by Bry Ann
If felt sort of horrible when Logan told Sam how he found out about her drug involvement. She glanced at me in shock and I bowed my head slightly. I didn’t want her to feel betrayed. I was just worried. I think she got it. She didn’t look mad. She looked embarrassed. She was barely looking at me. In fact, she seemed more upset about me being here than Logan. In a really backwards, twisted, I’m super fucked up way I was flattered, and getting increasingly pissed off about the way Logan was handling the situation.
At a certain point I stopped listening to them. Sam was getting defensive, not that I could blame her, and Logan was just being an ass. Finally, I felt Logan grab my arm and jerk me towards the exit. I shot Sam an apologetic look and went along with Logan, because I really had no choice. He was holding my arm with a death grip, but I made a mental note to check on Sam later.
We were halfway down the hallway when a deep voice echoed throughout the hallway. The voice was controlled but furious. I turned around first, before Logan even had time to process it. It was the first time I’d lay eyes on him. In front of me was the most beautiful, terrifying man I’d ever met. He was tan, tall, tattooed, extremely muscular and had this vibe of complete and utter control.
I don’t even know what came over me but in an instant, I was in front of him defending Sam. This man could and would probably kill me, and I was pretty sure I’d never stood up to anyone other than Logan. I didn’t even know why, but for some reason I just wanted to take all my pain and anger out on this stranger. When I was finally done I got the courage to look in his eyes. This was when the panic set in. Surely, he wouldn’t kill me. Right? Fuck.
The man took a step back the second we made eye contact, amusement flickered in his gaze.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
Anger was still coursing throughout my body and a feeling I was unfamiliar with. My body was tingling like it had been lit on fire. For the first time in forever I found myself completely anxiety free. I felt strong. I looked him dead in the eye, challenging him. He wouldn’t hurt me. I knew it in my gut.
“Dana. Dana Prescott.”
The man said something in return, but I didn’t really listen. I was too busy looking at him and trying to understand what this feeling was that was bubbling inside me. I loved Logan with all my heart. I instantly liked Sam, maybe even loved her, but this feeling was different. I felt drawn to this guy. This drug selling asshole that had been screaming at us across the hallway. I shook my head and silently berated myself for being so fucked up and not learning my lesson the first time.
I had been so spaced out I didn’t even see the man walk away, but once my thoughts started to clear when I felt his absence. I glanced up and saw him in the doorway in front of us. He poked his head out and gave us a warning.
“Be smart when you leave here,” he said and then turned to look directly at me. “I don’t want to have to do something I’ll regret.”
What was this feeling inside me? I immediately rushed over to Sam’s side, craving to be in the presence of a female. Any female. Logan was beyond surprised at my outburst, and I did my very best to hide the fact that I was beyond surprised as well. Sam looked surprised too, but Logan looked like he might faint. It was in that moment that both Logan and I realized how little he knew about me now. As an adult. A grown woman who had worked past most of her issues. I could see Logan felt guilty, but I felt angry. Angry he hadn’t taken the time to really get to know me. Angry that no one ever did, and freaking angry about the way this was going down with Sam. She was almost raped. We saw the tape. She was terrified, and I know what that’s like, and Logan knew I did! I yelled at him and got him to let us take Sam home. I thought maybe that would soften Logan up, but it didn’t. If anything, it made it worse. He basically threw Sam out of the car at a damn coffee shop. Not even her house! I looked at my feet when he threw Sam out, out of shame. I was this guy’s sister for Christ’s sake. The minute she left I rounded on him with a new-found fury and courage I never knew I had.
Present Day: Chapter 6:
I told Rex my story so many times that by the time I was done the story no longer felt like my own. It felt like somebody’s else. I had cried past my ability to cry anymore. The only emotion left was worry. Every minute I spent inside Gunner was locked up, probably being tortured, maybe killed and for so many reasons I couldn’t turn to the police.
It turned out so well last time.
“Dana? Dana!”
