Page 156 of One More Heartbeat
Now we just need someone to protect us from those men.
Peony snuggles even closer to me and falls asleep again. I try to inch away from her, but she releases a small, distressed noise. I’ll have to wait until she’s fully asleep before I can look for paper and leave a message.
I close my eyes and imagine Garrett saving us like one of the protagonists from his books, or how he used to rescue people when he was a Marine.
Garrett. The man who I wish was the hero in my story. The man who never loved me like he loved Kenda.
Though with Peony’s life in danger, and mine too, I can’t bring myself to care about his friends-only feelings for me. I have bigger things to worry about, to fear.
Tears leak past my closed eyes and dampen the pillow. I just need a second to rest.
I jerkawake to the bright sunlight suddenly streaming through the window, and my heart jolts into a frantic pace, banging hard against my chest wall.
Peony stirs in my arms. The fog clouding my brain hasn’t faded since I closed my eyes. If anything, it’s denser. Unrelenting.
“Get up. Now.” The cruel voice pushes through the fog, reminding me I’m not in Garrett’s arms like I was in my dream. I’m back in my own hell. A hell with two evil men and a toddler I must protect.
Peony lets out a tired wail.
“Shut her up or I will.” The growl of his voice makes me think of an angry Rottweiler whose favorite chew toy has been stolen. His scowl is equally terrifying, the thick scar slicing through the corner of his eyebrow amping up the effect. He’s alone.
I sluggishly push to a sitting position, my body wanting to scream at the pain swallowing me whole.
Don’t fail Peony.
As much as I want to curl into a ball and die, I can’t. Peony needs me.
I still have no idea where we’re going, or why they kidnapped Peony and me when it’s Athena they were looking for. The few times I asked were met with icy silence.
The man tosses two candy bars onto the bed.
“Candy? Can’t you get us anything more…nutritious?” I’ve been careful with my diet because of the spondyloarthritis diagnosis, but the two men don’t give a damn about a healthy diet for us. Junk food is all they’ve given us so far.
“It’s this or nothing. Your choice.”
My choice is to be back in Maple Ridge, but I keep that to myself and pick up one of the Snickers.
I tear it open, break off a piece, and hand it to Peony.
She eyes it with reluctance but a beat later takes it from my hand.
I open the other Snickers and take a bite of it. I’m not hungry, the pain in my body overshadows my appetite. But Peony needs to eat or elseshe’ll grow cranky and get on the men’s nerves. Though I’m not sure a toddler hyped on sugar is much better than a cranky toddler.
She takes a nibble of her piece, then eats the rest. I break off another chunk and hand it to her.
“We’re leaving. Get your stuff. You can eat in the SUV.” He points to the closed door.
“Where are you taking us?” Maybe he’ll be more chatty this time.
“You’ll find out when we get there.” Okay. So, not chatty.
That doesn’t stop me from asking the other question he never answers. “You were looking for Athena, so why do you want us?”
I’ve come up with a bunch of possibilities, thanks to Garrett’s books. But I’d rather hear the truth. Even with the brain fog, my imagination is scary.
“You’re only here to watch after her while we’re on the road.” He points to Peony, his message clear. I’m expendable.
The trembling that’s kept my body prisoner intensifies. Even Peony can’t miss my body’s reaction to the news.
