Page 42 of WITSEC

Smiling, he lifted me to sit upright, put his T-shirt on me, and laid us out on the couch with me on top of him.

I lay my head over his heart and listened to it beat as I watched the fire. “I need to go finish the doughnuts,” I said and let out a yawn.

He began running his fingers up and down my spine. “What you need is sleep. Just rest, Shiloh.”

“Did you have sex with me just to tire me out?”

“No. I did that for selfish reasons. But if you’re able to get a good night’s sleep because of it, I’ll take the credit.”

I snorted. “Just like you took the title of god?”

“You’re the one who called me that.”

“I did not!”

His chest shook beneath me as he laughed. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. Nor would I have if I’d been able to. It was a wonderful moment—almost perfect. But intrusive thoughts always found a way to sneak into my mind and I found myself questioning how many more wonderful moments we had left. We were in our own bubble here. How long until someone or something tried to pop it?

I fought with all my might to push those thoughts away and just focus on the feel of the man holding me. I focused hard on his fingers rubbing up and down my spine until my eyes became heavy and I drifted off.

Chapter Thirteen

I wokeup on the couch alone. The fire in the fireplace was still burning brightly and I could feel its heat. Sitting up, I threw off the throw blanket that had been covering me. “Knox?” I called out as I looked into the kitchen. The lights were on, but it was empty.

As I stood, I realized that I was dressed in my clothes. Not Knox’s shirt. I didn’t remember getting dressed before I’d fallen asleep. “Knox?” I called again and tried to look down the hall. It was pitch black. I didn’t know why, but the darkness scared me and my legs moved me toward the bright kitchen.

Feeling safe in the light, I convinced myself that Knox was in the bathroom and I headed to the fridge for some water. As I walked by the island, a white ceramic cake stand with a glass dome lid caught my eye. Under the clear glass, I could see the chocolate doughnuts I had been working on were glazed and stacked neatly.

For a second, I wondered if Knox had finished glazing the doughnuts for me. Then I glanced down at my clothes and I started to have doubts. Had I dreamt of Knox and me havingsex? Had I made the doughnuts and just fallen asleep on the couch?

“Shiloh,” a voice called me.

I looked toward the hall, where I could have sworn the voice had come from, and Mr. X stepped out of the darkness. He was holding a knife in his hand. The blade was covered in blood. So were his hands and the front of his jeans, and some was spattered across his face.

Seeing that blood spiked more fear in me than he did. “Whose blood is that?” I asked even though I knew the answer.

“Shi,” I heard Creed call for me. His voice sounded like it was coming from my bedroom down the hall behind Mr. X. I had to get to him. He could be hurt.

Hearing Creed, Mr. X glanced over his shoulder.

“No,” I said and to my surprise I was able to move. For once, fear did not shackle me and nothing tried to stop me.

Mr. X turned around toward the hall and I began running for him.

“No!” I screamed, and I was almost about to pass the couch to get to the hall when something locked around my waist. I tried to wriggle and thrash against what felt like a restraint across my hips.

“Don’t you touch him!” I yelled at Mr. X.

Mr. X didn’t even spare a glance back at me as he stepped into the dark hall, disappearing from sight.

“I’m the one you want!” I thrashed harder to get free. When that didn’t work, I threw myself forward toward the floor and the restraint slipped down to my thighs as I went down. Before I could face-plant into the wood floor, I caught myself on my hands. The thing holding me came down with my lower body and I felt a weight on top of my legs. Using my training, I rolled the weight off of me and started to crawl. I made it about a foot away before my calves were grabbed and I was pulled back. Ilet out an angry, frustrated scream and what was pulling on me stopped, but didn’t let go.

I kicked to get free and dug my nails into the floor as I tried to crawl forward again. What was latched onto my legs moved up my body to my waist. Using all the strength I had, I dragged myself a few inches forward.

“Shi!” I heard Creed call again, but this time there was panic in his voice.

“If you hurt him, I will kill you!” I roared in a way that sounded feral as I made it forward another inch. “I will cut your fucking heart out!”

I was yanked by my waist from the floor and lifted up to sit. My back collided with something hard yet soft just as weight came down on my legs and my arms were squished against my chest.