“Gemma, love…” a deep voice whispered.
My heart raced and my lips didn’t move. I was sure I’d heard wrong. It sounded like Bodie, that was what he called me,love.I thought my terrified mind was playing tricks on me.
“I can’t see a thing,” the voice grumbled.
Amid the slight haze that still surrounded me, it sounded like he was talking to someone else, not me. Panic set in that she had a lot more help. Maybe that was why the next time was when it was all going to be finished. She was waiting on others?
“Baby, if you’re in there, call out,” the man demanded as he stepped further into the dark room.
That’s my husband!my mind screamed but my voice failed me. A light flashed on and swept over the room just as I finally got the words out.
“Bodie, I’m h-here!” I cried out.
The light snapped to where I’d lain scrunched up in a ball.
“She’s here!” he yelled as he raced to my side.
Who was he talking to?
“Sweetheart, oh my God, are you hurt anywhere?” My husband softly cupped my face with the palm of his hand. “I don’t want to move you if you’re hurt, baby. Talk to me.” His voice was laced with distress.
His soothing touch felt like heaven. “I’m okay. Just hold me,” I pleaded, my voice still weak but managing to work. I needed to be in his arms, and from his tone, he needed it as much as I did.
Still trying to be careful, he laid the phone down so the light shone toward the ceiling and gently started pulling me into his lap. I hissed out a ragged breath when his hand came in contact with my aching side where Lena had kicked me.
Bodie froze with me halfway to where I desperately needed—and wanted— to be. “I thought you said you were okay, did I hurt you?” His voice was filled with concern.
Not caring if it hurt, I clumsily scrambled the remaining way onto his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck, then buried my face against his chest. Footsteps behind me had my body tensing and I cuddled into my husband more.
“Shh, it’s okay, it’s just Paxton. He’s watching the door.”
“Paxton?” I whispered.
“I’m here, sis,” I heard my brother's voice say, closer now as if he moved into the room a bit. “We’re going to get you out of here.”
Relief slammed into me but with it, a tidal wave of built-up emotions followed and I lost it. I burrowed impossibly closer to my husband, seeking comfort, and a sob broke free. Bodie held me to him and rubbed soothing circles on my back as he planted tender kisses on my head while whispering to me.
A few minutes later the sobs that shook my body had turned into soft cries, and then they had diminished to a few quiet hiccups.
“Love, we have to get out of here. I don’t want to hurt you, but I have to pick you up now,” Bodie told me.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
I could hear the worry in his voice about hurting me so I brought one hand down as I said it and rubbed Bodie’s solid chest to soothe us both and let his strength ground me. But the solace I was seeking was short-lived when I heardher.
“Oh good, now we have ourselves a party.”
My head left Bodie’s chest and my gaze snapped to the door where I knew I would find Lena. If I thought she’d come unglued before, it was nothing compared to the way her voice sounded now.
And this time as she stood silhouetted by the light behind her, she had a gun.
“Mom, put down the gun,” Paxton told her.
I heard a quick inhale and then a fluorescent light I didn’t know existed blinked on, illuminating us all. Lena’s eyes were glued to her son. Two things flickered in them I didn’t know could exist in the woman who stood in front of us.
Love and hurt.
My gaze swept to Paxton where he stood just to the side a bit but between his mother and Bodie and me. I saw his emotions mirrored his mother’s, but he was also furious. I wanted to go to him, to comfort him like Bodie was me. When my body flinched to move, Lena’s eyes flicked to mine and her whole demeanor changed again.
