Page 65 of Trapped

“Put the gun down,” she said. “And, Cash, wake up now. Wake up now.”

He went very still, his gaze turned inward. Then he raised his head, looking around again. This time she thought he was seeing his surroundings. But eons passed before his gaze came back to her.

“Sophia?”

“Thank God. You’re back with me. Cash, put the gun down.”

He looked at the gun in his hand as though he’d just realized he was holding on to a poisonous snake.

With a strangled sound, he carefully set the Sig down on the table where he’d found it.

“What happened?” he whispered, looking from her to the gun and back again.

She swallowed, wondering what she was going to say now that she finally had his attention.

When she didn’t speak, he asked, “Was . . . was I going to shoot you?”

She managed to speak around the lump clogging her windpipe. “No.”

His expression turned dark. “Then why was I holding the gun on you?”

She took a step toward him, and he stepped quickly back. “Stay away. It’s obvious I’m dangerous.”

She couldn’t let him think that she was afraid of him. Not now. When his legs hit the edge of the bed, she hurried forward and wrapped him tightly in her embrace, pressing her face against his broad chest. He felt real and solid, and she knew that they had just come through a nightmare together. His nightmare.

Still, he remained stiffly in her embrace. “How can you stand to get near me?”

She stroked her hands up and down his back. “Because . . .” Because I love you. She knew that was the truth, but she thought that would be too threatening for him to hear now. Maybe it would always be too threatening.

Instead, as she continued to caress his shoulders, she said, “I care about you. Very much.”

He wouldn’t even accept that much from her. “Apparently that’s a big mistake.”

“Don’t say that. You’re upset.”

When she tried to hold him, he broke away, his eyes blazing.

“You’re damn right I’m upset. I could have killed you. And you damn well know it. Tell me what the hell was going on a few minutes ago?”

“Okay. Just take it easy. We’ll figure out what happened. . .”

“Don’t hand me a load of psychologist bull. Just tell me why I blinked awake and found out I could have shot you!”

“Do you remember that I hypnotized you?”

“Yes.”

“You remember the scenes you watched?”

“School. Basic training. Germany,” he answered.

“Then we were talking about the briefing before you shipped out for Afghanistan.”

“I remember,” he said in a low voice. His gaze locked with hers. “With Colonel Luntz.”

“Good.”

“He was the guy who gave us the information about the mission.”

---