Page 3 of Finish Line

“Because I love her,” Cam spits out.

Roger growls, reaching for Cam’s neck.

“Let him go, Randell. Please, let them both go.” I reach out, trying to grab the back of Roger’s shirt.

“You want me to free this bitch?” He stalks over to where Hannah is whimpering and picks her up by her hair as she screams. “After everything she did to you. I took her because I thought we could kill her, just like we killed--”

“No,” I interrupt him. “I won’t. You can’t control me anymore.” From our previous interactions, he hates when someone interrupts him, but I refuse to allow him to finish that sentence.

He releases Hannah, and she crumbles down to the floor in a heap. “Oh, but I can. You have been burglarizing peoples’ homes for us again.” He turns, looks at the wall, and giggles. “She doesn’t remember.”

Disbelief rolled through me. All those nights, I went to sleep and woke up tired. He’s been doing it again. I thought I would never have to experience that again.

Okay, stay strong, Shelby. “Release Cam, and I won’t fight you on anything. I promise.”

He throws back his head and laughs. “Right, that would be a no. Well, I wanted to check if you were awake. I’ll be back soon.”

“At least, give me something to clean out his wound with,” I plead.

“I’ll think about it.” He shrugs and leaves, locking the multiple locks.

“He’s never going to let us out of here,” Hannah cries.

“What did he mean by ‘hypnotism didn’t work on me?’” His head tips to the side. “What fear would I have about our relationship?”

“You know how I met him at Ashland and how I thought he was giving me drugs.” Cam nods, and I draw in a deep breath. “I found out it wasn’t drugs. He was hypnotizing me. I don’t have any of the details though. At the ball, something happened to the guys. Dom and Mav told me I was a bet between them.”

I glance at Hannah, and she’s looking at the floor. “Then, I found Luke in the bathroom with Hannah.”

“What? No way! Luke wouldn’t do that. They wouldn’t do that. We love you!” He strains to sit up.

I reach out my arm toward him. “Stay down, Cam. Nick and I couldn’t figure out what was happening with the guys. Now, I realize he hypnotized them.”

“How? And why not me?” Cam brows raise and points to his chest.

“I guess you didn’t have any fears about our relationship. No doubts. The others must have, and Roger manipulated it.” My hand rubs my chest over my heavy heart.

“I thank Luke every day for overthrowing that football on the beach that made me crash into you. When your blue eyes met mine, I knew we were meant to be together. I’m sorry the others have fears or worries about their relationship with you, but I can tell you they love you, Shelby.” Sadness fills his voice.

“Enough, you two are making me sick. And I’m hungry,” Hannah whines as she climbs off the floor.

“Not again, Hannah.” Cam rolls his eyes.

“I can’t help it. I haven’t had food in days.” She stomps her foot like a toddler, having a tantrum.

I reach into the pocket of Nick’s jacket, hoping he might have something to eat in them. My hands wrap around something rectangular, and I pull out an energy bar.

As I hold out the energy bar, I smile. “Hannah, here I found this in your brother’s jacket. Share half of it with Cam.” I toss the bar to Hannah.

“You should eat it, Shelby,” Cam moans, shifting on the cot.

“No, you both need your strength. Plus, I ate last night.” I stare at the floor where everything I ate sits.

“Why do you have my brother’s jacket on?” she demands, taking a bite of the bar.

I shrug. “He was with me when Roger took me. He told me to keep it on me.”

“That’s right. Nick hid a tracking device in it. I forgot about that.” Cam pitches his voice low so we’re not overheard.

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