“We’re fine. Thanks, Collins,” Holbrook said, glancing over his shoulder at the other agents. “We’re okay, aren’t we Riley?” he asked, turning back to me.
After a pause, I nodded slowly. The agents didn’t look convinced, but they nodded in unison and stepped back out into the hallway, resuming their watchdog positions on either side of the door. I flinched when the door slammed shut behind them, but Holbrook’s hands were still there, rubbing up and down my arms, trying to comfort me like a terrified child who had awoken from a nightmare. Unlike a child, my monsters didn’t disappear along with the dreams.
“I’m sorry. I have bad dreams all the time, but this was different. It was so real. I could feel his hunger, could feel…” I faltered, swiping at the moisture in my eyes. “It was so real.”
“It’s alright. Let’s get you cleaned up,” he said, leading me into the bathroom and directing me to sit on the toilet lid as he ran a cloth under the water.
I sighed in relief when he pressed the cool cloth to the back of my neck, wiping away the sweat that had dampened the curls at the nape of my neck. Removing the rag from my neck he ran it under the water again before laying it across my forehead. Closing my eyes, I took several deep breaths, willing my heartbeat to slow, and finally calmed down to the point where I thought I could stand if I had to.
“Better?” he asked, peeling the damp cloth away from my skin and dropping it in the sink.
“Yes. Thank you,” I replied, daring to glance up at him.
Instead of the pity I expected to see in his eyes, I found concern and a hint of something else—something far more hard edged and unwavering. Whatever other emotions were beginning to build between this man and myself, he fairly burned with protectiveness.
Snagging the sealed glass from beside the faucet, he tore open the plastic baggie to fill it with water. Gratefully, I drank deeply, not realizing how thirsty I was until the cool water hit my tongue. I drained the small glass in two long gulps and handed it back to him, asking for more.
“Okay, slow down before you make yourself sick,” he warned when I was on my third glass and my thirst showed no signs of slacking.
“So thirsty,” I murmured as I sucked the last drop of water from the rim of the glass, wiping the back of my hand across my mouth.
“Why don’t you get some sleep, and if you’re still thirsty in the morning I’ll get you a Big Gulp. Deal?”
I nodded as I reluctantly set down the glass.
Following me back out into the room, Holbrook watched as I stripped down to my underwear, not wanting to be surrounded by the sourness of my fear, and pulled back the covers to slide in between the sheets. The motel sheets were scratchy but blessedly cool as I stretched out, curling my arms around one of the pillows.
I watched through slit eyes as he reached for the lamp, letting my lids close when his fingers curled around the knob.
“Holbrook?”
“Yeah?”
“Will you stay with me?” I asked in a tentative voice, not daring to open my eyes.
His answer was almost lost beneath the sharp click of the lamp. “Sure.”
As he stretched out behind me, curling one arm over my hip to press the flat of his hand against my stomach, Loki hopped up on the other side of the bed to curl up against my thighs. Wedged between them, my two fearless guardians, I settled in against the pillows and closed my eyes. Sleep came quickly, sweeping me up and carrying me off into dreams that were blessedly devoid of blood and death.
Chapter 10
SUNLIGHT ANGLING THROUGH the gap between the drapes woke me, turning the insides of my eyelids into a fiery kaleidoscope of orange and red. Blinking against the light, I yawned wide and then spluttered when Loki’s swishing tail landed in my open mouth. I swear the damn cat treats it like a game, trying to see if he can aim his tail to land in my mouth or smack me in the face.
Spitting hairs, I pushed his furry ass away from my face and stretched with a shuddering groan that sent tremors all the way down to my toes. Rolling over, I found the other side of the bed empty, and stretching out a hand over the sheets discovered that they were cool to the touch.
So much for watching over me all night.
Flopping back on my pillow, my jaw tightening with frustration, I huffed a stray curl out of my face and stared up at the ceiling. I would not cry; I would not let Holbrook’s desertion prick at my tender emotions.
“Men suck.”
Throwing back the covers I launched myself out of bed before the first tear could roll traitorously down my cheek. Loki meowed, looking up at me with large lavender eyes, somehow managing to sound reproachful.