Page 116 of The Saint

Two EMTs entered the small motel room. Camden urged her toward them. “I’ll find you. I promise.”

“Ma’am, you need to let these two take you in.” The man behind Camden reached for her.

Amelia stepped toward them but quickly backtracked and hugged Camden again. “None of this is real—” And in case they threw her back in prison again, or worse, if they were people Esme had been trying to hide her from, she added, “I love you.”

Uncertainty or confusion narrowed his dark eyes. She wasn’t sure if he heard the first thing she’d said, but he definitely heard the second. Camden didn’t look thrilled, but at this point, she didn’t care. She was too tired and mentally exhausted. Secrets were what had gotten her into such a mess. She wouldn’t have them if she could help it.

The other man pulled her from Camden and handed her to the EMTs. She glanced over her shoulder and couldn’t read his face. It might have been confusion or shock.

The EMT moved into her line of sight and flashed lights in her eyes. “Can you walk?”

She nodded but needed to focus on Camden. A man had him by the shoulders. “Let’s go.”

“I’ll find you,” Camden called, then he was gone, taking with him all the light from the room.

Amelia shook. Lonely and unsure when she would see Camden again, she was scared about what would happen next. She’d never fallen in love before and wasn’t sure exactly when the switch had flipped. It had sneaked up on her amidst the heartache and fear October and November had given her. Now they were dragging her away from the only thing that made sense.

A slew of favors had been called in again, and Camden would owe Jared for the rest of his life. But he had located Amelia—most importantly, she was not at a black site. They’d taken her to a hospital north of Baltimore and stuck an armed guard outside her door.

The guard had Camden’s name on an approved list and let him walk in. Everything was working out so easily that his anticipation ratcheted up another hundred levels. She’d told him, “I love you.” That pretty much was the be-all and end-all of conversations.

“Hey, beautiful.”

Amelia sat up on the bed. “Camden.”

He closed the distance and wrapped her in his arms, breathing her in. Far too much time had passed since he held her and even more since they were alone, and he relished the way she molded to his body.

Amelia inched back. Her fingers pushed to her lips, and she mouthed, “Don’t say anything.”

The bruises on her cheeks and the hollows by her nose and eyes had yellowed. Her lips weren’t swollen any more. But the darkness in her eyes worried him. He needed to get her out of there. “I’m not going to say anything I shouldn’t.”

She cupped her hand around his ear. “I want to leave. You have to get me out of here.”

“When did they say you could—”

She clamped a hand over his mouth. Unease tightened in his chest.

Quietly, she whispered with her hand against his ear, “I need to leave. It’s not safe here.”

“There’s a guard making sure no one comes in—”

“Shhh!” She clamped her hand to his ear again and whispered, “That guy isn’t keeping people out. He’s keeping me in.”

She looked terrified and terrible, like she needed to stay where her doctor’s supervision wasn’t far away.

“This isn’t reality,” she whispered again. “And I’m scared they’re going to find out.” Her bloodshot eyes pleaded with him. “You don’t believe me.”

What wasn’t reality? His mouth went dry. Worry thickened in his chest. The beating had done something more than physical. “I believe you.” He inched back. Didn’t Titan have special doctors that could handle this? Brain trauma? PTSD? Camden ran a hand into his hair.

“You need to get me out of here.” She looked furtively over his shoulder. “I can’t stay here. Do you believe me?”

He believed she was scared. “All right. I do.” Camden let out a shaky breath. He could get her out and to another doctor if need be. “Let’s go for a walk.”

“I promise. They won’t let me out of this room.”

Camden held out his hand. “Trust me. Okay?”

She looked at his outstretched hand then into his eyes. “It won’t work.”

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