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“I need to go,” she announces as she practically falls out of bed. “I need to leave.”
Kaden backs away as I approach Isabella instead.
Bracing one palm on the mattress, she straightens and then manages to take one whole step before her legs buckle.
I lunge towards her and grab her before she can crash down on the floor.
“I need to leave,” she blurts out again, her eyes sliding in and out of focus.
Adjusting my position, I slide my arms underneath her and lift her up. She tries to fight me but only manages to swat weakly at my chest.
“I need to run,” she protests. “Before it’s too late.”
Even through the drugs and the confusion, I can hear the undercurrent of panic in her voice.
“It’s okay,” I say as I carry her back to bed.
“No. I need to get out.”
So as I tuck her in again and brush a few strands of hair out of her face, I tell her the same thing she told me over and over again tonight.
“You’re safe.”
37
ISABELLA
Bits and pieces of memories swirl through my brain as I regain consciousness. Doctors and needles and a pair of terrified brown eyes staring down at me. But I’m not sure exactly what happened after I passed out in that park, so I keep my eyes shut and instead try to listen to what is going on around me.
There is nothing. No voices. No movement. Nothing.
Since I’m fairly certain that I’m alone, I open my eyes to take in my surroundings.
And find Rico looking straight at me.
I start in surprise.
He is sitting on a chair by the dark wooden wall, watching me. He must have noticed the second I woke up. I suppress the urge to groan. Or maybe laugh. Because of course he did.
Shifting my attention away from him, I sweep my gaze over the rest of the room. It’s a bedroom with floorboards and wall panels that are made of what looks like very expensive wood. Apart from the double bed I’m currently occupying, there are two nightstands, a closet, and a desk. Since there is no chair at it, I’m assuming that that’s the one Rico is sitting on. There are no decorations or any sort of personal effects inside the room.
I shift my gaze back to Rico. “Where…” The word comes out in a croak, so I have to clear my throat before trying again. “Where am I?”
“In our house on campus,” he replies. His brown eyes remain locked on me, but his face betrays none of his emotions. “In one of the spare bedrooms.”
Silence falls around us for a few seconds. Then I say, “You found me in the park.”
It’s more of a statement than a question, but he confirms it anyway. “Yes.”
“You didn’t take me to a hospital.”
“No. I brought you here and then made the university doctors come to you instead.”
Another few moments of silence pass as we just watch each other.
“Why?” I ask eventually.
“You know why.”
