Page 46 of The Book of Wrath

“Let’s get going Max,” Captain Woods ushered me into the back of the ambulance, closing the doors behind us. Mitch and Brian were already in the front seats ready to leave.

Megan as resting on the stretcher, Captain Woods on one side keeping an eye on her vitals with me on the other side just wishing she would wake up. I pressed my lips against her forehead and whispered, “Come back to me Mrs. Carter.”

Chapter 37

Megan

I could hear people talking all around me, hands pressing firmly on my body. Checking on me, I realized. Whoever this was, was checking to make sure I was still alive. Was I still alive? The darkness that surrounded me before had faded to a dull red with faint lights. I hear voices I recognize, some I don’t. But his voice seems the loudest to me.

“Come back to me Mrs. Carter.” A plea wrapping itself around my heart and pulling me closer to consciousness. I don’t know how much longer it I was asleep for, but it felt like an eternity.

By the time I could open my eyes, I had no idea where I was. I had no idea how I was even found. That little shore was so remote, I didn’t even know that I could be found. I thought I was going to die on that shore, despite Matty telling me to wake up.

I looked around the room, clinical was not the first thing I would have said about this room. Makeshift? Yes. Sanitary? I hope so. I looked around the room and noticed that I was in clothes that I knew I wasn’t wearing when I went over that railing. I tried to sit up, but I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“If you try to move, you will just pass out again. We’re not sure how long you were laying on that beach naked and freezing, but you should be good in a few minutes. Here drink this,” Captain Woods handed me a nice warm cup of tea. I tried to let it cool down before gulping down my first sip.

“Thank you,” I managed to get out between gulps of tea and trying to remember how to breath. She smiled and stood up. I watched her walk over to the door and open it. She leaned out and said something to whoever was outside of the room. She looked back in at me, her smile never fading from her lips.

“This place is sterile and sanitary. You are safe here and are in good hands. I’m going to step out of the room for a few moments, there are some people who want to come in and see you,” She opened the door and stepped out, leaving the door open behind her.

It didn’t take long for Max, Ally, Tony and Roark to storm into the room. Each of them watching me as if I would poof out of existence from the bed. Ally was the first to step forward and sit on the bed with me as I finished my tea.

“How did you find me?” I began, looking around the room. Max was watching me but was keeping his distance. Did he know what they did to me? Does he see me as tainted now? I held the cup with both hands and averted my gaze, focusing back on the inside of the cup.

“Monty found you, Andy and Max weren’t too far away. Why did you jump naked from the roadway? You could’ve died Megan!” Ally started to yell at me, but Tony put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her from coming at me.

“I didn’t have a choice. It was better to possibly die then continue what I was going through,” I said, keeping my voice low so only she could hear me.

Max punched the door and stormed out, Roark and Tony slipping out the room behind him. Did he hear me? Was he angry with me? My mind began to race but Ally rested her hand on mine.

“A lot has happened since you were kidnapped sweetie. We figured out who killed Matty. Megan, it was Ryan. Tony had found your engagement photos from your shoot with Matt in the basement doorway. Andy had figured out that the photographer was Ryan’s cousin. Max has Ryan, and now that douchebag Derek. The two other guys who were with Derek are dead. Tony and I took them out,” she said proudly. My heart started cracking, slowly fraying apart. I was living and in a relationship with the man who killed my fiancé. No wonder he didn’t want me to have pictures around of me and Matt. Maybe he felt guilt for what he did. Or maybe he just didn’t want the reminder of what he did. I highly doubt that man felt any guilt.

The door opened once more, and Max came back into the room. He looked so pissed off and I was positive he was mad at me. But I was wrong. He moved closer to the bed and looked at Ally. “Can I have the room?” Ally looked and him and rest her had on his arm as she nodded. She gave me a quick hug then headed out of the room and to wherever that door lead.

“I think you should have these,” Max said as he sat down on the bed and laid a folder on my lap. “A few of the photos are ruined with Matt’s eyes crossed out, but not all of them are ruined. If you want to look at them or have some time alone with them, I understand.”

I put my cup of tea down on the little table next to the bed. I moved the folder off of my lap and put it next to the cup. I couldn’t look at them right now. Especially knowing what Ally just told me. I pulled Max into my arms, expecting him to pull away, but he didn’t. He embraced me and kissed my forehead.

“Did you see him?” He asked me, startling me a little. How did he know that I had seen Matt?

“Yes,” I whispered into his chest. “I’m sorry.”

“Why the hell are you apologizing?” Max pulled back from me, moving his hands to either side of my face and forcing me gently to look at him. “You were close to death Megan. If you saw him and got to talk to him again, I can’t be mad about that. And I never would be.”

“How do you know?” I ask, tears streaming down my face at being seen so thoroughly. I always thought of Matt at least once a day and I always felt guilty for it.

“You yelled his named and begged him not to leave you again,” Max said, gently wiping the tears from my eyes. “Ally told me about the way he used to say I love you. He seemed like a great guy. I’m sorry.”

“He told me to come back to you,” I said, watching shock ripple through his eyes. “He said that I am his soul mate, but I found another half to my heart that I needed to get back to. He said that he will just fight you for my love when we join him much later on.”

“He knows about me?” Max said, disbelief coming across his face. I thought that wouldn’t be that weird, but I guess it’s weird.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure everyone who dies still keeps an eye on us,” I said. I looked down at Max’s chest taking in one last deep breath. “Max, did he really kill Matty?”

He paused and looked away, “Yeah.” I started to shake, my arms trembling, rage filling my blood with a fire for revenge. “Derek and Ryan were in the backseat of the car, unbeknownst to them Roark was in the front seat. Derek was saying that this was all his fault, if he would’ve just kidnapped you instead of killing Matt and taking you as his own none of this would’ve happened. You were supposed to go up for auction.”

Max’s words sunk in like a dead weight in the pit of my stomach. The rumors were true, the Paxley family ran one of the sex trafficking rings on the east coast. Only they weren’t just taking anyone, they wanted to take me.

---