It was our last day here, and one full of activities. The day before had been an endless cycle of trying to recall the last time I had taken the pill, realizing I was too far lost to keep track, refreshing my period tracker app the hundredth time, throwing up everything that had made it past my throat only to crave more food, or would I rather say candy. At some point, I had felt the kick of cramps in my lower abdomen and after rushing to the bathroom and sitting on the toilet seat for minutes, there was nothing, not even a drop of blood. Add that to the frustrating mix of horniness, thankfully Lucas could match my uncanny wave of desires. I was relieved to know that we would be out of here first thing in the morning after Zoey's birthday. I just had to make it one more day. I had gone to bed the previous night, convincing myself that this was something else, a bug, the flu, or maybe an ulcer. I just had to sleep it off and I would be fine by morning. At least that was what I told Lu

Lucas Metal scrapping. Glass shattering. A heart-wrenching scream In those three simple steps, my entire world came to a grinding halt. Time seized, breathing stopped, and the only thing evident in my brain was the sickening crunch echoing through the phone. Then painful, gut-knocking, heart-gripping silence. My knees buckled, and I faltered a step back as the line disconnected. "Chris!" her name broke free from my lips, a plea, a prayer that this was not really happening. This could not be happening. Yes, it is and it's all your fault. I had been too engrossed in tackling issues back in Diego to keep an eye on my family. To keep an eye on Chris. I felt the blood drain from my body when I came down five minutes ago to the news that no one had seen Chris—oh except the gaurd that had let her leave despite my instructions. I already fired the bastard. "What's going on?" Someone asked, snapping me from the horror of my thoughts. I had almost forgotten I was not the only one worr

  I woke up with a jolt, breath coming down in heaving pants and my body nearly trembling. I could faintly register the warmth of something in my palm, small, delicate, smooth. Shaking my head I adjusted my eyes to the lighting in the room, taking a moment to regain composure, to remember that it was just a nightmare and I was still here sitting next to Chris in her hospital room—the same spot I had occupied in the last 12 days—and that the fullness in my palm was from where my hand held on to hers.It was a nightmare, just a dream, yet it felt like anything but so. Too real, maybe because that nightmare was a mirror of what my life was right now. It had nearly been two weeks and while her vitals were looking okay, Chris had still not shown any sign of waking up anytime soon, neither the cops nor my men had ground on where Sarah was, and my life was

  It was a nightmare of that night all over again, it had to be. Except, that coldness in his eyes, the dread that seeped through my veins when he spoke, the way my body trembled at the sight of him—it was all too real. This was really happening again, and there was no one to save me."B-baron?" I squealed, wishing I had the powers I so desperately needed to disappear."Yes sweetie," he slurred, showing off his brown stained crooked teeth in an evil smile. "I'm back for you, I know you missed me."Paralyzed with fear, I did the first thing I could think of, but a heavy hand closed over my mouth before I could let the first scream out. "No, you don't," Baron growled, blocking every airway with his large rough palm.

ChrisMy conversation with Lucas opened a fresh can of worms. One filled with guilt and self-hate and regret. As had been the case since my arrival from the hospital, Lucas' side of the bed was as smooth and cold as I left it when I went to bed last night, succumbing to the pills pumped into my body daily. From the countless arrays of guestrooms in this mansion, I was sure he would have no issues finding a place to sleep.Not like I had asked him to leave though. Not like I would not leap with joy if he came back to our bed. Our contact in the last two weeks had been limited to tentative touches and brief glances. As much as I yearned for Lucas and I to go back to where we were before our world was thrown into a whirlwind, when he had proposed to me I knew I deserved it. I deserved his dismissal for killing our child. But even despite that, Lucas remained a gentleman, only out of politeness of course, because that was who he was. A man that would never abandon me, even though I could