Avenged (Altered #2)(19)

They stood there, staring at each other. The tension cracked in the air as neither of them said anything.

Finally she stepped forward, putting her hands on his forearms. The contact calmed him, focused him. He remained still, not wanting to scare her or do anything that would discourage the connection. Her eyes soft, she said, “I know this is scary, but you’ll survive. I promise. We’re here together now.”

Simple words, spoken with what sounded like a lifetime of experience. But what really got him was that she cared to comfort him. When faced with returning to a cell, what had to be her worst nightmare, she reached out to him.

God, she killed him.

As natural as anything, he lifted his hands, curling them the slightest bit around her elbows. Her warmth seeped into him as he cradled her fine bones in his fingers.

The possibilities played through his mind, vivid and appealing. With the slightest pressure, he would coax her into his arms, feel her willowy form against him, and cocoon her slight frame with himself.

He would hold her safe, and she would burrow into him.

Quickly he dropped his hands and turned away, desperately trying to conceal his thoughts. What was he even thinking?

“What are you thinking?”

Stalling, he stepped away from her. This was bad, so bad. “What do you mean?”

“You…” Her voice had pitched up. “I heard you.”

Fuck.

She opened her mouth to comment, but the door lock clicked, interrupting her. Despite whatever conversation they’d been about to have, or however uncomfortable it might have been, they stepped closer, united, as the door swung open.

Jeremy stood in the entrance, flanked by two soldiers. Nick recognized them from the valley. They’d been there to run him and Kitty down.

His jaw clenched, Nick stepped forward, positioning himself partially in front of Kitty. If they thought they were going to take her somewhere, for God only knew what reason, they’d have to get through him first.

“Oh good, you’re both awake.” Jeremy smirked, as if he was amused by his own joke. “Nick, the doctor wants to see you.”

Behind him, Kitty tensed. “Fields wants to see Nick? Why?”

“He’s got some questions.” Jeremy shrugged. “Nick landed a job here—at a high-level security contractor—in order to find you and get you out. His name should have raised flags, but he cleared our background checks.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Obviously, Dr. Fields would like to know how he managed to do that.”

The other men with Jeremy stepped forward, advancing on him.

Nick didn’t think; he reacted. He swept a leg out, tripping the one on the left. He had a flare of satisfaction, watching the man fall, and he spun to address the second pursuer. Before he could make any contact, he was frozen. Completely paralyzed. He was familiar with the feeling. Blue and Luke had lifted him before, thrown him out of windows and off of buildings. But they always let him breathe while they did it.

The suffocation kicked off spikes of terror. It only lasted a moment or two, but it felt like so much longer. When he began to feel dizzy, though, the air entered his lungs again.

He dropped to his knees, gasping. Over his heartbeat, he heard Kitty. The words weren’t clear, but the speed and pitch told him she was upset.

She crouched beside him, her hand on his sleeve. He tried to focus on her as he coughed. Her eyes were incredibly blue as she whispered, “Are you okay?”

He nodded, because he hated to see her so scared, but didn’t respond before they dragged him to his feet.

“You can’t do this,” she declared, yanking on Nick’s arm. Not that she had any chance of stopping them.

Seemed he didn’t have much chance, either.

“He won’t be gone long, baby.” Jeremy winked at her as he held the door. The other two shoved Nick forward.

“You can’t do this,” she repeated, her voice stronger. Irate. For him.

“It’s okay,” he told her, as they dragged him past her. He tried to keep at the forefront of his mind, where she could hear it, that it would all be okay, somehow.

He wasn’t sure he convinced her, though, and as they closed the door behind them, he wasn’t convinced, either.

No one said anything as they led him down the hallway of what appeared to be a rundown, rambling school building. Signs of negligence surrounded him. Dust covered windows and windowsills, and the floor hadn’t been scrubbed. There were no furnishings in some of the rooms he passed, and other rooms’ furniture was covered in sheets.

Kitty had been right. This wasn’t the compound he’d worked in. They must have abandoned the other building quickly. This one wasn’t prepared for them yet.

They turned into what looked like a conference room of some kind. This place was cleaner than the rest, the linoleum tiles free of dust, the light fixtures gleaming. A desk sat at one end, a few chairs against the wall.

“Ah. Thank you.” Fields placed the paperwork he’d been holding on the desk and came around to greet him. “Mr. Degrassi. Thank you for joining us.”

Nick didn’t answer. As if he’d had a chance to decline.

“Please. Have a seat.” Fields gestured to the chair one of Jeremy’s cohorts had moved to the center of the room.

Nick remained silent. Fields lifted his eyebrow. The challenge was clear. Sit, or be seated.