“I know they did. She’ll heal, though.”
“Her body will. What about her mind? Her heart? What about that?”
“I can’t say. None of us can.” I watch him turn around and leave the room, closing the door behind him. I lay back, throwing mylegs up on the bed and closing my eyes. I’m exhausted. I feel like I haven’t slept in years.
The exhaustion takes over. It pulls me under and holds me there. The dreams that follow will haunt me forever. It’s her. It’s her lifeless eyes. Her dull, pale skin. It’s the dried blood that crusted on her flesh. It’s the smell of death.
My hands clench at my sides, but there’s nothing I can do. I can’t pull myself out of this nightmare. I can’t wake myself up. I’m lost, drifting in a sea of darkness, but in that dark there’s a tiny light. It’s her. She’s the fucking light. She’s the only thing that I can see, and she’s bloody and broken. She’s lost and out of control. She’s fading slowly away from me.
When I wake up, it’s in a cold sweat. My clothes are covered, the sheet beneath me soaked. I shake my head to rid the thoughts of what was in my dream.
Then I climb out of my bed and pull my shirt over my head. I wince at the pain that shoots through my body. Walking into the bathroom, I turn on the shower before looking over at the clock. It’s fucking two in the morning. I should be asleep. I shouldn’t be awake right now.
Ignoring the urge to check on Anika, I step into the shower and let the cool water hit my skin.
This is all a complete fucking mess.
Chapter 14
Anika
She sleeps peacefully next to me. Her eyes flutter in her sleep, and I wonder what she’s dreaming about. Ellie has been here for two days now. I feel better having her this close to me. I feel better knowing that she’s here. But I need out. I feel like I’m suffocating.
I shake her shoulder as I look at the clock on the wall. I know I should let her sleep, but this is the time. This is what I need to do.
“You okay?” she asks in a groggy voice.
“We need to leave.”
“What? Why?”
“I need to get out of here. I can’t breathe,” I tell her.
“You need some air? I can open the window.”
“No, Ellie. I need out of here. Out of this clubhouse. Away from him. I need out,” I tell her, damn near hysterically. She sits up on the bed next to me and rubs her eyes before glancing at the clock and looking back at me.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Please just take me home.” I almost beg her. Hell, I will beg her if I need to. I need out of here. I can’t breathe knowing he’s just down the hall. I can’t go to him. He probably hates me for what happened. If I were him, I wouldn’t be able to look at myself. I told everyone I didn’t want to see him, and Ithought he would come anyway. He promised me. But I can’t see him. I can’t see the look in his eyes.
“Okay. Let’s go.” She climbs off the bed, and I watch as she dresses and grabs her bag. She packs her stuff as I stand and do the same. Once our bags are packed, we walk toward the door. Ellie peeks out before she ushers me out the door and down the hall. One of the prospects stands near the door, eyeing us.
“We’re leaving,” Ellie tells him.
“You can’t do that.”
“Why?” she asks, popping out her hip and placing her hand on it.
“We’re locked down, darlin’. No one in, no one out.”
“Call Kal,” I demand.
“It’s two in the mornin’.”
“I’m well aware. Call Kal.”
“I can’t do that.”