“What?” I yelled flying off the couch. I agreed to take a nap and recoup before we figured out our next steps. It wasn’t a long nap and I felt like shit about it, but Rex needed time to contact people, and I was a mess. Apparently, I had snot on my face, mascara running down my cheeks and I was still covered in cold sweats from everything I’d been through. Rex and Sam told me to shower and sleep or I’d never be able to help Gunner. I knew they were right and the second I hit the pillow I was out. Right back in the hotel room with those men… with Tanner.
Alexa was looking at me with worried eyes… as worried as hers get.
“Where’s Sam? Rex?” I asked abruptly.
Her eyes darkened at his name.
“They are planning the next move.”
“And you?”
“I was planning some other miscellaneous details in the other room when I heard you crying.”
“Crying?”
“Yeah Day. You were crying in your sleep. Begging someone to save you,” she paused and looked at me hesitantly. “Remember when you told me you were raped?”
I stiffened. “Yeah?”
Alexa took a look around the room to make sure no one was there.
“That guy Tanner you mentioned. He did it.”
It wasn’t a question. Alexa was a smart girl, way smarter and more intuitive than she seemed. She knew if I was having severe nightmares about my rape right after knowing the name a guy who held me in a hotel room…that the two were probably connected.
“Yeah Tanner was one of ‘em. He orchestrated it.”
“Fucker.”
“Yeah,” I said kicking something invisible on the floor.
Rex popped his head in the room.
“Who’s a fucker?”
“Why are you in here Rex?”
“We need to talk. Now. I know some things. I’ve made some calls and I think I can trust all of you.” Alexa’s eyebrows flew up and he turned to her directly. “Yeah you too,” he mumbled. “I think you’re a fucking selfish bitch not a killer.”
Sam walked in the room and looked confused.
“Uh, who’s a fucking selfish bitch? I’m not in the room yet.”
We all awkwardly ignored her.
“I know more about these people, and where they are most likely holding him.”
I flew off the couch.
“WHAT? … and you didn’t tell us hours ago. What the fuck asshole?”
“Sam,” Alexa said softly pinning my arms to my sides. “Let him finish.”
I went weak in her arms and she let go as Rex cleared his throat.
“I didn’t know this information when we first spoke. Obviously, or I wouldn’t have questioned the shit out of you if I’d known what I am about to tell you.”
“Go on then.”
Sam shot me a motherly look from across the room, hinting for me tame down the tide. I was beyond annoyed with the vagueness and wanted some fucking details! Every second we wasted Gunner was suffering. I didn’t know when Sam became such a mom, but it was still a weird thing to get used to.
“These men are in the drug trade, like Gunner, but these people are the worst of the worst. They kill with no mercy. No hesitation. They are part of an organization called Occidere, Latin for…”
“Kill,” Alexa said cutting him off. “What the fuck?”
“Yeah,” Rex nodded. “This is bad. I know these people well. I’m assuming its some of the top men who have held this vendetta against Gunner. He hinted at this with me, and I knew about the murders, but I di
dn’t know as much as Dana knows. I didn’t know about the letters or anything.” I felt flattered, which was totally inappropriate. “I don’t know why they are targeting Gunner so hard or for so long. They are known for killing their targets and getting it over with.”
All the blood drained from my face and I fell back onto the couch.
“They are going to kill him?” I squeaked out.
“I sincerely hope not Dana. Not if I can help it,” Rex said honestly. “But like I said, I’m no Gunner. I really just am an average guy who owes …” he sighed. “I’m gonna do everything I can to save him. Anyway…”
“Why do you owe him so bad? Why are you risking your life? Trust goes both ways. I’m still not sure I can trust you,” Sam said crossing her arms over her chest. “Gunner saved my life big time, so I owe that giant bunch of muscle. Plus, I love Dana and she… is unclear about her feelings for him,” Sam winked at me. “So, I’d be in anyway. Dana, well I it’s obvious why she’s involved. So, what about you?”
