hadn’t even crossed my mind. Fuck.
“Let’s go,” I growl, speeding home. We need to fucking find her.
Eliana
“No!” I yell, scrambling to stand. Where am I? It’s so dark.
“Shh, beautiful, you’re okay. It was just a dream.”
“Jonah?” I feel him reach out, pulling me back to him.
“Yeah, it’s okay. You’re safe.” He presses his lips to my forehead, rubbing a palm up and down my arm soothingly. “Do you want to talk about it?” he whispers.
“No. No, I just want it to go away.” I hurriedly wipe at my eyes, cursing the tears.
“I have them sometimes, too.” He shrugs.
“You do?”
“Yeah, some things just stick with you. It gets easier, though, Eliana. Every day, you’ll get a bit stronger. You just need to keep moving, surround yourself with people you love, and do things that make you happy. Bring enough joy into your life that the sadness can’t reach you.”
“You’ve found that, Jonah? Chased out your shadows?” I whisper.
“Not completely, but I’m getting closer. Come here.” He lays us back against the pillows. “Think you can sleep?”
“Maybe if you sing for me.” I pout.
“For the girl who thinks I’m dreamy? Anything.” He chuckles and begins singing softly.
I wonder how much good it will take to find my peace. When Monday gets here, I’ll have some tough choices to make, but for now…
“Jonah?”
“Hmm?”
“Make love to me again?” “Thought you’d never ask.” He grins, rolling me onto my back and carefully pushing inside me. “Keep your eyes on mine, Eliana. I’ll help you chase them away. And when we finally sleep, you will be far too happy and exhausted for nightmares.” He kisses me and begins slowly rocking into me, over and over, taking his time with me.
When I reach my first orgasm and close my eyes, he softly whispers, “One. Stay with me, beautiful. I’m nowhere near done yet.”
So, I do. I keep my eyes on him all through the night, making love and chasing away the bad until the morning light peeks through the curtains and we’re completely spent.
“Eleven,” he pants as we collapse on the bed and I am pulled into a blissfully dreamless sleep.
Chapter Three
Costin
“Where are you going, Costin?” Abel falls in beside me as I’m heading down the stairs.
“Seriously, man?” I ignore him, moving to the far wall, placing my finger in the seam of the exposed brick, and freeing the hidden door. “I’m getting fucking answers, Abel.”
“Where’s, Jaxx?”
“I’m realizing that we all seemed to grow balls at the same time. Oh, and that if Andrew kills us for this, I stand a pretty decent chance of getting out alive while he takes down your clumsy asses.” He smirks.
“Funny… you in?” I turn, heading down into the basement.
“I’m in. Have either of you seen Andrew’s secret guest?” Jaxx latches the wall back into place and follows us down.
Abel shakes his head no, and I could scream. “Are we seriously saying that none of us have been down here? We have just taken his word for it this whole time?”
“He had me on detail nearly 20 hours a day.” Abel shrugs. “Didn’t think anything of it after what happened. I wanted to be out there.”
“Well, I was chasing down leads.” Jaxx gives me a pointed look. “How about you, Cos?”
“With Andrew. Playing the role I was supposed to play.” I rub my neck, ashamed. “He has been partying a lot, gotten unpredictable, and we have to call for clean up a few times a week. So yeah, it’s been… busy.”
We’re all silent as we make our way to the end of the hall where Andrew keeps his ‘long term guests,’ and I open the door.
“I fucking shot him!” Jaxx lunges forward, wrapping his hands around the man’s throat, squeezing. “You are supposed to be fucking dead, you piece of shit.”
“Jaxx! Let the fuck go! Let go! He could have the answers we need to keep her safe!” I yell as Abel pulls him back.
“You perverted piece of shit. How are you even alive?” Jaxx hisses. “Answer me, Puckett! After what you did to her, I will enjoy every second of breaking you. Your death will go on for years.”
“I think you should talk dick-bag. He’ll do it, and if it will get answers, we won’t stop him.” I shrug.
“After what I did?” Puckett pants. “I took fucking pictures. I never even touched her. Honestly, didn’t even find her attractive until last year. I’m not into kids, and I’m not a fucking rapist. I was just doing what I was told