Page 107 of Finish Line

Squatting, Nick blocks my view of Cam and clears his throat.

My head snaps toward the sound.

“Shelby? It’s Nick,” he says in a soft voice. “I need you to listen to my voice, okay? Can you do that?”

“I can’t move. He chained me in here.” I blink, then relax when I don’t see Cam anymore. “I helped Cam escape. But I can’t get out. I can’t get out.” I rock back and forth. “He’s going to hurt me again.” My chin wobbles.

“Shelby,” Nick says, his voice firm but gentle, the tone catching my attention. “You’re not in the basement, Shelby. You’re home with me.”

Forehead scrunching with confusion, my rocking slows. “Nick? You weren’t in the basement with me. Cam was, but I got him out.”

“You’re right. I wasn’t. I found you after you escaped.” At his mention of my escape, my breathing increases again as my eyes find the photos scattered around me. “Shelby, you’re safe. It’s been over six months since you’ve been home. Do you remember going to Hawaii?”

Hawaii.

Images filter through the horror. Cam standing at the door to the Knights’ vacation home, healthy but sad. Cam holding my hand in bed after one of my nightmares. The guys, Nick, Cin, Paige, and Sam at the house, sitting with me around a bonfire. Laughing while we play Cards Against Humanity. Luke, down on one knee, a ring box in his hand.

I glance at the ring on my finger, and the tears slow as a small smile breaks free, more images replacing the basement.

At the airport here, kissing Luke, Mav, then Cam. Crying into Dom’s arms as he apologizes and tells me he loves me.

With the last image, I take a stuttering breath and meet Nick’s eyes.

Sighing, Nick drops onto his butt in front of me. “You’re back. Can you tell us what happened?”

He shifts to the side, and Cam sits behind him, a red mark marring his face.

When I realize what it is, I gasp.

“Don’t worry about this little love tap, beautiful. It was my fault. I knew better than to try and grab you,” he states in a no-nonsense voice as he knee-walks his way closer until he’s next to Nick and right in front of me.

Nick draws my attention again. “Where did these pictures come from, Shelby? Is that what caused you to panic?”

Realization slams into me as I glance at the photos. My gaze draws the guys’ attention to them.

“He videotaped me while I was in the basement.” My voice wavers, and tears pour down my face. “I found these mementos in an envelope when I arrived home today.”

Cam picks up one of the photos, and his face twists with anger.

“Fuck.” He throws the photo face down on the ground. “Shelby, let’s go over to the sectionals.”

When he crouches in front of me, I flinch. Roger and Evan loved to stand over me as an intimidation factor.

He moves his hand out so his elbow rests on his knee and his palm faces up, not moving any closer. “Can I touch you?”

“Yeah, of course.” I place my palm in his.

As he pulls me up with him as he stands, my eyes fix on the scratches on his arm. I don’t remember doing that to him.

“I’m sorry,” I plead.

“You have no reason to be sorry.” Cam hooks his arm around my back and knees and carries me to the couches while Nick picks up the photos. He places them face down on the table. Cam sits with me on his lap and rubs my back.

Not long after, the others show up and sit around us.

“What are these?” Mav bends down and grabs the pictures before we can say anything. He flips through them.

“What the fuck are these?” Dom demands. Anger for me, not at me, radiates from him.

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