Page 81 of Stolen Seconds

“Open your eyes!”

I blinked rapidly, unaware of when I had dozed off and looked across the room where Nicolai was saying something, but the ringing in my ears made it hard to hear.

With a groan, I tried tilting my head, but it felt heavy, as if I was paralyzed. I tried the same with my body, but it was lax, as if gravity was pushing me down.

Panic settled over me as I searched around the room hastily with my eyes, but the man was gone, leaving me in a state of fear.

“Drugged. . . ”

I peered back at Nicolai, evening out my breathing to get rid of the cloudy sensation overpowering me.

“You were drugged,” he said almost calmly, though the pinched expression on his face told me he was anything but.

My tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth, dry and bitter, causing me to make an incoherent sound.

“I don’t know when he’ll be back, but I need you to stay awake. I can’t. . . ” His voice cracked. “I won’t know if you’re okay if you fall asleep.”

Fresh tears scorched my face, flaring the cut into a fiery blaze, reminding me of everything I lost.

“You have to stay awake, okay? Can you do that for me?” His voice rose with each word. When his gaze trailed along my body, emotion flashed across his troubled features. “I’m sorry.”

Something broke inside of me. No one had ever apologized to me for anything. Yet, here was Nicolai, my brother, saying those two meaningless words when he’d never been the one at fault.

The cold air chilled my lifeless body, and I nearly recoiled at being on display like this. In a way, I was relieved I couldn’t see the damage myself and the thought of having to, sent my mind spiraling.

My breaths grew ragged when the clicking sound of the door erupted again and the man entered the room.

I didn’t think I could take any more of this agony, not when I was as still as a statue.

How much time had passed since the accident? How would we escape? Why did Nicolai give me false hope of getting us out of here?

I tracked the man’s movements with my eyes as he walked toward my brother, and I grunted in panic as he reached for him.

He looked back at me, his eyes narrowing as Icontinued making muddled noises, wishing I could speak. If I could save Nicolai from harm, then I’d do anything, even if it meant taking it myself.

My weak protests were useless because the man swung his arm back before his fist collided with Nicolai’s face, blood splattering onto the dirty ground.

Tears beaded down my cheeks as I whimpered, my throat becoming raw as he continued pummeling his fists into Nicolai until he’d passed out, but he didn’t stop there.

Reaching for the baseball bat resting against the wall, I knew his intentions.

I closed my eyes, the horrid sounds of bone crunching and snapping cementing itself into my memory.

Being immobile while my brother was beaten to a pulp made me want todie.I couldn’t breathe, drowning in vulnerability and suffering.

With the little energy I had left, I blocked out my surroundings, trying to muster up a memory I could get lost in.

“Luca?”

“I’m here.” His voice was like a balm to my wounds. He rubbed my back soothingly.“I’m here.”

I buried my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent to ground myself back to reality.

It was a nightmare. I’m not back there anymore.

“Do you get nightmares often?”

I ignored his question and the one after that. I wasn’t ready to open up to anyone about my life. I knew what it was like to be vulnerable, and I hated it.

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