Page 61 of Stitch
Stitch woke me, strokingmy face gently, his lips touching my forehead.
“Were you having a bad dream?”
I felt groggy and exhausted, rubbing at my eyes for a moment as I tried to shake it off.
“I have no idea. How long was I sleeping?”
He smiled, moving so I could sit up, and joining me on the bed.
“Not long. Maybe an hour.”
“I’m sorry.” He went from smiling to glaring at me.
“What. The. Fuck. For?”
I took a breath, reaching for his hand.
“I think I kinda lost my mind for a bit there.”
Stitch stroked my palm with his thumb.
“You had a panic attack, and no fucking wonder. Was it Ross? Was he at that fucking beach?”
I felt my heart thudding in my chest, wondering what the hell he knew. I’d never expected to hear that monster’s name from his lips. I’d never wanted to hear it again ever.
“You know him?”
“Of course I don’t fucking know him, but I know what the bastard did to you, or at least I know what the background check found. Did he do stuff that didn’t go on record? Did he fucking abuse you sexually too?”
I tried pulling my hand from his grasp, but his fingers tightened.
“Babe, talk to me. Seeing you like that, so terrified, so out of your mind with fear… I never want to see you like that again. He has too much power over you right now, and he doesn’t deserve it. You get that? He deserves to be forgotten, and you deserve to be happy and at peace.”
“It’s not that easy to just forget him, and I still don’t understand how you even know about him.”
Stitch looked grim-faced as he stared back at me.
“You think I wouldn’t do everything I could to find out what caused that panic earlier? You think I wouldn’t move heaven and fucking earth to make sure it never happens again?”
“But we’re safe now. We’re not there anymore, right? Where did we stop?”
A familiar but unexpected sound caught my attention, and I glanced toward the front of the camper, as the roaring of motorcycles grew louder. I sat up taller, wondering what the hell was going on. I felt like I’d slept so long I’d missed vital things, and was out of the loop.
“Is that your club? Your brothers? What’s going on, Stitch?”
He pushed up from the bed, releasing my hand.
“Yeah, it’s some of the club. We’ve got some club business to sort but it shouldn’t take long.”
“Is it Ross? Are you going to do something stupid, Stitch? Please, don’t. He’s dangerous. He’ll find a way out, and you’ll all end up in trouble. He’s a monster.”
I followed him, struggling out of the blankets and hurrying across the floor of the motorhome, as he reached the door, and pulled it open.
“No, Stitch! You can’t get involved. We just need to stay out of his way, that’s all.”
Stitch hopped down onto a gravel and bark surface, and I looked around as I reached the door. We were parked near some trees, and not much else.
“Where are we?” I started to step out, and Stitch nudged me back.
