They both groaned.
“Cheese and fucking rice,” Creed cursed. As soon as his finger was free from my mouth, he pulled his hand away and rolled onto his back. He ran his hands down his face. “That was hot as hell, yet so, so mean to do when I’m trying to be good.”
I looked at Colt. “Did I do something wrong?”
Colt shook his head. “Ignore him.” He pulled me with him as he also rolled onto his back. “Let’s try and get some rest.”
I was really relaxed now, almost euphoric. Getting comfortable, I laid my head on his chest and draped my arm across his stomach. After closing my eyes, I eventually drifted off.
My nails tore into the wallpaper as Mr. X dragged me down the hall. I let out another pain-riddled scream, despite knowing that no one could hear me. That knowledge had been proven when our neighbors hadn’t come running to my earlier screams. Our houses were just too far apart.
I tried to kick my legs free, but Mr. X’s grip was too strong, and his steps didn’t slow. I was so focused on trying to grab a hold of anything that came into reach that I didn’t realize we were passing Shayla’s body until I felt something wet seep into the back of my clothes. At the sight of her pink hair, my throat closed, and I began choking on my sobs. I grabbed her hand as it came into reach, desperately hoping to find some flicker of life still left in her. When both of our eyes were level with each other, I saw hers were open and vacant.
“No!” ripped out of me. “Shayla!” I wailed, squeezing her hand as Mr. X continued to pull me away from her and into my bedroom.
“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.”