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I close my eyes, knowing that when I wake up, Kitty will be safe and buried in my arms.

A whole goddamn week I’ve been stuck in this hospital. I hate the smell, the bright lights, and the fact that there’s nothing to do. I’m so used to being busy, having something to do, and not being able to do anything is killing me.

Between the guys being busy and Charlie having a massive case, I’ve hardly seen anyone. But today is the day, the day I get let out of this prison.

“Ready?” Kay asks, coming through the door with a giant smile on her face.

“Fuck yeah, I am!”

She chuckles and grabs my bag as I stand up, wincing as the movement jars my arm that’s held in a sling. The pain pills that I took ten minutes ago should kick in any minute now and when they do, I’ll be in pure bliss. My arm throbs so bad that I have to grit my teeth and stand still trying to steady myself because it’s making me dizzy, almost knocking me off my feet.

“Everything is set up at home for you, I’ve made sure to put fresh sheets on your bed and I also did a little cleaning.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” I tell her.

“Sure I did.” She smiles but it soon turns into a frown when she sees me struggling. “You sure you don’t want me to get a wheelchair?”

“I’m fine,” I say through gritted teeth. I can do this.

She just nods and carries on ahead of me, knowing that I won’t let her help me. I’ve been independent for far too long and I’m not going to start relying on anyone now.

It takes me twice as long as I’d like to get to the car and when I’m finally sitting in the passenger seat, I feel like I could sleep for a week. But I made it out of there on my own and the thought brings a smile to my face.

Kay pulls out of the parking lot and starts driving back to the compound. It feels like forever since I was last there and when the gates open, my stomach flutters with nervousness. I notice that it somehow doesn’t feel like home anymore.

“You okay?” Kay asks, driving all the way down to my little cottage.

My eyes scan the flowers that line the path, flowers that I spent hours putting in and feeding, encouraging them to grow. I then look up to the front door, remembering when I first saw this place, the day that Evan introduced me to Ty.

After being in town a week, I finally get up the nerve to call Evan, telling him that I want to take him up on his offer. He tells me where to come and I follow his directions to a T, seeing him waiting at a set of giant gates for me when I pull up in the middle of nowhere.

I’ve never seen a place quite like it before. Surrounded by woods but fenced off with metal fencing so high that there’s no doubt in my mind this is the place. The caution sign hanging on the gates lets me know it’s electrified and my stomach dips. What the hell is this place? I pull through the gates, parking at the end of the aisle of cars and step out gingerly, starting to regret being here.

“Whattttsup!” Evan calls, wrapping his arms around me and lifting me a couple of inches off the floor. “Boss is waiting for you.” He winks.

“He is?” I ask, not sure if I’ve made the right decision in coming here.

“Yep!” he says, pulling me with him as he walks over the gravel and into a giant warehouse. What the hell is this place?

“You’ll see,” Evan answers.

“Did I say that out loud?” I squeak.

He just chuckles and leads me through the completely empty space and through a door on the right.

“We’re waiting for furniture,” Evan says as way of an explanation. “Boss, this is Kitty, Kitty this is Boss.”

“Hey.” I wave, an unsure smile on my face.

“Take a seat,” Boss says, pointing to the sofa. The only thing in here.

I move over to it, sitting on the edge and wringing my hands in my lap, waiting for what he’s going to say.

“What’s your name?” he asks.

“Kitty.”

“No.” I look up in time to see him shaking his head. “Evan? What’s her name?”