Page 3 of Vengeful Guard

“Love you, too, Lara. And thank you.”

Her voice softens. “Any time, Paige.”

As soon as the call is disconnected, I fall on my back on top of my bed.

It sucks that I have my whole family pitying me. I hate that.

I am not pitiful. I am not a victim.

I am a survivor. A fighter.

Or I want to be.

I want to be able to do something. To fight for myself.

To not be afraid anymore.

I punch the bed beneath me. “Fuck!”

Tears start streaming down my face.

I hate being helpless like a fucking baby.

Something needs to change. I need to change. To take charge. Be stronger. Be better. Be enough.

I close my eyes for a second.

I’m so tired.

My eyes fly open.

No, Paige. No sleep for you. You can’t.

I blink, but my eyes take forever to open again. My eyelids are so heavy.

Maybe just for a second…

“Paige!” a familiar voice screams from the distance with fear so clear it almost strikes me in the face.

Declan?

I’m about to get in my car, but my eyes fly to him.

Declan, Gray, and Jimmy are running toward me, guns drawn.

I kick, I scream, I scratch. Nothing works.

He is too strong, His hand is too tight around my hair,

I’m never going to get away.

No one will be able to save me.

He drags me to the van and slams me against it.

I wake up with a start, sitting straight up in bed, a scream trapped in my throat, choaking me.

My chest burns like I’m drowning, each breath a chore as if my lungs refuse to accept the air I need.

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