He flashed me an amused smile.
“Do I know you?” I asked, blinking away the water in my eyes.
“Morgan showed you my picture, I’m sure,” he said, his voice much lower than West’s or Logan’s. I shivered again, suddenly freezing.
Something is wrong.
“Reed,” I remembered, my eyes darting around the pool. The room was empty. The security cameras were fixed in the corner of the gymnasium, but I wasn’t sure if they just recorded or if they were monitored from the front office.
He grinned, and his teeth flashed white against his tanned skin.
“Morgan calls me Reed. It’s my last name.”
I’ve heard his voice before.
Overwhelmed with the intense need to get away from him as quickly as possible, I fought back panicked tears. “Is Morgan… here with you?” I asked. My broken words were foreign to my own ears.
“Morgan told me something interesting,” he said, standing to tower over me. I moved to the center of the pool, getting as far away from all four edges of the rectangle as possible.
“She… did?” Something, some memory struggled to surface.
His hair, longer and dirty, hanging in his face…
“She told me that her baby sister went and got herself a tattoo. Little rebel,” he murmured, his vice-like stare holding me under, suffocating.
My eyes darted to my arm, and I tried desperately to tread water.
Where is your hero now, mademoiselle?
“Does it look something like this?” he asked, rolling up his sleeve and flashing me his forearm.
The numbers.
My chest was hollowed, and my muscles refused to cooperate. Breathe, breathe, please… I struggled, gasping for air.
“Don’t be scared, princess,” he crooned, his deep voice low and sadistic. His eyes crawled over me. “I’ll make this easy… and mostly painless. I’ve already had my fun with you in the past.”
I remembered the dull knife breaking my skin as he thrust the blade into my throat.
Adrenaline should have been rushing by now, but instead, my feet turned to lead.
I’m trapped.
“Come here.”
I tried to scream, my nightmares coming to life as my voice disappeared. I went under the water a little and came up choking.
He laughed softly.
“You’re terrified,” he realized, raising his dark eyebrows. “He found you young this time. He hasn’t even really touched you, has he?” he asked, as though realizing. His menacing eyes pierced mine. “You look so much like her, this time,” he murmured, focused on my face. “You’re still just a child.”
I pivoted and swam away from him. He crashed into the water like a shark at my feet. My limbs were shaking as I pulled and kicked at the water, desperately reaching for the edge.
He was on me in seconds. I tried to scream, water gurgling in my throat. “Roam. Roam,” he growled, gripping my hands behind my back. He held me against the coping of the pool, his body rigid against my back. His soaking wet mouth touched my ear. “Stop. I could have snapped your little neck already, but I haven’t. I want to talk to you.”
We were waist deep in the water.
“What?” I went slack against him, shaking violently.
“That’s better.” He buried his nose deep into my wet hair just above my ear, inhaling slowly. I cringed, moaning and trying to turn away from him. “Has he used the fountains yet?” His mouth was too close to my eardrum and I could barely understand him. He shoved himself against me from behind, crushing my stomach against the side of the pool. I whimpered, losing the feeling in my fingers from his cruel grip on my wrists.
“The… fountains?”
“The fountains,” he repeated, jerking my arms a painful inch further behind my back as his teeth closed sharply on my earlobe. Hot pain radiated along my ear and throbbed. Sobbing, I tried to focus. “Has he used them yet?”
I turned his words over in my mind, drawing my knees up as far as I could. “The doors… yes,” I managed, my voice trembling so much that I could barely understand myself.
“St. Petersburg?”
The curious part of me, the driven intellect, registered his words.
St. Petersburg… fountains… the Peterhof Fountains, built by Peter the Great… the fountain?
The fountain is a door?
“Yes, the… the Peterhof Fountains,” I confirmed. He snarled, wrenching my arms behind me until I felt the sockets pop. I cried, my head jerking backward automatically.
“And your little dream water mirrors, they led him right to it,” he hissed.
