The Virgin Duet(45)

“What’s wrong?” I question, sitting up in bed. The soft light flooding the room indicating I’ve only been asleep for a little while, because the sun is just setting.

“They found Hank. He’s fine,” he finishes before I can ask if he’s okay. But he can’t be fine from the look on Bray’s face.

“What’s wrong then?”

“They said someone knocked him on the back of the head. He’s been in the hospital and just woke up. They had no idea who he was because he didn’t have anything on him.”

“Oh my God! But he’s okay? Was it a robbery?” I pepper him with questions as I try to get up from the bed. We should get to the hospital and check on him.

“Tink, calm down, he’s fine, like I said. It’s just, I should go see him and—“

“Then let’s go. What are we waiting for?” I say, rising from the bed in search of clothing. I put on cotton pants and grab one of Bray’s Harvard University shirts before slipping on some flip flops. When I turn I see Bray sitting on the bed watching with a worried look still on his face.

Cupping his face I try to reassure him. I know Hank’s been with him forever. “Bray, you said he’s fine. There’s no need to worry.”

Pulling me into his lap he buries his face in my hair.

“It’s not just that. I don’t want to take you out of the here after what happened, and I also don’t want to leave you alone.”

“I promise I won’t run again.” I feel his body stiffen at my words. I know we still have so much to work through, but I want him to know that I won’t do that to him again. It only makes me miserable, being without him. I ran because I thought I couldn’t fit into his world but I don’t care if I do anymore. We can live in our own world if that is how it has to be. I’d rather stay in the bubble he’s made for us, than live outside it without him.

“You’re never leaving me again,” he says through clenched teeth and I can’t help but smile.

“Never,” I promise. I’ve never felt so sure of anything in my life. If Bray truly wants me here, then I’ll be here. After my confirmation, I feel some of the tension leave his body.

“You can’t keep me trapped up here forever.”

“I know. Trust me, I’ve thought about it enough times, and I might have searched for a few castles I could hide you away in,” he says, pulling back and looking at me. His clear gray eyes search mine as if gauging my reaction. What reaction, I’m not certain, but I do know he’s not joking.

“Bray, if you’ll feel better having me stay here, then I will. If you want me to go with you, then we’ll do that. But like I said, I’m not leaving you,” I reassure him once again. I know what he’s saying is deeper than just about tonight. The way he’s been acting since I’ve returned also has me rethinking a lot of things. That maybe I’ve been misunderstanding him.

“I think it would be best—” Bray’s words are cut off by the sound of the front door opening. The sound is faint but it’s the only thing it can be. I remember Bray giving me his spare key, and his telling me there’s only a couple of people who have one. I’ve never known anyone to just walk into his home in all the time I’ve lived here.

“Stay here,” he says, placing me on the bed and storming from the room.

Moments later I hear shouting.

“She’s not here!” Bray yells.

“Yeah, f*cking right. I see the way you look at her. Trust me, I know that look.” Nico’s voice sends chills through my body. My stomach turns at the reminder of the time I spent with him. He’s freaking crazy. My priority is keeping the baby safe, so I try to think fast.

Picking up the phone on the nightstand, I call 911 and rattle off the address before hanging up, ignoring the woman's questions on the other end of the line.

“You want the ransom, you got it. I’ll pay it and you disappear,” I hear Bray say as I slowly sneak down the hallway to get a better look at what’s happening. Maybe I can give Bray a sign the police are on their way. I’m not sure if he knows just how crazy Nico really is.

“Let me ask you something, Mr. Hotshot. What price would you take for her, if the tables were turned?”

“Nothing!” Bray snaps out instantly.

“Then you know how I feel.”

“I’ll never tell you where she is.”

“I thought so. But a couple bullet holes in you might change your mind, or she might just come out on her own at the sound of you screaming.”

Nico’s words are like daggers to my heart. I finally have a family and it’s about to be ripped from me. I got Bray into this, and now he might lose his life over it. If I can just stall maybe the police will get here in time. I can stop him from hurting Bray. I know he doesn’t want to kill me. Hurt me, maybe, but you never know with f*cking crazy.

When I reach the end of the hallway, Bray is facing the entryway. His eyes snap over to mine, and we both know he just made a mistake.

“Come out, Becs. Or do you really want me to shoot him?”

Bray shakes his head at me, but I know I have to. What choice do I really have? Rounding the corner I see Nico standing in the entryway with a gun pointed right at Bray. His eyes look wild, and I can tell he’s using. His usually tan skin is now pale with a sheen of sweat. His dark hair is messy and unkempt, and it looks like he hasn’t seen a shower in a few days. He’s still as big as ever, but he’s so twitchy from the drugs that it’s like he’s scarier. I’ve seen the same look on my brother’s face.