Save Me(WITSEC #2)(10)

“Shayla!” I screamed as I shot up from where I was lying.

Hands cupped my cheeks, and I was forced to meet Colt’s eyes. “Shh, you’re okay.”

I grasped his wrists. “I couldn’t save her.” Tears poured down my cheeks. “I couldn’t get out.”

“It’s not your fault, Shiloh,” Colt said before pulling me against his chest and hugging me.

“I couldn’t escape. He wouldn’t let me,” I cried into his chest.

His arms tightened around me. “You did. You got out. You’re safe.”

A second set of hands grabbed me by the hips from behind, making me jump. “It’s just me, Shi,” I heard Creed say as his thumbs rubbed small circles on my lower back. “This one was bad.” Creed let out a curse. “Her whole body is shaking.”

“Given what happened yesterday—” Colt started to say but was interrupted by three pounding knocks. Startled, I lurched closer to Colt until I was straddling his lap and burying my face in his bare shoulder.

Colt’s arms tightened around me. “It’s okay. Someone knocked on the front door. That’s all.”

The bed shook a little. “I’ll go answer it. I have a feeling it’s Keelan and Knox,” Creed said. I listened to the sounds of his footsteps getting further and further away as he headed for the front door.

I flattened my palms on Colt’s chest. His skin was warm and smooth. I moved them down and around his sides. His body went taut as I ran them up his back.

“Not that I’m complaining that you’re touching me, but what are you doing, babe?”

“Making sure you’re real,” I whispered. “They feel so real. It’s getting harder to tell where they end and reality begins.”

Colt ran a hand down the back of my head. “Your nightmares?”

I nodded against his shoulder. “I wish I didn’t have to sleep.”

“Everything okay?” I heard Keelan say softly. There was movement in my room, followed by the left side of the bed dipping.

“Bad nightmare,” Colt said.

“We could hear her screaming from our house,” Knox grumbled.

“This one was different,” Creed said from somewhere in the room. “It seemed more violent.”

“That’s how it seemed this morning at the hospital,” Keelan said.

“Think Jacob attacking her triggered something?” Knox asked.

“That’s what I was thinking,” Colt said.

“You’re talking as if I’m not here.” I let out a shaky breath. “I feel like a freak at the circus.”

“I’d pay to see your act,” Keelan said and the tightness in my chest eased a little.

I pulled my face away from Colt’s neck and I met his worried eyes. Colt’s hands went to my cheeks and his thumbs wiped away my tears. “I’m sorry we were talking about you, but at least it got you to stop shaking.”

That was true. My mind drifted to how scared I’d felt and acted. My nightmares were getting worse. My eyes dropped to Colt’s chest. It was wet and striped with streams of my tears.

I couldn’t meet his eyes. “I’m—”

“Don’t,” Knox snapped, interrupting me. I glanced toward my bedroom door. He was leaning against the frame, frowning. “Stop apologizing for something that isn’t your fault.”

Colt tucked my hair behind my ear. “I agree with Knox. Stop apologizing.”

“I know it’s not my fault,” I snapped and then grimaced. “I just…” If I was being honest, I was still worried they’d get sick of dealing with me, even though they had repeatedly proven that they weren’t going to run for the hills. I had no reason not to believe them, but something was holding me back. It was me. I was holding me back. “How do you suggest I act right now? Pretend I didn’t just wake up screaming?”

“No!” they all said at the same time.

I looked around at all of them. Keelan was lying where Creed had been sleeping and he had certainly made himself comfortable in my bed, with his long legs crossed at the ankles and his hands laced behind his head, displaying the tattoos covering the undersides of his arms. I looked for Creed next. He was leaning against my dresser, with his arms crossed over his bare chest. His basketball shorts hung low, showing off the V of his hips. My mind drifted to what he, Colt, and I had done earlier—how they had touched me. It took effort to tear my gaze away. I moved my eyes up to meet Creed’s and saw that he was smirking at me. With hot cheeks I looked back at Colt and saw that he was grinning. I didn’t dare look at Knox or Keelan. I had a feeling everyone had caught me ogling Creed. I cleared my throat. “Is anyone hungry?” I asked as I climbed off of Colt and the bed. Once I was standing, I was reminded that I was only wearing a shirt and underwear. I tugged on the hem of my shirt. “I need pants.”

“Oh, don’t feel the need to put your clothes on because we’re here,” Keelan said, reciting what I had told him the first time I’d had breakfast at their house. Colt and Creed both chuckled and Knox shook his head, but I could tell he was fighting not to smile.

I was positive I was flushed. I still attempted to keep my cool and recited what he had responded with that morning: “Thanks for the permission to be naked, Keelan.”