Page 103 of Captivating Anika

“Hey.”

Her voice is little more than a whisper, probably lost her voice in the river from yelling for help.

“Hey,” I echo.

Lifting her hand to kiss her palm, I notice dark marks circling her wrist. That wrist kept her tethered to me against the pull of the river.

“I hurt you.”

She looks at her wrist and back at me.

“And I couldn’t be more grateful,” she whispers, wincing a little when she shifts in the bed.

Bodhi notices too. “Are you in pain?” He reaches for the call button.

“Leave it,” Anika commands. “Pain is something I can handle better than feeling out of control.”

“You were shot, goddammit.”

“I’m aware,” she returns dryly. “But right now, I welcome the pain, it reminds me I’m alive.”

I bend down to kiss her knuckles, as her brother grunts. But he lets go of the button.

“Let me go see if Mom and Dad are here,” Bodhi announces, already making his way out the door. “Hog?”

I guess I should go and give her parents a chance to see her, but when I try to retrieve my hand, Anika holds on.

“Please stay…”

I turn to look at Bodhi, who gives me a small nod before disappearing out the door.

“I feel better with you here.”

My eyes slide back to her.

“Then I’m staying right here.”

She swallows a few times and licks her lips.

“I’m thirsty.”

There’s a Styrofoam cup of water with a straw set on the nightstand, and I offer it to her. She takes a sip and then blows out a heavy breath.

“It was Monique. She shot at me.”

“I know, Sweetheart.”

Her eyes well up.

“She hates me so much. I don’t understand, all those years I thought we were good friends.”

“She’s clearly not in her right mind,” I point out.

“She said I stole you from her…”

I lean in closer.

“That only proves she’s nuts, because I was never more than a customer to her.”

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