Cold realization hit me.
He was going to hunt West.
After he killed me.
He had inched backwards when pulling my arms, and I used that opportunity to flatten my bare feet against the pool wall in front of me. I expected the pain in my arms but readied myself anyway. Crying out, I pushed off as hard as I could.
He was knocked backward, buying me moments to throw myself over the edge of the pool. I did, scrambling to my feet. Halfway between the pool and the wall, my foot hit a puddle of water and I slipped, falling forward and landing hard on my knees.
He picked me up by the waist- completely off the ground- and threw me back in the pool. In the moments that I was underwater, I tried to absorb the pain in my knee, but he was already yanking me back to the surface with a brutal grip on my shoulders. The water was draining from my ears as he spoke, so the first part of his hissing sentence was muddled.
“I’m going to kill you now, once and for all, you little bitch.”
“Roam!”
Troy turned as Logan ran to the edge of the pool. He released me, moving to the side and heaving himself out. I prayed that he was going to run like a coward, but instead he advanced on Logan.
God… no…
“Run! Logan, run please run!”
Logan threw a punch at Troy, but Troy caught his fist easily.
I blinked at a mixture of tears and water.
When my vision cleared, Logan was on the ground, screaming in pain. His arm… Troy must have broken his arm, I realized, trying to swim through the water toward Logan. I’m in my nightmare, so slow, can’t run…
When I reached the edge of the pool, Troy reached down and grabbed me by my hair and thrust me under the water.
With my eyes wide open, I clawed at his hand, trying to fight. He only pushed me further down. My lungs began to burn and were on fire in seconds. My heart throbbed in my ears as panic seized me, and I beat against his hands, finally trying to rip the handful of hair that he had out of my scalp.
I fought the urge to inhale for a second more before opening my mouth. Water rushed into my throat, fiery and corrosive. I tried to breathe as terror took over. Searing liquid flooded my lungs, suffocating. I began to feel heavy, too heavy to move. The familiar ringing in my ears finally filled the bottled silence.
I’m dying.
I recognized death only moments before it came.
Chapter Fifteen
Humming.
Distant words, bright lights.
“Cough… breathe, cough,” he murmured, his mouth covering mine. I opened my eyes, cringing at the vicious burn. Chlorine charred a path from my nose all the way down my throat.
I was choking.
West hurled me into a sitting position as I gagged and vomited massive amounts of pool water. Water poured out of my mouth and nose, and I retched again.
“Good… baby, it’s almost out, keep coughing,” he whispered, soothing, brushing the hair out of my eyes. I gasped for air, my lungs protesting cruelly. Each breath felt like the air was filled with sand.
I could finally breathe. I inhaled deeply, every breath burning a little less than the one before. I looked around me, trying to gather myself. West kneeled next to me, beside the pool.
“West,” I managed, my voice strangled. I tried to stand, but he lifted me into his arms, my wet bathing suit soaking hi
s dress clothes.
“Thank God,” he murmured against my neck, holding me against him. Limply, I leaned into him as he carried me. “Jesus Christ. Keep breathing, baby, please.”
Fear jolted my body, heightening my awareness of the situation. “Troy! He was here!” I cried, the attempt to speak sending me into a spasmodic coughing fit. “Logan! Logan…”
“I’m here.” Logan’s voice was behind me, and I turned in West’s arms as he gripped me even tighter. Logan’s clothes were wet, and I guessed that he’d been the one to go in after me.
“What happened?” I asked, looking at his arm. “Did he hurt you?”
West lowered me to my feet gently, holding me at my waist as I tried to stand. My legs were gelatin beneath me, and after a moment he lifted me back into his arms.
“Roam, you had no pulse… he drowned you… Mr. Perry brought you back,” Logan managed, obviously shaken. He met West’s eyes, and then turned back to me.
“You saved me?” I lifted my chin, looking up at West. His expression was guarded.
Something was wrong.
