“No sleeping,” he says harshly. “You’re gonna want to feel me inside you, Lila. I’m fucking amazing.”
“No.”
He lifts my dress, knocking my phone out of my pocket and onto the floor, face down, thank God.
“You won’t need that anyway.”
He reaches for my panties. My arms are heavy. Everything is heavy. I can’t fight him off. Suddenly, the door is knocked open with a crash and Matt rushes in, yelling, “In here!” as he attacks Colin, pulling him off of me and punching him in the jaw.
“You can’t hit him,” Jordan says from the doorway.
God, I’m sleepy. My eyes close, but I try to stay awake to hear what’s happening.
They saved me!
“I’m not on the job,” Matt says calmly and I hear him hit Colin again.
“Baby?”
Asher!
“Baby, wake up.” His hands are on my face and I fight to open my eyes. He looks scared. “Lila, stay with me.”
“Can’t stay awake.”
“What did you give her?” Matt asks, but I don’t hear Colin respond.
“Gotta sleep.”
“I need an ambulance—” I hear Jordan’s voice call for the ambulance, and I can feel Asher’s amazing hands slip under me and lift me against him. God, I love his arms. There is nothing better than being in his arms.
“Love you,” I whisper into his neck.
“God, I love you too, baby. You’re going to be okay.”
I smile, relieved, and I can’t fight it anymore. I’m so heavy.
* * * *
“Open those gorgeous eyes, baby.”
My head hurts. I can’t move. It feels like I’m moving through water. What happened? Was I in an accident?
And then it all comes crashing back. Colin, knocking me out, evil, telling me about the girls.
He’s going to kill me!
I lash out, struggling to move, but when I open my eyes, it’s Asher holding me, his mouth grim and eyes hard.
“Asher?”
“You’re safe, Lila. You’re okay. Shhh.”
The tears come fast and hard and I collapse against him as he joins me on the hospital bed, holding me tight, crooning to me as I cry out the fear.
“I was so scared,” I whisper.
“About ten years have been taken off my life today,” he agrees and plants his lips on my head. “You’re so fucking smart, Lila. Calling Kate was genius.”
“It worked?”
“Perfectly. She called me and we traced your phone. That’s how we found you.”
“Thank God.” I hold onto him tightly. “Colin?”
“In custody, bragging about his victims. He’s going away for a very long time.”
I nod, suddenly sad for him too. “He’s just a kid.”
“He’s a fucking murderer, Lila.”
“I know.” I frown and pull back so I can see Asher’s face. “Thank you, for finding me. For rescuing me.”
“I will always find you,” he replies and wipes my tears away with his thumbs. “God, Lila, I was so afraid that I wouldn’t find you in time. It was the most helpless, worthless feeling in the world. You’ve become one of the two most important people in my life. I can’t lose you.”
“I’m right here.” I grip on to his wrists. “Asher, I love you. I was so sad that I might not get to tell you that. I know it happened fast, and it seems crazy, but I am so in love with you and Casey both, and the thought of not having you in my life is…devastating.”
“Ah sweetheart.” He kisses my forehead, then my lips. “I love you.”
“Can I come in?” Casey asks from the doorway.
“Of course.” I grin at the sweet girl as she walks to the bed and climbs right up with me, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“Are you okay?” she asks with wide, worried eyes.
“I’m still a little groggy, but I’m doing much better.”
“Daddy was scared,” she whispers to me and I feel Asher grin beside me.
“I was scared too,” I reply and brush her pretty red hair over her shoulder. “But I’m fine.”
“Okay.” She suddenly frowns. “When can you come home?”
I blink rapidly at the question. Home. But the townhouse that Asher and Casey share isn’t my home.
“In a few hours,” Asher replies. “As soon as the stuff making her tired is out of her body.”
“You can take me to my apartment,” I say softly, secretly scared to death of staying even one minute in that place alone.
“Why?” he asks, sincerely puzzled.
“It’s my home.”
“No it isn’t,” Casey interrupts.
I simply look between both of these people that I’ve come to love so much. Asher takes my hand and kisses my knuckles.
“Home is where we are, Lila.”
I feel tears fill my eyes and try to blink them away.
“Don’t you want to stay with us?” Casey asks.
“Of course,” I reply and kiss her cheek. “Of course I do.”
“But you’re not staying in the spare bedroom anymore,” Asher informs me.
“Of course.” I grin and am suddenly swept up in Asher’s strong arms, held close to his chest, and I hold my arms out for Casey, who happily joins us.