him for what he did to me, but I’m also thankful that he found and saved me. As always, my signals where Damian is concerned are crossed. It’s confusing. I don’t know how I should feel, so I focus on filling the missing gaps in my memory.
“Zane? Anne? What about them?”
“Lina,” his voice turns strict, “close your eyes and go back to sleep. The doctor said you should rest.”
A fresh rush of fear clears some of the cobwebs from my mind. “Damian, please tell me. I have a right to know.”
“Let it go.”
“Are they…?”
“Dead, yes,” he says, suddenly cold and angry.
Oh, my God. I can’t bear to ask, but I need to know. “Who killed them?”
“I shot Zane. Brink shot Anne.”
“Was it…?” I swallow. “Was it really necessary?”
His dark eyes pierce mine. “It was them or us.”
“This is my fault.”
“No,” he says sternly. “When Zane realized he was cornered, he went into the fight with the intention of not coming out alive. He knew the risks when he decided to kidnap you. He’s lucky I didn’t have a chance to torture him to death.”
Shivers wrack my body. His arms tighten around me. I bury my face in his neck, inhaling the wintry scent of my dreams and nightmares, finding comfort in my captor, a man who killed his best friend for me. He didn’t want to tell me, but I insisted. Now, I’m an accomplice. I’m as guilty as Damian. We hold each other as we sink deeper into the mud of our dark existence.
Miraculously, Damian manages to keep my kidnapping out of the media. Except for the people involved, no one knows what happened. That includes Jana, who corners me before dinner in the kitchen when I go down to make a cup of tea.
“Lina.” Her gaze sweeps over me. “Are you all right?”
“Of course.” I force a smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You look like you’re coming down with something. There’s a flu virus going around.”
“It’s nothing. I’m just a little tired.”
“Did you sleep enough? You’re so pale.”
“I could do with a few more hours,” I say honestly.
All I seem to want to do is sleep. Damian says it’s the aftereffect of the drugs. It should be worked out of my system in forty-eight hours.
“I put last night’s dinner in the freezer.” She watches me curiously. “Weren’t you hungry? When I got in this afternoon it was still in the oven.”
“Oh.” My cheeks heat as I battle to think up a lie and fail. “We, uh, didn’t get around to dinner.”
“Ah.” She gives a knowing grin. “Still on honeymoon, I see.”
Feeling horrible for letting her believe the untruth, I busy myself with filling the kettle so she won’t see the conflicting emotions that must be written all over my face.
“I don’t want to be nosy,” she continues, “but I couldn’t help but notice Zane’s things are gone.”
My hand starts shaking on the mug I take down from the cupboard. “No, he, um, didn’t Damian tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
I swallow hard. “He left.”
“Ah. If you don’t mind me saying so, it’s probably for the best.”
From nowhere, shock slams into me. The full impact of what happened and what could’ve happened makes my knees weak. I grip the counter, feeling nauseous and unstable. Sweat breaks out over my body.
“Lina!” Jana rushes toward me. She takes my arm and leads me to a chair. “Here. Sit down.”
“Lina?” Damian’s dark voice says from the door.
“Mr. Hart.” Jana gives him a concerned look. “I think Mrs. Hart is coming down with that bug that’s in the air.”
In two steps, Damian is at my side. He presses a hand against my forehead and peers into my eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just had a little dizzy spell. I’ll be fine.”
Ignoring my protest, Damian scoops me up in his arms. “Back to bed.”
“I’ll make some soup,” Jana offers. “I can bring up a tray.”
“That’ll be kind,” Damian says before carrying me back to his room.
I’m shaking so hard my teeth chatter. He lays me down on the mattress and pulls the duvet up to my chin. Not bothering to undress, he only kicks off his shoes before getting under the covers with me. I crawl into his arms, hiding in the warmth and false safety they offer.