“What about Alex…. Alexa” he corrected again. “Why’s she here?”
Sam narrowed her gaze.
“She’s a great friend. Loyal. We are in trouble. So, she’s here. That’s the way she is.”
I turned to Alexa. Instead of being flattered or giving her usual “fuck yeah I am” she seemed highly uncomfortable. How the hell did she know this guy? Sam noticed too and looked very confused. Rex seemed increasingly pissed off now, but it seemed to me that it was more out of pain than anger.
“Gunner saved my mom and retrieved my sister’s body, so she could be buried properly. At great risk to himself. I’d die for him.” Rex’s voice was cold and detached.
We all looked down, but Alexa gasped and stood up straighter.
“What?” she said looked only at Rex. “Mia’s dead?”
Her skin was pale white, and she looked on the verge of tears. I was beginning to feel like I’d never really met Alexa. Everything I’d seen before was smoke and mirrors, because with this guy her feelings just poured out of her. She was so real?
“Yeah,” Rex responded watching Alexa carefully. “Mia’s dead. She was murdered.”
“I…. I… I have to go check on our reservation,” she said quickly. “I’ll be back.”
She bolted out of there so quickly no one had a chance to do or say anything.
Rex looked at his feet.
“My sister and her were close, very close. Family in a very dark time,” he said in response to our stunned silence… like that was supposed to help.
“I have a million questions,” Sam said slowly, “but it’s Alexa’s place to tell us and I have a feeling you’d never tell us anyway. You’d respect her choice to be quiet about her past. So, we will move forward with this conversation, and I will allow Alexa her time to mourn before I intervene. Now continue Rex. I’m sorry for your loss and ….” Sam turned to me. “I’m glad to hear Gunner really does have a heart.”
“Of course, he does!” Rex snapped defensively. “Yes, he told me I owed him after he got them both back to me, but he still saved them when I begged him to. He has a weak spot for women. He’d never seriously hurt a woman.”
“Just beat them,” Sam snapped.
Rex and I glared at her. I softened my gaze when I tried to put myself in Sam’s shoes. I know he’d ordered her to beat back in the day and been involved in several others. I had no right to be mad at her.
“They are holding Gunner in his childhood home,” Rex said ignoring Sam’s outburst.
“No, they are not. We were just there. Like that’s not possible. It’s not.”
“It is. They would have planned this until the last detail. They needed this to go down in the same place they murdered his parents,” he said confidently.
“Then they would have known that I was there last night.”
“Probably,” Rex confirmed. “They probably heard and saw everything you did. They have a greater plan than just his kidnapping. I just don’t know what it is yet.”
That thought sent my mind reeling. I heard people calling my name, but it was distant. I had too many questions. They knew I loved Gunner. Oh my gosh. I couldn’t tell Sam or Rex that I told him that last night because if I did they would make me leave. They would have known what I knew right in that moment...
Those men were going to use me to hurt Gunner. I didn’t know why they didn’t grab me at the cabin when I was on the couch or back when we were alone in the hotel room, but they would find a way now that they had Gunner in their possession, right in their desired location. They knew Gunner had a weak spot for me. They killed his parents; Iris and I was going to be next. They were going to make him watch everyone he’d ever cared about die before they eventually killed him.
I puked everything I had in my stomach. Sam rushed over, as Alexa stepped back in the room, hurrying to set a trash can in front of me. Sam gently rubbed my back as I vomited. She was so gentle. She was used to it, because she always used to take care of her mom. That’s so sad. This was second nature to her.
When I came back to myself Sam was hovering over me and Alexa was in the back of the room.
“Are you back?” Sam asked gently.
“Yeah,” I said holding my head and sitting up. “What happened?”
“You had like a meltdown. Move slow. You are probably feeling weak. You threw up a lot and then fainted after Rex told you … well you remember I’m sure.” Sam bit her lip. “I think we should tell Logan. I don’t feel right keeping all this from him. He loves you.”
