Taking it from my hand, he draped it over my neck, and the chill of metal rested against my chest. “Never take this off, Edie. You’re a warrior, and so much stronger than your old man. You can win this war, but you have to be smart and vigilant at all times.” Finally looking at me, he stared at my face as if he were trying to imprint it into his mind. “Save yourself, Eden. Don’t get involved with that man. They’re watching you.”
My brows creased. “What man? Who are you talking about? Stop talking in riddles!”
Without another word, my father grabbed his suitcase, kissed my forehead and headed out the back door. My feet felt planted in concrete. Even as my brain commanded them to move, I stood rooted to my spot, watching him as he closed the door and walked out of my life.
Fuck him.
I’d spent most of my adult life on my own. Today would be no different. My face had been the last thing Nash had seen. I knew he saw the promise in my eyes. I wouldn’t fail him.
Dropping the medallion from my hand, it landed with a thud against my chest. I never looked back as I stormed off the front porch, waking up the sleeping neighborhood. Children would be waking for breakfast in a few hours, and normal families would be making their way to church.
And I’d be plotting my next move.
With my keys firmly planted in my hand, I stomped to the driver’s side of my car. I’d just moved my thumb to press the button on the keyless entry when a rough hand snaked around my cheek and covered my mouth. Shocked, I tried to scream, but the pressure on my lips stifled any sound.
A familiar voice, muffled by my own jerky movements, hovered over my ear. “Stop fighting and it’ll be over soon.”
The words seeped into my mind, and my heart pounded.
It’ll be over soon.
I’d stayed here too long. They’d found me.
I had to make noise. I had to scream. The neighbors had to wake up. They’d come outside to investigate if they could just hear me. Inhaling hard, I mustered what little voice I could get out and squeaked a pathetic plea for help.
The gravelly voice behind me slithered in my ear once more. “I don’t want to hurt you, but if you don’t shut the fuck up, I’ll do what I have to.”
His overbearing weight lifted me off my feet, and I caught a strong metallic scent as he held me against him.
Blood.
My stomach roiled at the all too recognizable stench as I struggled harder, throwing elbows and trying to use my feet and legs to kick him. I’d almost gotten leverage when a sharp sting in my neck sent a seeping warmth through my skin and a thick haze across my vision. The world swam and a black cloud overtook the morning light until nothing remained but hollow silence and a cold darkness.
Chapter Twelve
Eden
The room smelled of mildew and damp rain. I blinked to focus in the darkness, but even squinting, I couldn’t make out the form sitting in front of me. Confusion set in as I tried to replay the events that led me to this dank hole, but my mind blanked. A fuzzy film coated my memory, prohibiting clarity.
“Don’t be scared, Cherry.”
My heart slammed against my chest. “Nash?” I couldn’t remember why it hurt to hear his voice, but the slow cadence of his words tore a jagged hole in my heart. “Where are we? Why can’t I see you?”
A low rumble of laughter filled the room. “You’re feeling better. Already with the rapid-fire questions, I see.”
I rubbed my neck where a stinging burned my skin. “What happened?”
“This isn’t your fight, Cherry. You’re going to get hurt. There’s no game here. It’s real.”
Frustrated, I tried to move, but my limbs felt stuck in quicksand. “Why can’t I see you?”
“Listen to me,” he instructed with a serious voice. “There’s two sides to everything, and the key is in the middle. The guard will be your downfall.”
“What does that even mean?”
“I love you. Be strong and keep your eyes open.”
His words finally broke through my muddled brain. “No! Don’t leave me!”
Now barely a mist, his voice echoed in my ears over and over. “Wake up, Eden.”
“Don’t go!” Throwing myself forward, I landed on the hard, concrete floor, busting my lip and tasting blood.
His voice continued to echo in the small room.
Wake up, Eden.
Wake up, Eden.
“Wake up, Eden.”
My head turned as my brother’s voice took on a distinct Latino accent. “Wake up, Eden.”
Worlds collided as the voice became louder. More blood filled my mouth, and I gagged as I swallowed it to breathe.
“Wake the fuck up, Eden.”
Brightness burned my eyes the minute they cracked open. My body felt heavy as if I’d been asleep for days. Focusing on the voice, I turned my cheek from the hard floor toward his face, fighting the urge to fade back into darkness. His form seemed familiar as he crouched down beside me. I realized I was lying on the floor, but my arm ached beyond reason. One shift of my eyes, and I knew why.
My left wrist was handcuffed to the base of a rusty iron bed.
Suddenly wide awake, I frantically jerked on my restraints while fear crept inside of my panicked thoughts. My bare heels scraped the cold concrete as I pushed away from him, crowding against the white sheets hanging off the side of the bed.
“Welcome back, Eden. You’ve been out since yesterday. You were starting to worry me.”
My name. He kept calling me by name. I closed my eyes, recalling a memory from outside my father’s house.
Someone said my name beside my car.
With blurred eyes, my lips cracked as I fought for my voice. “What…” I cleared my throat, my tone hoarse and rough. “What am I doing here? What do you want?”
The man’s outline moved closer. Crouching down, he reached out a finger and wiped it across my chin. I drew back, stiffening for a blow that never came.
“Relax,” he said, wiping dark liquid from his hand onto his jeans. “You busted your lip when you fell. I told you if you calm down, we won’t hurt you.”
My body may have been restrained, but my antagonistic nature couldn’t be. “Well, if you uncuff me, we’ll be sure both of those things will happen, won’t we?”
Dark eyes blazed with annoyance and mild respect. “You’re one of a kind, Eden O’Dell.”
I stiffened. “What did you just call me?”
Only one man called me by my married name.
He sighed heavily, and my vision finally cleared, adjusting to the dim light silhouetting his face. My head pounded, and dozens of spots plastered my vision. The fear that should have had me cowering under the bed hid behind an avalanche of rage and launched my body forward. Within inches of his chest, my wrist restraint jerked me backward and I banged my head against the iron railing of the bed.
Trapped, I let out a primal scream, yanking on my restraint again. “Murderer!” Nash’s vacant eyes filled my head, and I shook it violently, desperate to rid it of the image.
“Whoa, cálmete!” he bellowed, raising a hand. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Fuck you!” I spat, throwing myself at him again. The cuff dug into my wrist, and I winced as it sliced my skin. Pain shot down my arm, but with adrenaline pumping, it only fueled my anger. “I saw you! I watched you cut my brother’s fingers off. You walked out and sent those bastards in to finish him.”