package in my hands. The box is small, roughly four-by-four inches, black, and tied with a forest green bow.
“What’s that?”
Carly’s voice startles me, causing the box to fall from my fingertips. It hits the floor with a soft thud. Shrugging my shoulders, I bend down to retrieve the box.
“I’m not sure. Neighbor said it was delivered to him by accident.” I toss it on the couch between Carly and I as if it’s about to grow teeth and bite.
“Are you going to open it? Do you think Elias sent it?”
“I don’t think so. Why would he when I’m staying with him?”
“Oh, right. Only one way to find out what it is,” Carly teases. I can tell she’s trying to lighten the heavy cloud in the atmosphere, but I’m not particularly in the mood for games.
Carly hands me the box with a jerky shake of her hand, clearly gesturing for me to take it. The green satin ribbon pulls smoothly from the bow and falls unceremoniously to the carpet. My pulse spikes as I remove the lid. A folded white piece of paper sits nestled inside, so I lower my hand with the box to my knee and pull out the note to read it.
Keep this safe for me. I’m going to want it back.
“Holy shit. Is that—ˮ Carly’s whispered question pulls me from the cryptic note, and I gaze into the box in my hand.
The black square box is lined with hair.
Human hair.
Blonde human hair.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Babe, open up!” Elias’s deep voice penetrates the door along with several rapid bangs I’m assuming are his fist.
Pulling my knees tighter to my chest, I curl deeper into myself. This can’t be happening. I squeeze my eyes shut, but all I can think about is that hair. Katie’s hair. It has to be. My stomach pitches. I’m going crazy. Why is he tormenting me? What did I ever do to deserve this?
Soft voices pull my attention from an internal retreat. I look up in time to see Elias entering my apartment followed by Sin. My handsome boyfriend’s face is drawn with worry and anger as he strides heavily towards me.
Without a thought, a sob tears from my throat, and I throw myself into his arms. His arms band around me with a reassuring tightness, causing the tears to flow harder. Rough, choking sobs shake my frame as I cling to him with all of my remaining strength. If I could burrow inside of him and live there, I would. My breathing turns to hiccups, and the familiar squeeze of hyperventilation causes panic to spike.
Elias lowers us to the couch, and I rear back from his lap. Eyes wide with fear, my chest spasms. My body demands oxygen, but no matter how hard I draw breath, I can’t get any. Fingers claw at my shirt, trying to break the confines of my lungs.
Sensing my distress, Elias cups my face in his large palms and rests his forehead against mine. “Listen to me. Listen to my voice, Marlee. You have to breathe. Slow it down. Nice deep breaths. You’re okay.”
Through my panic, I can feel him stroking my hair. It’s not enough. The grip is so strong; I can feel my breaths increasing. A horrible wheezing sounds with each ragged inhale.
“Shit,” he mutters as he lies back on the couch. Pulling my face to his chest, his body slowly rocks as he takes slow, deep breaths.
“Feel me. Breathe with me. Feel my chest move. I’ve got you. Nobody is going to hurt you. Nice and slow, babe,” he whispers into my hair. Somehow, his words penetrate the fog, and I try to do as he says. His body cocoons mine in a pillow of warmth and safety. “That’s my girl,” he praises when my chest slows its heaving. “Just keep breathing with me.”
“Here,” a gruff voice sounds from beside us. Raising my eyes, I meet Sin’s dark brown ones, and I’m surprised to see a softness in his face. I take the glass of water he’s offering with a trembling hand.
“Thank you,” I croak; the rough sound of my voice making me wince.
“No problem, girl.”
The cool water soothes the scratchiness of my throat, and I’m grateful these guys showed up before I fell apart. Not to discredit our friendship, but Carly would have had one hell of a time trying to calm me down. There’s no logical explanation for the feeling, but one touch from Elias is enough to dull my nerves. The more skin on