Page 11 of Ravaged Soul

“No.” His arms tighten. “You have to listen to me. Tom needs you alive and well.”

“Tom isn’t here.”

My voice cracks from the weight of too much grief to name. Grinding my molars together is the only thing holding an anguished scream inside as the dam on my emotions threatens to break.

“We’re going to find him,” Hyland insists. “But we can’t do that if we’re too worried about you running off to give Luis and Gael what they want.”

“You asked me to trust you. I’m doing it.”

“You’re free-falling,” he claps back.

“I’m not!”

“What else would you call this?”

“Surviving.” Exasperation gives me the courage to recapture his eyes. “The only way I know how.”

“That was before.” His brawny arms tighten around me. “You’re not alone now.”

Pulling away from him, I mash my lips shut to hold my enraged tirade inside. As much as I want to rant and rave at him… I can’t. He’s right. I’m falling apart at the seams, and I damn well know it.

All I can do is fight.

Fight and fucking survive.

“Ember—”

“No. I’m done talking.”

“Em, please.”

“Let me go! We’re done.”

Forcing my still-quaking limbs to steady, I pull free from him to stiffly draw to my feet. Soreness is setting in now that I’ve stopped to rest, sapping any remaining energy still fizzing through me.

I hear Hyland stand up with a low grunt, and when his hand clamps down on my shoulder, I know I won’t get away easily. He encourages me to turn and look up at him.

“This isn’t over. When your body decides it’s had enough and turns against you, we’ll be having a whole other conversation.”

“Fantastic.” I roll my eyes. “Can’t wait.”

“You’re a sarcastic bitch, you know that?”

With a small smile pulling at my lips, I place my hand on top of his and squeeze. “I know.”

His nostrils whistle with a long sigh. “Naturally, you’re proud of that fact.”

“Hard not to be.” My knuckles twinge in pain as I lower my hand. “Why are you even down here?”

“I came to get you. Doctor Richards is waiting for your session, although I’m inclined to think I should take you home to get cleaned up and sleep.”

“I just need a sec, then I’ll be good.”

“There isn’t much about this situation that’s good.” Hyland’s headshake disturbs his long, dirty-blonde locks. “I should be used to it by now. This is a dangerous job.”

My gut twists and wrings, filling with anxiety. It takes great effort to get my tongue to form words.

“Dangerous for you, right? When it impacts your loved ones… Well, that’s different.”