Page 12 of Niall

I wanted to die.

And then one day, they carried in another woman. Una. She was the first person I had seen other than the man and an older version of him, whom he called “Uncle.” Somehow the older one scared me even more. His gaze was pure ice. Unfeeling and ugly. He laughed at my discomfort. Stared in fascination at this new woman, and with a sinking heart, I knew she would be facing the same horrific life I was now going to live.

When she woke, she was as terrified as I had been, but she had hope. She spoke of her Finn, firm in her faith he would find her. Rescue her. Rescue us.

She was the one who gave me the strength to keep going. Our whispered conversations were long, and we learned about each other. Depended on each other. After a visit from the men, we comforted each other. Juan, as I came to know he was called, was as evil as I feared. His uncle equally so. And when she confessed the redheaded man I had seen the day she was brought there was her brother and that he was the reason she was there, I was shocked. Her pain was so deep at his betrayal, and I had no words of comfort to offer. All I could do was hold her hand as she wept quietly.

She spoke of Finn the most. Her hero. She also talked about Niall, his cousin. How close the two of them were. Their shared traits and their differences. I felt as if I knew them, and I prayed she was right and we would be found.

Nothing prepared me for the day they rescued us. The way the room plunged into darkness. Just as I had given up hope. The sounds and smells. The men and guns.

Or how it felt when Niall lifted me into his arms, his strength and warmth surrounding me. How gently he held me while he carried me out of that horrible place.

How he cared for me after.

How he was still caring for me.

Earlier, he had informed me I wasn’t going anywhere. I was staying there in the hotel. With him. What it meant, I didn’t know, but I knew what I wanted it to mean. I was just too afraid to ask.

He had kissed me earlier. A soft, quick press of his mouth on mine. Meant to reassure and ease. Or, at least, that was what I told myself. It had felt like something different to me.

I slowly sat up, knowing I couldn’t sleep. When I shut my eyes, the memories came. Dark, twisted, scary. Sleeping, even with the pills the doctor gave me, only brought nightmares and screaming. I reached for the water glass, not surprised to find it empty. I was thirsty all the time—they’d never given us enough to drink or eat, and now I couldn’t get enough liquid, no matter how much I drank.

Carefully, I got out of bed, tiptoeing to the kitchen, not wanting to disturb Niall.

I failed.

“What’s the matter, Anna?” he asked, sitting up as I crossed the room.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I was thirsty.”

He rose from the sofa, heading my way. His chest was bare, the dim lighting playing off his muscles. His arms were massive, his torso thick. He had long legs, and he crossed the floor before I could blink.

He stared down at me, a towering mass of muscles and heat. “You should be sleeping. You need your rest.”

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. “I tried.”

He frowned, lifting his hand and running his knuckles down my cheek. “You’re safe, mo mhuirnín. I won’t let anything harm you.”

“I know that.” I shook my head as tears gathered in my eyes. “I know that, but my head hasn’t figured it out yet. As soon as I close my eyes, I’m back there. Or I feel as if he is in the room with me.” I drew in a shuddering breath. “And I’m trying to be quiet so I don’t disturb you, and I’m failing at that too.”

“Hey,” he murmured, stepping close. He wrapped his arms around me, drawing me to his chest. I melted into him. He was so big. So warm, so safe, so everything. I couldn’t describe how it felt when he surrounded me. Untouchable. Protected. Sheltered from anything that would hurt me. He eased my fears. But when I was alone, all my anxieties came back.

“You’re not disturbing me. I wasn’t asleep.”

“Why not?” I asked, my voice muffled.

I felt the press of his lips on my crown and the exhale of air before he spoke. “I was too worried about you.”

I lifted my head, meeting his gaze. His eyes were as dark a brown as mine, but he had flecks of gold around his pupils. Set under heavy eyebrows and long lashes, they were incredible. He showed a lot of emotion in his gaze, but I had noticed he was also very good at hiding his feelings.

But right now, they were on display for me. Warmth, care, and patience were all I could see. And an underlying emotion I wasn’t sure either of us was ready to discuss.

“Niall,” I whispered.

“Anna,” he replied, his hand on my back pressing me closer.

“I only feel safe when you’re close.”