Love Me (WITSEC #3)(28)

“Dr. Bolton has been really helping,” Keelan said, sounding pleased.

It was reassuring they could see results. It validated the steps I had taken so far, even if they were small.

Creed gave me his back again. “All right, Shi, let’s get you bandaged up and then head home.”

I climbed on his back again. This time without hesitating.





8





A noise caused me to jerk awake and I found myself surrounded by darkness. I sat up and felt around. Had I fallen asleep on the couch? That seemed to jog my memory of watching a movie with the guys after we’d returned home from the mud run. Relieved to know where I was, I yawned and rubbed my tired eyes.

The light in the hallway that led to Colt’s and Creed’s rooms flicked on and it lit up the living room a little, especially the area behind the couch. I looked at the other end of the couch, finding it empty.

I thought it odd that any of my boyfriends would leave me to sleep on the couch instead of carrying me to one of their rooms and even odder that they’d left me to sleep out here alone.

Maybe whoever was staying out here with me had gone to the bathroom and that was what had woken me?

My thoughts were interrupted when the light coming from the hall was obstructed. I glanced back in that direction, expecting to see Colt or Creed returning from the bathroom.

Who I saw was neither.

Who I saw had me jumping to my feet, backing away, rounding the coffee table as I did, until I bumped into the TV.

There was a man standing in the lit hallway, a step away from entering the living room. It was dark, but I knew him. It was my gut that was screaming at me that just knew. The fear pumping through my veins was paralyzing. My ears filled with pounding beats of my heart and my lungs burned, desperate for air I was too scared to give.

His head turned toward me slowly. Light lit up half of his face and a whimper sounded in the back of my throat. I had no choice but to breathe then. It was either breathe or faint and be at his mercy. My chest rose and fell with loud ragged breaths that didn’t completely satisfy my body’s needs no matter how deeply I inhaled.

Trembling, I watched as he lifted a large knife up to his face. He pressed the dull side of the blade to his lips like a finger. “Shhh.”

The light reflected off the blade, showing that it was covered in a dark substance.

Whose blood is that? That thought invoked a new level of terror within me and I let out a strangled noise.

He looked forward and stalked into the living room. Unable to move, my eyes tracked him as he walked, unrushed, across the living room toward Keelan and Knox’s side of the house.

The fear in me shifted. It didn’t go away, but it was pushed back as something else took over.

“No,” I forced out. I tried to move, but I couldn’t get my legs to work.

“No!” I tried to move again, this time throwing my whole body forward, and I fell to the ground on my hands and knees.

Mr. X was steps away from reaching the hall to Keelan’s and Knox’s rooms. I smacked the carpeted floor. “I’m right here! Take me!”

He seemed to ignore me as he reached the hall and continued until I couldn’t see him anymore.

I screamed then. I screamed with so much desperation and fear. “Keelan! Knox!”





Hands grabbed me. “Shiloh!”

My eyes flew open to Keelan shaking me awake.

Seeing him made my body shudder with relief. The feeling was brief, though. I glanced around for the others. Colt and Creed were standing near, worry on their faces. More relief washed over me.

“Knox,” I breathed.

Where is Knox?

I shoved Keelan away as I sat up from the couch, searching frantically. The guys were blocking me from standing up, so I went to climb over the top of the couch. My tired and sore body tripped me up and I fell over the back to the floor.

The guys called out to me, asking if I was okay. I scrambled to my feet. “Knox!” Terror rattled through my voice as I screamed for him. I ran down the hall to his room. “Knox!” I screamed again as I shoved open his door and barreled my way into his room. His bed was empty. I searched his bathroom next. Empty.

The guys called for me from the hall, their voices getting closer. I didn’t have time to answer them. I needed to make sure Knox was all right. I ran back into the hall and slammed into Colt. I collided with him so hard, he grunted and I bounced backward. He tried to catch me and failed. I slammed against Knox’s bedroom’s doorframe hard enough that I knew I’d have a nasty bruise on my shoulder later.

Colt grabbed for me. “Shit! Are you all right?”

All I had time for was to wince at the hurt before pushing forward. I shrugged off Colt’s hands to walk away. I didn’t make it far. Keelan and Creed blocked me in the hall.

I was prepared to shove them out of the way when I heard, “Shiloh.” The deep, beautiful voice made me pause.

I looked past Keelan and Creed and saw Knox standing at the other end of the hall. Tears slipped from my eyes. I had to put a hand on the wall to keep from crumpling to the floor. My other hand went to my chest, trying to soothe the pain of my pounding heart. I looked down as a body-shaking sob barreled its way out of me. “He was here,” I cried, sounding broken. “He was going to kill you and I couldn’t stop it.”