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“Jace,” she breathes.
I nod. “Yes.”
Her chest heaves.
She glances around her bedroom again. The terrible fear and panic in her eyes is starting to fade. But I still remain completely motionless, letting her mind catch up and finish shedding whatever horrible nightmare she was trapped in.
After a few seconds, her gaze lands on my bare legs. I’m only wearing a pair of boxers since I shot straight out of bed when I heard her scream. Then she shifts her gaze up to my arms.
Surprise pulses across her features when she realizes that she’s gripping my wrists. She quickly releases me. My bones ache from how hard she was squeezing my wrists, but I can barely feel it. All I can feel is an overwhelming worry for Kayla.
“Are you okay?” I ask gently.
She drags her gaze up to my face. Emotions pulse across her features.
“No,” she gasps out.
And that single word sounds like it was wrenched from the depths of her soul. I can’t bear it. I can’t stand the way her voice breaks or the pain in her eyes.
Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her trembling body towards me and hold her tight.
A sob rips from her throat.
Then she wraps her arms around my chest and hugs me closer to her.
And then she cries.
She cries so hard that her body shakes in my arms. Her cheek is pressed against my chest, so I can feel her tears against my skin as they pour out of her. Can feel every heart-wrenching sob that rips from her lungs. Every tremor that rolls through her body.
Pain slices through me, tearing at my soul and damn near ripping my heart from my chest.
Holding her tightly, I stroke a hand down her hair and kiss the top of her head. “I’ve got you, little demon. I’ve got you.”
Another sob racks her frame, and she tightens her arms around me, clinging to me as if I’m the only thing holding her together right now.
My heart aches.
I don’t know who this Victor is, but I’m going to fucking kill him if he is the reason for her pain.
31
KAYLA
My heart pounds in my chest. It’s so loud that it rattles my bones. I can still feel the water clinging to my skin. So much colder than it was before that moment when my life changed. Can still feel the seaweed brush against my ankle. The current pulling at me. The sharp rocks digging into the soles of my feet as I run along the side of the river. Can see the darkness. That horrible fucking darkness that obscured everything. And then those glassy blue eyes.
Another shudder racks my frame, and I tighten my arms around Jace’s firm body, trying to use his warmth to chase away the chill that has seeped into my bones. His strong arms envelop me like a barrier against the rest of the world.
Resting his chin on the top of my head, he continues stroking my hair while murmuring softly, “I’ve got you.”
A sob escapes my lips.
Oh God, I have never let anyone see me like this. This weak. This pathetic.
But it was that damn yacht on the river. Standing so close to the streaming water. It was haunting me all evening. And now it followed me into my dreams as well.
I shiver.
The feeling of that cold water washes over me, stealing the warmth from my soul.
