Page 99 of Caged

Not knowing what else to do, I sang so she’d know she wasn’t alone.

Chapter 37

Cate

My eyelids felt like lead and my thoughts swam in an ocean of mud. The annoying beeping set my nerves on edge, but I couldn’t remember why.

Opening my eyes was impossible, so I listened. Nothing.

Wait.Is that Jay?I wanted to turn my head towards the sound, but it weighed a thousand pounds.

It is, and he’s singing.I dozed off to the familiar, soothing sound of Jay’s deep singing voice.

When I regained consciousness the only sound was the never-ending alarm. No, not an alarm, an EKG machine.

I’m in the hospital. I survived.The beeping picked up pace.

“Come back to me, Cate. Don’t you dare die on me.”

After a pause, Jay whispered, “Please Cate, I love you and I can’t lose you.”

The beeping picked up speed as his words overwhelmed me.

“That’s my girl. I see your eyelids fluttering. Keep trying.”

Wanting to see him, I tried again.And failed. But I managed to turn my head a little. The beeping noise speeding up was my reward.

That, and Jay’s soothing voice while he squeezed my hand. “Shh, it’s okay. Rest. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

The sounds faded as fog blanketed my mind. Two large warm hands surrounding mine was the last thing I noticed before sleep took over.

The next time I woke up, the loud, steady, annoying beep brought it all back. Being kidnapped, the alarm and strobe lights, the beatings, the shocks.

Beep.Beep.Beep. Louder and faster.

“It’s okay, Cate. You’re safe.”

I got shot.I can’t move or open my eyes. He drugged me so I can’t fight back. BeepBeepBeep.But I have to. I have to fight back. I won’t die here.

“Cate, you’re in the hospital. You’re safe.” Jay’s voice cut through the haze and fear. “The beeping is your heart monitor. Shh, it’s okay. You’re safe.”

Hospital. Jaden. Safe. I repeated the words in my mind as a large hand gently stroked my arm. The beeping slowed down as I continued repeating: Hospital. Jaden. Safe.

This time, when warmth enveloped my hand I squeezed to let him know I’d heard him. Squeeze was probably an exaggeration, so I wasn’t sure he’d even felt it until I heard him say, “I got you, Cate.”

Chapter 38

Jay

Luck wasn’t on my side, and Cate was still unconscious when General Maxwell, one seriously imposing human being, arrived. He marched, not walked, into Cate’s room, his presence filling the space.

“John Sheppard, I presume.” He greeted my father, who’d been sitting near the door, with a brisk handshake before walking to the other side of the bed. “How is she?”

When I stood to answer him, I had to fight the urge to salute. “Still unconscious.” My wince when I stood hadn’t gone unnoticed, nor had the bruises covering most of my face.

“Jaden Sheppard?” he asked.

“Yes, sir.” I reached over the bed and shook his hand.

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