Page 19 of Burning Escape (Chasing Fire: Alaska #3)

“For sure!” Tori spun back to the bar and caught herself before she tipped over. She grabbed the back of a chair, needing the help to keep her balance. A wave of dizziness spilled over her. Hopefully, Vic had her drinks ready by now.

“Watch it.” An older woman gave her the stink eye after Tori knocked into her arm.

“I’m…sorry.” Her tongue was heavy. Maybe she should find…who was she with again? Her thoughts scattered. She stumbled.

“You should come with me,” a deep voice whispered in her ear. A firm grasp on her arm and around her waist held her up as her knees buckled beneath her. What was wrong with her?

Tori looked up, her head falling back. Once her eyes finally focused, she gasped. “You.”

The same camo guy that had tried to dance with her that night she’d met Orion. And this time she was powerless to pull away. She could hardly keep her eyes open, let alone fight back as he carried her through the crowd and outside.

What had been in that drink?

The man took her around the corner of the building and into the parking lot.

No! She couldn’t get into his vehicle. That was bad. She tried to pull away, but her muscles were so weak she couldn’t even move her mouth to form words.

God, help!

She collapsed.

“No you don’t.” The man caught her before she hit the ground and threw her in a fireman’s hold over his shoulder. The motion made the dizziness even worse. Her vision blurred.

“Hey!” A voice from farther away broke through the fog in her brain. It was familiar. Safe. “Let her go!”

Orion. That’s who it was. Orion was coming for her.

She hit the ground, and the world faded to black.

* * *

Tori woke to the sound of footsteps pacing. Her stomach twisted in angry spasms. She curled onto her side, waiting for the pain to pass. The footsteps quickened.

“Tori?”

She cracked open an eye to find a dim room. Her vision blurred, but she could distinguish blinking lights on little machines next to her bed. And him.

“Hey, Ry.” She tried opening the other eye. Bright blue eyes framed with furrowed brows came into focus. Orion’s dark-brown hair was perfectly tousled.

It wasn’t fair for a guy to have such nice hair.

“What was in that drink you sent me?” She sounded like a croaking frog. Probably looked green like one too, as much as her stomach hurt. Her head throbbed.

His hand stroked her cheek, helping ease some of the pain. “I didn’t send you a drink.”

“But the server…” Tori paused, trying to gather her scattered thoughts. “She said…you sent it.”

He shook his head slowly. “It wasn’t me.

But after talking to people at the bar, the deputies think they have it figured out.

That guy at the bar asked the server to give you that drink, telling her he was trying to help me ask you out.

She totally believed him and thought she was aiding a budding romance.

She feels awful now, knowing that he slipped something in it.

I don’t know exactly what it was, but they were able to induce vomiting and have been watching your vitals all night. ”

All night? “Where are we?”

“Anchorage. Raine and JoJo are here too.”

“And the sleaze that drugged me?”

“It’s my fault, I’m sorry. I had him, but he got away. I was too worried about you to go after him. I called for help, and by the time the deputy arrived, he was gone. But they’ve been working with Vic and interviewing witnesses to track him down.”

She slammed her eyes shut as nausea hit her middle. A moan escaped.

“I’m so sorry, Tori.” His warm touch around her hand cut through the chill in the room. Her stomach calmed.

“It’s not your fault.” She could only whisper the words, but she wanted so much for him to believe her. “I was so scared. I’ve never been that helpless in my life.”

She’d thought darkness was bad, but to be completely powerless over her own body and at the mercy of an evil man?

She shivered at the thought. She swallowed, tried opening her eyes again to see Orion, to remind herself that she wasn’t in the darkness anymore.

“But I heard you there, and I knew I was going to be okay.” She tried to smile, to show him how much it meant to her that he’d saved her. “I even prayed.”

“Really?” The furrowed brows relaxed, and a soft smile graced his handsome face.

“Not that it was much of a prayer. More like a panicked cry.” She tried to chuckle, but it hurt too much.

“He still heard.”

“Guess He did. You came to my rescue.”

“You know that’s all it takes, right? To cry out for Him. And He’s there.”

She got the sense the conversation had taken a deeper turn. “You really believe that?”

He nodded, dropping a sweet kiss to her hand, still wrapped in his own. “I do.”

Maybe Orion was right. She definitely needed a rescue. “I’m tired.”

So tired. Tired of being afraid. Tired of trying to do life on her own, keeping it all together. Tired of trying to outrun her past. She’d been searching so long to find a place to belong. Maybe it really was a Person she’d been seeking this whole time.

A tear dripped down her cheek. She felt like that little girl who’d been so scared at night.

Searching for a safe place, she’d tiptoe into her father’s bedroom only to be sent back to her own bed.

She’d sneak into one of her sisters’ beds, which was fine until they woke up and kicked her out too, leaving her on her own, fighting back the darkness and fear. “Is there room for me, Ry?”

“He wants you, Victoria. There’s always room.”

“I’m afraid of the dark.”

“He is light. And He’s not going to leave you or push you away. He’s always with you.”

“Okay.”

Then that’s what I want. I want You, God.

Light and peace flooded her body and soul, and for the first time she could remember, she slept without fear.