“No! Sam please. He’ll involve the police. I don’t trust them with this. Please. I’m begging you. They will kill him. Please.”
“Shhhh… Dana. I won’t tell. I promised. Remember? I promised not to until you said it was okay.”
I slouched back on the couch feeling weak. Rex entered the room and turned to Alexa.
“You okay?” he mumbled.
“Yeah,” she mumbled just as awkwardly back. Sam looked at me and I just shrugged.
“Here’s the plan,” Rex said. “We all need rest and so we will go to sleep for a few hours. It’s super late and none of us will be any good on no sleep. We aren’t real soldiers. We have to be smart and rational. I will use some of my time to plan things out. First thing in the morning we try and get Gunner back. If you aren’t willing to risk your life for this… don’t come.”
With that he left. I looked frantically at my two friends who quickly jumped to my side.
“We will be fine. Don’t worry about us. Now we are going to get some sleep. You can continue sleeping on the couch, me and Alexa will take the room. Rex is gonna go to his little hideout.”
“I love you guys,” I said as sleep tried to take ahold of me.
“You’re the shit Day,” Alexa said before going in the room with Sam.
I slept horribly. I kept seeing Gunner getting killed. Over and over. I could feel myself sweating, but I wouldn’t wake up. Until a loud scream shot me off the couch. It was the shrill scream of somebody in true pain and terror. I immediately ran to where the noise was coming from, Sam and Alexa’s room. I ran so quickly my socks kept sliding on the floor. I got to their room and my knees crashed on the ground as I slid in in a hurry. Alexa was trying to shake Sam and Sam was screaming bloody murder. I’d never felt more guilt or more pain in my life.
I peeled myself off the floor and turned to Alexa.
“I got this,” I said quietly. “Tell Rex we are okay and not come in here. I hear him running.”
She groaned but rushed out to the hallway.
Sam’s forehead was covered in sweat and she was kicking and punching at nothing. She was still screaming bloody murder. Holy shit, does she go through this every night? No wonder Logan was so protective of her. Holy shit. Holy shit. I felt my heart rate skyrocket.
“Sam,” I said gently, careful not to touch her. “It’s Dana. Can you hear me?”
She screamed louder.
“Alexa!” I yelled. “I
need ice. NOW!”
I heard Alexa rush out of the room and in an instant, she reappeared with a cup of ice.
“Thank you,” I said grabbing the ice from her hand. She nodded and walked back out, giving us our privacy. I took the ice cube and placed one in each of her palms. She shot up. It was a trick I learned in treatment for panic attacks. I was glad to see it work on night terrors too. Sam instantly whipped around to face me.
“Dana,” she said, and her face fell. Her breathing was still erratic, and she was covered in sweat. “I’m fine. I’m sorry. Don’t worry. K?”
“Don’t worry? Sam you’re not okay!”
“I am okay. Just a little damaged. That’s all.”
“You need to go home now,” I said crossing my arms over my chest.
She laughed at swung her legs around the side of the bed. Her breathing was still irregular.
“You’re so like your brother sometimes. Look Dana, when I was hurting and when my mom was hurting and when Logan hated me you were always there for me with your silent support. You made me pasta dinners, washed my mom off in the hospital, held me while I cried when she died. I’ve always been able to count on you. I love you so much you have no idea… and love is really hard for me. Let me be there for you.”
“You’ve shown me. Sam,” I tried not to look at her scars. “Please go home,” I said desperately. “Nothing I’ve ever done even begins to cover what you’ve done for me.”
“Go to bed Dana. I’ll see you in the morning. K?”
She smiled and went to lie down. I stared at her for a minute unsure what to do. God I’d give my left arm if I could call Logan right now. Speaking of, how was she keeping Logan at bay? I mean what was she doing and saying that was stopping him from sending a whole army after us. Fuck I needed Logan. There was no way Sam was okay after a nightmare like that.
