Page 22 of Captured

I felt trapped inside a horrific bubble, my classmates acting even weirder around me, and I hadn’t necessarily been well liked before. Maybe that was because they’d been afraid of my father, their parents telling them to steer clear of the freak girl with the murdered mother and the evil father. And I had no doubt they’d all heard about the incident in the woods, the splash across the news horrible to relive.

“Are you ready?” Tommy asked me as he walked in my direction. We’d been buddies for years, the boy asking me out on countless dates. Sadly, he was a good friend but definitely not my type. Besides, my father said Tommy’s Wisconsin family wasn’t good enough for his daughter.

“I think so.” My words were more stilted than usual, my palms sweaty. I wiped them on my black dress, trying to keep my composure.

“There are like a thousand people out there,” he said.

“Make that three thousand.”

“Ugh. You had to tell me that.”

I laughed as I glanced at his pensive face. “You’ll do great. Besides, you’re accompanying me.”

He grinned. “You want to go out and get a drink after this?”

“I can’t. Daddy dearest is in the audience. He wants to share dinner with me afterwards, just the two of us.”

“Wow. I’d love to meet your dad.”

“No, you wouldn’t.”

“Why? Will he have the two goons who follow you constantly rough me up a bit?”

“Very funny.”

“You know I like the rough stuff.” He barked then howled like the big goofball he was.

I rolled my eyes, taking a deep breath as Mr. Romero headed in our direction. There were dozens of stagehands roaming the stage, making final preparations for the performance, many of them I didn’t recognize.

And I couldn’t lose the thought that he was here watching my every move.

“Darling. Are you ready?” Mr. Romero asked as he crowded my space, something that made me a little sick inside. The bastard had put his moves on me twice before. Fortunately, I’d managed to talk my way out of his clutches.

“I think so.” I looked around nervously. When he cupped my face, forcing me to look at him, I tensed, another moment of repulsion knotting my stomach.

“You’re going to do great. I am so proud of you. You’re my sweet, angelic virtuoso. My greatest accomplishment.”

Angel. He’d used the word I was certain my stalker had whispered. Oh, dear God. I hadn’t considered the possibility that this man was the mystery watcher. No. No. No.

“Thank you.” I took a decided step away, but the same eerie feeling remained. A strange fog formed over my eyes and I scanned the area around him. There was someone there in the shadows. I knew it. I could sense it.

But this time, I wasn’t afraid.

He was here to protect me.

To save me.

To adore me.

My angel…

Styx

“Don’t be late,” Mary said as she rose onto her toes, pressing a kiss against my chin.

I gripped her arms, laughing softly. “I have an easy schedule today. Only two surgeries on the books.”

“Uh-huh. When you say two, you usually mean four. It’s a special night. If you forget, I’ll never forgive you.”

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