“Shut it.” Lev’s only reaction is a deep, low chuckle that makes his entire upper body, and the entire vehicle, shake.
“I’m sure she’s got a better sense of humor than you,” he says and grins at me. “Did you want to hear the rest?”
My lips part, but words don’t come out. I feel like I’m on the edge of losing it. “I’m not okay.” The words are pulled from me and I hate that I spoke the sentiment aloud. The tears that prick my eyes and the coldness around me … I hate that even more. This isn’t real.
“Ah, shit.” Lev runs his hands through his hair and then looks back at me apologetically. “You all right?” His face is the epitome of concern and his silver eyes shine with sincerity. It’s been absolutely insane since we got to the stadium earlier and his kindness is my undoing. Ugly sobs start pouring out of me as I shake my head wildly. This isn’t real at all. I wish I could just wake up.
Terror cloaks my whisper. “I’m not okay.”
“Fuck.” Lev turns and somehow manages to maneuver his massive body between the two front seats to join me in the back. I immediately feel claustrophobic as my personal space dwindles to nothing.
“This is worse,” I blurt out, my response immediate as I shove a palm against his massive chest.
“I’m just going to hold you, okay?” Lev has his arms up but doesn’t move them, waiting for me to respond. His voice is calm and his arms look so welcoming that I can’t help but nod my head. His muscular arms wrap tight around me, practically consuming my body and making me feel like a small, scared child. I let go of my inhibitions and scoot closer to him, burying my head in his broad chest. Every ounce of him is pure muscle, so he’s hard as hell. But at least he’s warm and the gentle strokes up and down my back are soothing.
It takes a while with the rumbling of the car and the quiet drive, but I slowly feel myself calm down. Pulling my face away from him, I note the mascara smeared all over the white T-shirt stretched taut across his chest. Inwardly I cringe, but my breathing relaxes as I look up into his silver eyes and then back down immediately. Jude calmly tells me, “You’re going to be all right, I promise.” And Lev agrees, “You’re going to be just fine.” Their words and actions put me at ease. I must be in shock. There’s no other explanation. The realization wakes me up, sobriety heightening my anxiety once again.
Lev’s sharp silver eyes never turn from me when he asks, “You all right?” Without looking up or back at him, I nod slightly, biting my lip as I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I breathe in deep before I turn to stare out the window. There’s nothing to look at but trees. I continue to nervously bite my lip. “Where are you taking us?” I question without having the balls to look either of them in the eyes. My heart gallops and the pitter-patter is almost too much. I feel like I’m going to faint. They’re silent and neither seems to make an attempt to answer.
“Did you drug me?”
The quick no is followed by a sharp intake of breath and then he says, “We didn’t drug you.”
Up and down, my nerves climb and fall. All I can do is shove my hands between my thighs to keep them from trembling.
Lev’s hand lands on my arm gently, just to get my attention. “I’m sorry. I really am. I’m not going to hurt you, I promise. No one is.” I finally look at him. His brows are raised and his lips slightly parted. He looks as though he’s trying to coax a wounded animal out from under a car or something. I nod my head and steel myself to ask the only question that matters right now.
“Why did you take us?” His silver gaze takes me in briefly and then his eyes shoot to Jude’s in the rearview mirror. Jude is silent and Lev purses his lips. My breathing hitches at their hesitation.
“Well, I didn’t personally take you.” That’s the only answer Lev finally gives me, placing his hand against his massive chest for emphasis. Jude snorts in the front and then shakes his head.
Anger creeps up, causing a deep crease in my forehead as my brow furrows.
Jude asks, “We heard your friend call you Grace. Is it okay if we call you that?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.” I’m surprised by how sturdy my voice is.
“Okay, Grace,” Jude starts, “our Alpha is the one who …” he hesitates and glances out the rear windshield before looking straight ahead again. “Um.”
“Grabbed me?” I say to complete his sentence. My shoulders stiffen at the memory of their Alpha’s hands on me. His thumb rubbing soothing circles on my neck as he commanded me to calm Lizzie down. With how tight my throat is, I don’t know how I’m breathing.
There’s no time for niceties. I need information. That’s how we’ll survive. It’s how I’ll save both myself and Lizzie. The constant thump in my chest reminds me of that. I eye Lev who’s sitting back, taking up all of the room back here while watching me with an amused expression kicking up his lips.
“Yeah, grabbed you.” Jude swallows hard and glances over his shoulder to the car behind us again. Lizzie’s in that car. I know she is. She’s safe. I’m safe. I’ll figure out a way for us to be safe. I will. I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to either of us.
“Okay.” I drawl out the word in an effort to get him to continue. He clicks his tongue and meets my eyes in the rearview.
“He doesn’t want me to talk to you about this, Grace.”
“Why not?” I can’t help getting pissed. I need to know. “I deserve to know.”
“He wants to tell you himself.” I let that sink in for a second before realizing their Alpha must have been at the offering if he’s the one who grabbed me. Why take me and then ride in a different car in that case? A frown pulls at my lips and my hands fist in my lap. I don’t have time to wait.
“Why isn’t he riding with me if he took me?”
“Because of your friend, Lizzie,” he says and my heart stops at the mention of her name.
“You said she was all right,” I blurt out, cutting him off as I lean forward in my seat a bit to get closer to him. It’s foolish, I know it is, but I can’t help the note of anger that creeps into my tone at the end. I need to be calm; I know that much. Play along, get information. I can’t let my temper get the best of the situation.
“She’s fine. Don’t worry,” Lev reassures me, gently pushing me back against the seat. “Devin wants you to put your seatbelt on.”
I stare at him like he’s gone mad and snort. Is he fucking kidding? “Who the hell is Devin?” I don’t care that my voice is raised. Completely ignoring Lev now, my head whips back to Jude. With quickened breaths and a tight throat, I say, “And what was that you were starting to say about Lizzie?” So much for keeping my calm …
“Lizzie’s perfectly fine, but she was extremely upset and got a bit physical with us after you passed out.” I nod my head. That sounds just like her.
“But she’s okay?” There’s a threat hidden in my cadence. It’s unmistakable and judging by their expressions, they don’t miss it.
“She’s all right, but that’s why Devin, our Alpha, stayed with her and her … guards.” His eyes exchange a glance with Lev’s in the rearview again. “To calm them down.”