He chuckles. “You got it.”
He leaves me alone for a minute, giving me a chance to regroup. I finish brushing my teeth and wash my face, the cool water helping to cool the heated flush on my cheeks. I glance down at what I’m wearing and frown at the large T-shirt before I realize it’s the one Ambros was wearing when he took me out.
I swallow when I realize I’m only wearing a pair of panties underneath. The swarm of butterflies churning in my stomach has nothing to do with fear and everything to do with arousal—and okay, maybe a touch of embarrassment too. I blow out a deep breath and shake it off. Nothing I can do about it now. I head back to the bedroom and peek outside, surprised to find it still dark. I look at the Alexa on the nightstand and see it’s only a little after one am. For some reason, I thought it was closer to six.
“Definitely never drinking again.” I sigh and sit down heavily on the side of the bed.
“That’s what everyone says,” Ambros teases as he walks in and places a water bottle in my hands.
“Yeah, well, I mean it.” I twist the lid off and take the pills he holds out for me, having a weird moment of deja vu. “Did I take some of these already?”
“Havoc gave you some when you got in.”
“Ah, okay.” I throw them in my mouth and drink down the water before putting the rest on the nightstand. “I’m just going to check on Star.”
“Already done. She’s fast asleep with her unicorn. Maybe you’ll get lucky and she’ll spend the night in her own bed tonight.”
“Maybe.” Though part of me is glad for that, another part of me hates it.
“Come on, back to bed for you.”
I let my eyes move around the room as I lie back and tug the blanket over me. I spot the throw from the bottom of the bed over the arm of the chair and look up at Ambros. “You slept in the chair?”
“I didn’t sleep. I was watching over you. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Damn, this man is killing me. He bends down and kisses my forehead. When he moves to stand up, I grab his wrist, suddenly hating the idea of him leaving. “Stay with me, just until I fall asleep. I don’t want to be alone right now.”
“You only had to ask.” He’s already removed his cut, but he slips his boots off before he crawls up on the bed and lies on his back.
Sensing my hesitation, he tugs me into his arms so my head is resting on his chest. I tangle my legs with his and relax into him, feeling exhaustion pulling me under. I don’t fight it. Why would I? I’m exactly where I want to be.
* * *
The next time I wake up, light is pouring in from the crack in the drapes. I roll over and find the space next to me empty. I’m notsurprised to find Ambros gone, but I am amazed not to see Star here.
I stretch, feeling stiff, but I get up regardless. Lying in bed won’t help. I get to my feet and thank my lucky stars when I don’t feel the urge to throw up again. My head feels fuzzy, and a dull ache makes me thankful I took those pain pills. I can only imagine how bad it would be without them. I drag myself to the bathroom and step into a cool shower that leaves me shivering but wide awake. Not in the mood to dry my hair, I towel it dry and then braid it. Once I’m done making myself feel more human, I slip into clean underwear, a pair of deep-green yoga pants, and a cream long-sleeved Henley. Feeling about as ready as I’ll ever be, I pull my door open and pad down the hall. I poke my head in on Star but find her room empty. Jogging downstairs, I head to the living room first, figuring I’ll catch her watching her favorite movie. Not finding her there either, I frown and go to the kitchen instead.
“Star? Where are you, baby?” Half of me expects to find her sitting with an overflowing bowl of Captain Crunch. When I see the kitchen both clean and empty, the first frisson of fear worms its way inside me.
I check downstairs, calling her name. When I come up empty, I sprint up the stairs, slipping and smashing my shins into the steps as I do. I don’t feel the pain. My only interest is finding Star.
“Star, come out now, this isn’t funny. You’re scaring Mommy.”
I rush into her room and drop to my knees, checking under her bed and every available space in her room before running back to mine and checking under the bed, the bathroom, and even the closet. But she’s nowhere to be found. As panic claws at me, I run back down the stairs, searching for my phone. I find it on the kitchen counter and pick it up with shaky hands, dialingAmbros. I keep looking for her while the phone rings, the room beginning to spin around me as my breathing becomes labored.
“Hey, angel, how are you feeling this morning?” Ambros’s warm voice comes over the phone. I break, deep, terrified sobs tearing me apart.
“Citi? Citi, what’s wrong?”
His voice turned from soft to demanding in a second, but I’m struggling to take in air, let alone speak. His voice sounds farther and farther away as the room spins wildly around me now, the knowledge of my worst fear seeping into my bones. Someone took Star. Someone took my baby. Knowing everything that could happen has everything inside me shutting down. I vaguely hear yelling moments before I pass out.
Smashing wakes me up—the sound of wood splintering and the blare of an alarm, abruptly cutting off—penetrating my foggy head as I struggle to open my eyes. The sound of voices catches my attention. My head screams at me as things come into focus. A large shadow approaches, making me flinch.
“Fuck, Citi, what happened?” I recognize Ambros’s voice first before my dizziness clears and his face comes into focus.
“I can’t find Star. Someone took her,” I cry out, struggling to sit up.
“Shit, hold on, you’re bleeding. Havoc, little help over here,” he yells, making me tense. “Sorry, baby, hold on a second for me.”