“I walked in and found Logan pulling you out of the pool,” he replied, still focused on Logan.
Logan reached for me, but West took a step back, still gripping me protectively to his chest. I shifted uncomfortably, coughing again and hanging on to his shirt for support. “West… Mr. Perry… you can put me down.”
“Logan needs to know, Roam.” He lowered me again to my feet, and this time I stood, holding onto his arm.
I nodded, fighting my burning lungs. “I told you all along that Logan would understand-”
“Understand this?” Logan extended his arm in my direction. West put himself in front of me, blocking me from Logan. I could feel his strong body stiffen as though ready to attack.
It was too late. I saw the numbers before he fully extended his arm.
The coordinates, the location of the one that he… my Logan… was born to find…
And destroy.
Me.
“No… what? No, please,” I crumbled, my mind closing in on itself. “Not Logan, no…”
“What is this?” he demanded. “Why do you have the same numbers on your arm?”
I held my breath, willing myself to faint. I remembered Logan throwing a punch at Troy, and Troy catching his fist.
The numbers had come when they touched.
“Breathe,” West ordered, holding me up. “Logan won’t hurt you. He has no idea what this is about yet.”
“And you do? What the hell is going on? Get away from her,” Logan insisted, reaching for me again. West pushed me further behind him.
“I’ll tell you what’s happening, Logan, but you need to keep your hands off her right now. After I tell you about those numbers- and about the man who just drowned your girlfriend- you’ll understand why.”
Logan grew quiet, rubbing his forearm as if trying to wipe away the numbers. I remembered doing the same thing when they first appeared to me. After a moment, he lifted his eyes my way. “We need to get you to a hospital, Cam.”
“No hospitals,” West snapped. “Go grab her clothes and bag from the locker room.”
He scowled, his fists curling at his sides. “I’m not leaving her alone with you.”
“Stop! Oh my God, Morgan!” I tried to run to the locker room for my phone, but my limbs were too heavy and sluggish. “Morgan has no idea who he is, and she’s been dating him…”
“Morgan called me. That’s why I came looking for you,” Logan said, confusion adding to the irritation in his words. “She said she couldn’t reach you on your phone, and she thought maybe you were with me.”
“She was okay?” I begged.
“She sounded fine. Roam, what the hell is this? What is going on? And why aren’t we calling the police?”
“Go get her things,” West repeated, pointing to the locker room. “We have to get her out of here. If you love her, you’ll listen to me,” he growled, his eyes trained on Logan.
Logan’s eyes met mine, and I nodded. “It’s okay. I’m safe with him, Logan, I promise.”
Logan shot West another antagonizing glare before stalking to the locker room.
As he disappeared through the door, West pressed me against him, his urgent tone commanding my attention “Don’t be afraid. Logan is the same person… for now. We have him, and we can protect him, too.”
“Troy will… kill… his family! He will kill Logan if he doesn’t cooperate! You told me that.” I pressed my hands against my knees. My knee was buckling as I moved and was definitely sprained or bruised. I remembered slipping as Troy had chased me. “Why did it have to be Logan? He is so close to me… I love him.”
Breaking into tears, I pressed my face to West’s damp shirt.
“Roam…” West shook his head against my wet hair, his strong hands kneading into my bare shoulder blades. His finger traced my birthmark, and I shivered, exhaustion threatening to take over. “I’m so sorry, baby.”
I didn’t care about right or wrong anymore. I just wanted him to pick me up again, and I wanted to be warm and safe in his arms. “Does Troy think that I’m dead?”
West gripped me tighter against him. “He won’t for long. The numbers are supposed to disappear. They won’t. I’m not leaving you,” he promised.
“It hurt… the water hurt so much,” I wept, trembling as the ache in my chest became almost unbearable. He caught me from falling, holding me steady.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you alone, I should have known he would come looking for you early. I’m sorry.” He cradled me in his arms. I pressed my cheek against his chest while I cried. “Things have to change now, Roam. You understand that.”
