Page 44 of Lost In The Dark

“You’ll have plenty of time if you quit that lame ass job you hate.”

“I’ll think about it,” I agreed as I got to my feet and headed for the kitchen. I’d just rounded the island when a piercing scream echoed through the house, instantly putting me on edge. I looked to Adam, but he was already on his feet and running for the stairs.

“Addy!” I gasped as I realized what was going on. It had to be a nightmare, but I had never heard her screaming like that. I was pretty sure security would come running in soon, since they had to hear the screams that kept coming, one after the other.

“What do we do?” I cried as we made it to the landing, me just behind my brother.

“Text Ash and Eli. Tell them we need them back here,” Adam told me.

“And until they get here?” I was already sending the text as I spoke.

“We have to hope we can calm her down.” Another scream had Adam racing into her room and I was right on his heels.

The room was lit by the lamp on the nightstand, so I could see Addy laid in bed, her face twisted in agony as those screams just kept coming. They were deafening and completely heartbreaking. Tears were running down her cheeks and I could see how hard she was trembling from across the room.

Adam knelt on the floor beside the bed and leaned in close. He place his hand on her forehead and started trying to rouse her. I hurried over and sat on the bed on the opposite side. Addy flailed a little so I grabbed her hand and held it between both of mine.

“She’s so cold,” I gasped as I felt her icy fingers under my palm.

“Addy, wake up now, honey. It’s just a nightmare. It’s not real. You’re safe,” Adam said softly. She let another scream rip and I couldn’t take it anymore. Scaring her awake was better than whatever she was suffering in her nightmare.

I rose up onto my knees and put my hands on her shoulders, then I shook her just a little.

“Addy!” I snapped hoping she would wake at the sharp sound. “Addy, wake up!”

The latest scream stopped halfway through and her eyes opened suddenly. She took a deep, loud gasping breath as she stared at me with confusion, but she didn’t fight me as I had expected her to.

“You’re okay, honey. It’s just us. Adam and Jordan. You’re safe,” Adam hurried to assure her and he gently took her hand in his. She looked over to him and then back to me.

“Jordan?” she whispered as I released her and sat back on the bed.

“Yeah, just me, princess. You’re okay,” I tried to reassure her. I wanted to lift her into my arms, but I knew that would scare her, so instead I just placed my hand on her forearm and rubbed up and down a little.

“Adam?” She looked to my brother as she continued to gasp breathlessly. “What…”

“Just try and slow those breaths for us, okay? We’re both right here. You’re safe,” he told her again and she nodded this time, like she believed him. She managed to take a few deeper and calmer breaths, but tears continued to run down her face and she was shaking badly.

“I…I’m okay now. You c-can go,” she whimpered when she looked up at us with clear embarrassment.

“You don’t need to pretend to be okay. We know you’re not,” I told her plainly.

“He’s right. We’re not leaving you like this, Addy.” Adam agreed.

She curled herself up, laid on her side, and hid her face as the silent tears turned into quiet sobs. Adam and I looked to each other, powerless to do anything to help her. We didn’t know how to handle any of it, and as much as I knew Adam wanted to scoop her up and hold her just as badly as I did, we both knew it was a bad idea.

I slowly and carefully slid down the bed and laid down opposite her. She didn’t move or protest so I went a step further and grabbed her hand that was in the cast, holding it in mine.

“We’re staying right here with you, okay? Asher and Eli are on their way. They’ll be here soon,” I told her softly. She didn’t speak but she did press her fingers against my hand, which I took as her acknowledgement. Adam was perched on the bedbeside her now and he was rubbing his huge hand up and down her back. He’d tucked her comforter tighter around her in a bid to warm her up, but her hand still felt icy in mine. I wished more than anything I could pick her up and cradle her to my body. I wished I could make everything better for her, but I couldn’t, and that hurt.

ADDY

As Jordan had promised, he and Adam stayed with me as I sobbed and hid from them both in the middle of my bed. I knew because Jordan was clutching my hand as Adam rubbed soothing circles over my back. It was comforting knowing they were there, and while I didn’t feel ready to hug one or both of them as I wanted to, it helped that I wasn’t alone.

The nightmare was lingering, and I could feel the pain of each lash on my back still throbbing angrily. I could still smell the leather of the restraints on my wrists, mixing with the iron scent of my own blood. Without Adam and Jordan there to ground me I knew I would have tumbled right back there.

“Addy?” Eli’s voice was like a beacon of light in the darkness and I lifted my head enough to see him striding into the room, Asher right behind him. Eli shucked off his jacket, tossing it to the floor and strode towards me. I turned and wasn’t even fully sat up before he had me in his arms and was holding me.

“I’m so sorry. We shouldn’t have left you. I’m so sorry, sweetie,” he whispered as he held me tight against him and sat on the bed.

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