Leaving the hospital is like being able to breathe fully after days of struggling. As soon as I step outside, fresh air fills my lungs and I instantly feel better.
I need to call home. James is going to freak out. He’s going to want me to come home or to come see me, and I can’t deal with that yet.
I’m scared. So fucking scared ever since Wyatt grabbed me, and I can’t shake it. I know I went through a traumatic event, but I didn’t think I’d feel this way. I feel weak, and I refuse to allow Wyatt that power over me.
He’s dead and he can’t hurt me or anyone else now. But he’s dead because of me. He was insane, he was going to kill me, but a person is dead because of me. I’m not sure that’s something I’ll ever get over.
Echo lifts me gently and places me into the truck. There’s a distance between us that I hate. I’m bruised and battered, but I’m fine. His hands are so tentative and unsure. He doesn’t want to hurt me or scare me, but I need to be close to him. It’s the only time I feel safe.
I miss my alpha, bossy, unreasonable Echo. Since the attack, he’s changed. From the moment we met, he’s refused to leave me alone, but now when I need him to keep me close, he’s putting distance between us.
We haven’t kissed since he rushed into my hospital room. His hands hold mine and stroke my hair, but he’s detached and distant.
I miss him.
He climbs into the truck, starts the engine, and pulls away. I’m sitting on the opposite side of the seat and staring out the window at the scenery. I’ve never been in this truck and sat this far away from him. I’m holding my breath and waiting for my controlling Echo to wake up and demand I slide over to him. Silently, I turn to watch him; anger and frustration is etched so clearly across his face.
We pull up to the house, and my eyes lock on the woods. My chest starts to shake and uncontrollable shudders wrack my body. I throw open the door and race from the car straight across the street and bang on Gus’s front door.
The door opens and there stands lovely, charming Gus. He saved me. He killed another human being to save me. I launch myself into his body, wrapping my arms around his neck. Gus steps back from the force of my embrace, and steadying himself, he cradles me in his arms, hugging me tightly.
“Thank you,” I gasp.
He chuckles and pulls back just far enough to pat my cheek. “Olivia, my dear, I’m so glad you’re okay. I wanted to come to the hospital, but Echo said you’d asked people not to visit.”
I nod. The lump in my throat makes me unable to speak, so releasing him, I clear my throat. “I’m so sorry,” I say.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Gus assures me.
I shake my head. “It’s not okay,” I say. “You killed him, Gus. You killed someone to save me. I’m so sorry.”
Gus pulls me into his arms again and pats my back. His touch is so paternal my heart swells with affection for him. He cups my face with both of his hands and speaks. “You listen here, sweetheart. You have nothing to be sorry about. I’d do it again in a heartbeat if it saved you or anyone else from being hurt by him. This isn’t your fault. It was his.”
I nod and straighten, trying to pull myself together. “Thank you, Gus, you saved my life.”
Gus smiles warmly. “You’re very welcome, Olivia. I’m so very glad to see you okay and home.”
I lean in and kiss him on the cheek, then slowly walk across the street to where Echo is leaning up against the tailgate of his truck, his arms crossed while he watches me. I take his hand, gripping it tightly. Entwining our fingers, he lifts our hands to his lips, gently kissing my skin.
Wordlessly, he leads us into the house, his huge body sheltering me from the woods, instinctively knowing that I’m not ready to deal with confronting the demons of what happened yet. Echo walks me upstairs and into his bedroom. The bed’s unmade, the sheets tousled from the night we spent here.
“Get into bed, sugar. The doc said you need to rest,” Echo orders gently. I start to argue, but he silences me when he grabs the hem of my shirt, slowly lifting it over my head. He peels my shorts off, then quickly undoes my bra and pulls my panties down, holding me steady as I lift my legs free.
Naked, I wait for him to touch me, to remind me that I belong to him. My breath comes in short bursts, anticipation pulsing through me. Dropping his cut onto a chair, he pulls his shirt over his head, revealing his glorious chest. When he steps towards me, my nipples pebble in awareness. He leans in, his lips touch my forehead, and he drops his warm shirt over my head.
Stunned, I stare at him.
“You need to sleep,” he growls.
I push my arms through the sleeves, and the hem of his shirt falls to my knees. He sweeps me from my feet and cradles me to his chest, holding me with one arm, and after pulling back the sheets, he places me in the bed.
I grab his arm. He tries to pull away, but I hold him tightly. “Echo.” Uncertainty pours from my voice, and his eyes avoid mine. He straightens and pulls away from me, scanning me from head to toe. His assessing eyes taking in every cut and bruise.
“Sleep,” he says firmly and backs away. He leaves me alone and insecure in his huge, empty bed.
The silence descends around me the moment he shuts the door, and a barrage of unanswered questions shout at my subconscious, refusing to be ignored.
Why won’t he kiss me?
Doesn’t he want me anymore?
Is he repulsed by all the scars and bruises?
Where’s my controlling alpha who’s determined to own me?
I sit against the pillows, my mind swirls at a hundred miles an hour, and I stare into space, tears spilling down my cheeks. I need Echo to make me feel normal; he tells me he loves me, but I need to know if the attack has changed things for him.
I’m not brave enough to ask him, just in case it has.
The door inches open, and seeing me sitting up, Echo walks in. “You okay, sugar, you in pain?” I shake my head and he moves closer. “Come on, Livvy, you need to try and get some sleep.”
I hold out my hand to him; my voice is small and begging. “Please don’t leave me.”
Worry shrouds his eyes. “Never,” he says and climbs into bed. He pulls me into his arms, and a relieved breath collapses from my lungs. Crawling into his lap, I wiggle into his chest until he surrounds me.
Safe and protected, I finally close my eyes.