Page 11 of Wanted

“Are you all right?” he questioned. I hated I was the one whocaused him to worry about me. All of them. At the same time, though, I wasbeyond grateful I was surrounded by such wonderful people.

After my throat had been soothed with cool liquid, I was able tospeak a little better. More coherently. “I’ll be fine. Stop worrying about me,Matt. I can see the look on your face.” I reached for his hand. The moment wetouched, his eyes became glassy, fear for me suddenly overwhelming.

“I was so scared something bad happened to you, Sara.” He shookhis head, gripping my hand tighter. “I mean…more than that psycho snatching youup. When I got the call you’d been found but were rushed to the hospital, I immediatelythought the worst.”

I tried my best to comfort him. I found it funny I was the onelying in the hospital bed, my shoulder all mangled to hell, yet I felt bad formaking everyone else worry about me.

The more the minutes passed, the sleepier I became until I couldno longer keep my eyes open. Matt had stopped talking, knowing I wasn’t payingattention any longer. I hoped he wasn’t offended, praying he realized my bodywasn’t my own any longer.

The last sight I saw before my lids closed was Alek strollingback into the room, his attention solely on me as I drifted off into a healingsleep.

~7~

Alek

I knew damn well once Sara woke up and was lucid enough she wasgoing to want to know what happened. The full story. Doing my best to preparemyself for when the time came, I squared my shoulders and paced the room.

She’d been asleep for six hours. I saw her stir at one point, herface contorting in a bad dream. I prayed she wasn’t reliving the very realnightmare she’d recently endured. I couldn’t protect her in her dreams, and itkilled me.

“Alek,” she called out, causing me to instantly rush to her side.

“I’m here. How are you feeling?” I reached for her hand and theinstant we touched, I was calm. Constantly being on edge was starting to wearon me. I knew I had to take it easy, but it was hard to convince myself to doso. Reminding myself Sara was alive and would fully recover should have beenenough for me to relax. But it wasn’t.

An odd thought crept in, one I’d had before when I was on my wayto save her from Samuel. A feeling I pushed to the back of my mind, not havingenough emotional energy to deal with it in the moment.

She was safer before youbarged into her life.

Pushing everything aside, I focused all my attention back onSara.

“My shoulder is killing me but otherwise, I’m okay.”

Trying to dislodge my hand from hers, I offered, “I’ll call thenurse so she can give you something for the pain.”

She held tight, her strength surprising me. “No. I’ll deal withit. While the meds dull the pain, I can’t focus and all I do is drift off tosleep.” She squeezed my fingers. “I want to talk to you about what happened. Mymind is still a little fuzzy.”

I averted my eyes, not wanting to have to relive what she’d gone through.Hell, whatI’dgone through.

“Alek. Please, tell me what happened. Help me remember so I canmove on.” My lips parted and I inhaled a deep breath but before any wordsslipped out, Sara’s breathing changed and she started shaking.

At first, I thought she was having some kind of reaction, herbody convulsing in warning. But the closer I looked, I saw the fear in her eyes,and it had nothing to do with what was going on with her physically.

She was remembering something, and it was freaking her out.

“Where is he?” Where isSamuel?” She closed her eyes and waited for me to respond. I took some timebefore answering, trying to figure out the best way to tell her what I’d done. “What?Where is he? Oh, my God, did he escape?” Her eyes remained closed as she firedoff question after question at me.

Stroking her hair in an effort to try and comfort her, I leanedin close and hovered above her.

“He’s dead.” She remained silent, for countless seconds. “Did youhear me, Sara? Samuel’s dead. He’ll never harm you again, baby.”

Still nothing. Her chest was barely moving and for a second, Ithought she’d fallen back asleep, right in the middle of her paranoia.

“How?” she asked, her eyes finally opening and focusing on myface.

I didn’t hesitate. I had no regrets about taking his life. Nonewhatsoever. I’d do it again in a heartbeat if it meant she would be safe.

“I killed him.”

The gasp which fell from her lips broke my heart. She seemedconflicted, not sure what she should feel. She had to be relieved he was nolonger a threat, but I think she was also concerned for me, for what I’d done.

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