Logan burst from the locker room carrying my clothes, flip-flops, backpack and swim bag. “Okay, talk before I call the cops,” he ordered, dropping my bag.
West glared at him. “We need to get her out of here first. Can you put your clothes on over your suit?” he asked me gently, and I nodded. He helped me pull the soft shirt over my head, and I winced, touching the crown of my head as pain took me by surprise. My hair… he must have pulled from the roots. My ear hurt as well, and I touched the lobe with my fingertip.
Blood.
“He bit… my ear,” I whispered, trying to register the full impact of what had just transpired.
“Jesus Christ,” West repeated, gripping both sides of my face as he brushed the layers of hair away. Blood, now dried, crusted down my face and behind my ear. “Hurry- put your pants on. We have to go.” I lifted my eyes to Logan, who was stuffing my bra and panties into my backpack.
“Where will we go?” I asked. West looked down at me, his dark eyes commanding.
“I have to take you away,” he stated, as if those few words were all the explanation that I would need.
“Away where?” Logan fired, glaring at West. “I don’t like the way you’re talking to- and touching- my girlfriend. You’d better get your hands off her.”
“We’re not doing this right now, Logan. Get her bag and let’s go.”
“Screw you! Roam, come on.” He reached for me, his hand circling my upper arm.
West was on him in a flash, and I watched in horror as he grabbed Logan, lifted him inches off the floor, and then shoved him across the pool deck.
West towered, rage darkening his face. With clenched fists, he waited for Logan to get up. “I’m tolerating you because Roam loves you. No other reason. You have this one chance to come with us, or you’re on your own. And trust me, it won’t be for long.”
“Logan… please, just trust him… trust me,” I tried, my voice a throaty whisper. I fought another coughing spasm as Logan jumped to his feet, ready to fight. I moved between them and held my arms up. “Please.”
“Go. Someone’s coming.” West grabbed my hand, practically dragging me to the exit as I scrambled for my backpack. Logan followed, though I wasn’t sure if it was for my benefit.
The parking lot was nearly
empty, and the sunshine warmed my skin. The nightmare that had just taken place inside the empty gym was almost unbelievable. I followed West to his car, and Logan looked at us expectantly.
“My car’s over there. I’m following you,” he called, sending a glance my way before jogging to his Camry.
“I need to call Morgan,” I said, digging through my backpack. Waves of dizziness consumed me, and I realized that my breaths were shallow and staggered. “She’s in danger-”
“Wait until we’re in the car,” he ordered, clicking the remote entry button on his keychain. I nodded. I was too weak to help as he picked me up and settled me into the passenger seat, strapping me in. “Tell her to run and to stay away from Troy. Do not tell her what just happened.”
“Okay.” I was already trying Morgan’s number. The call went right to her voicemail, and I fought the fatigue taking over. “Morgan, it’s me… please stay away from Tr- from Reed, he’s bad, he’ll hurt you, just call me when you get this message,” I finished, watching Logan pull out behind us in the rearview mirror as I hung up.
“Did he touch you anywhere else?” West demanded the moment that I finished speaking into the phone.
Rolling my shoulders, I winced. “He twisted my arms behind me, and my shoulders hurt… and I slipped and fell when I was running from him and hurt my knee.” My voice wavered with unshed tears.
“Did he speak to you at all?” Rage was evident in his tone, and he tightened his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel.
“Yes… he said that he would make it… easy and painless. Killing me.” I knotted my hands together, tears flowing freely down my cheeks.
“Roam.” West reached for my hands, and I sobbed softly.
“He knew about the numbers. He kept laughing, saying I was just a child and you hadn’t even… touched me yet.”
West hit the brake, and I felt the seatbelt constrict my sore lungs. He gripped my wringing hands. “Baby, you’re going to break your own fingers. I’m here, just hold my hand,” he whispered.
Roam (Roam Series, Book One) Page 12
