Page 68 of Ferocious Nightmare

Twenty

"Coulter!"

Aster's eyes, filled with mischief, the flaming sock in her hands.

"Oh, God. Wake up."

Soft, filtered light highlighting Aster's body tucked under my grey comforter. Her face so sweet and innocent as she sleeps.

"He's not moving!"

Red hair splayed out across my desk. Emerald green eyes heated and possessive, staring up at me like I'm the God of her world. Like she is mine as much as I am hers.

I gasped, inhaling a deep breath, my fingers clutching hers. "Stay." My voice was stuck in my throat, coming out a croak.

"Oh, thank Dios!"

With her hair covering my face, the scent of her filled my nose. I moved my hand, so heavy, and drug it upwards to clasp the back of her head, pulling her closer. "Stay with me."

Wet tears kissed my face, and she nodded, pulling back to stare into my eyes. "Always, Coulter."

She was floating in a sea of clouds.

Were we dead?

An angry face loomed over her shoulder, my father frowning. "You're alive.” Stating it with a dispassionate grunt.

"No thanks to you," Aster spat.

We were still alive. There was no way in hell that Aster would end up in the same place as me and my father.

I coughed, trying to clear my lungs. “What happened?"

“The building exploded.” Barely contained rage from Aster’s voice filtered through my muddled senses.

"Get up," my father sneered, turning away. "We have work to do.”

“He’s hurt!”

For the first time, I felt a burning in my chest.

Ignoring Aster, Nero’s voice rose to a fever pitch. “Figure out how the fuck the cartel found our warehouse.” He stared at the mass of burning rubble and flame behind me, his jaw grinding. “How the hell did this happen?"

I tried moving, pain wracking my whole body, and let out an anguished groan.

"Don't move.” Aster pressed her hand to my shoulder. Her eyebrows furrowed, her emerald eyes filled with concern. “You need a doctor."

"Fuck the doctor," Nero turned, barking at one of his beefy guards. “Get her out of here. Take her to my office and lock her in. No one lets her in or out."

“What?" Aster cried out. A grim looking man with a scarred face, loomed over her. He grabbed her arm, jerking her upwards.

“Stop.” I reached forward, the pain in my chest traveling up my arm.

“Why? What did I do?”

“This is all your fault. You did this.” Nero punched the air with his finger, pointing to the building. "You and your Mexican friends."

"You asshole," she seethed, staring him down, her eyes flashing. "Just because I've lived in Mexico for most my life, doesn't mean I had anything to do with this."

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