Page 72 of Nowhere to Hide

I nodded.

“Be right back.”

I rolled back into my nest. The warmth of the late day soaked into my bones. I must have passed out again because I woke to an insulated dish and a thick stem of grapes in a bowl along with a bottle of water.

I struggled to sit up and looked over my shoulder. No sign of Locke.

The sun was lower in the sky now, glinting off the water. Seagulls dove into the sea coming out with their dinners. The rocky coast was beautiful. I snapped off a fat green grape and munched. Inside the insulated dish was cheese and some rolled up meats with pickled banana peppers.

Evidently Locke knew just how to make a girl dinner.

After I filled my belly, I looked around.

I didn’t want to shout out for him in case maybe he was actually resting too. Staying with me all night last night had probably been anything but restful.

I’d invaded every part of his life.

He probably hated me.

But I was beholden to him.

And right now, I had to allow myself to be selfish.

At least until I was a little stronger.

I stacked my dishes and slowly stretched out my left leg. The ache was a heading into throb. It was probably time for more meds and maybe another book off Locke’s shelves.

I found I didn’t miss my phone. I’d been constantly tethered to it for work for so long it was oddly freeing. Just the sound of the ocean around me, the screech of the birds. I let myself drift and the sun slowly slid away into the twisty dark.

The sound of the water lapping along the boat became the piles of the dock.

Ropes wrapped around my neck and slowly grew tighter.

My lungs fought for air.

I wanted to scream, but it wouldn’t come.

It was trapped under the darkness in the light.

Distantly a sharp voice echoed in the nightmare.

My name.

I turned my face toward the sound, but the ropes wouldn’t let me move.

“Priscilla!”

I came to with a gasp.

Locke was beside me, shaking me. I reared up and grabbed onto him.

The tears coming like a storm.

My fingers dug into his bare shoulders and the smooth expanse of his back. The tears were a torrent, and I couldn’t gather them back in.

Off balance, he crashed onto his elbow, but he didn’t let me go. “It’s all right,” he said gently.

“I didn’t even realize I fell asleep again.” I said against his chest. I dragged in a gulping breath. It happened so fast. Like I’d been dropped right back into that moment.