Chapter 14
Jade
A scream ripped from my throat and I jerked awake in bed. Something held my legs down and I fought to get them away.Escape.My heart pounded in my chest as the darkened room came into view. It took Tracey a few seconds to rip through the door. An oversized t-shirt hung from her curvy frame. Her hair stood up around her head. It took me a minute to realize the thing that had been holding my legs down was the blanket. I kicked it off of me.
“What is it?” Claws protruded from her fingertips and dug into the doorframe.
Gasps filled the space between us as I fought to get air into my lungs. I pressed my trembling hands to my chest as the terror evaporated from my system.
“Jade?” The bed dipped under Tracey’s weight. “Are you okay?”
I choked on the words. “It was just a nightmare.”
Rafe came tearing through the doorway next. He wore nothing but a pair of shorts. “Jade?” His chest rose rapidly with each breath. He seemed to be struggling for air just as much as I was. I waved my hand around but I couldn’t speak again. The smell of my terror was still strong in the room.
Nalia nuzzled me inside of my head.You are okay. You are surrounded by love.Even Nalia had known it was a nightmare.
Rafe’s golden eyes glowed in the dark. “Do the men need to come up here?”
Mortification ran through me in a thick current. I had managed to wake up all of them and there was no real threat. It was the first nightmare I had since we escaped Damian. I had thought I was fine, I had thought I didn’t need help. But everything had felt so real. My hands trembled as I placed them on my now healed stomach. In my nightmare, he had been tearing into it again, but this time, he was doing it over my scar. It wasn’t a memory I was reliving, it was something new.
Tracey grasped my ankle in her warm hand. “You can talk to me if you need to.” She looked over her shoulder at Rafe and something passed over her features. He was telling her something through the Alpha link. “You can come sleep in my room if you’d like. I’ll see you in the morning.”
She was gone before I could say anything. But even if she had stayed, I didn’t know what I would tell her. Rafe stayed standing near the door and didn’t say anything. We both stared each other down until he finally sighed and took a step farther into the room. He kicked the door closed and we were both suspended in the darkness. Nalia helped with my eyesight a bit and I watched as he climbed onto the bed. He didn’t touch me as he drew closer to me. He pulled the blankets around his shoulders and rolled his back toward me.
“I’m here if you need me,” was all he said before he fell asleep beside me. I didn’t know what I had expected from him, but it wasn’t this. I had thought he would force me to talk about it or demand answers but he fell asleep without any prompting. His breathing vibrated the bed in a comforting manner. But it didn’t matter that he was there or Tracey was down the hall, I couldn’t get Damian’s face out of my mind. He had been right there leaning over me. He had cut into my skin over and over. I could make out my scarring in the dark and it did nothing but make me feel worse.
Finally, I pulled the blankets up but not to keep myself warm. I pulled them up so I didn’t have to see what he had done to me.
I woke up to Rafe’s fingers wrapped around my own. It was the first time I had slept soundly in a while. Back at my home, I knew I had dreams and nightmares, I just couldn’t remember them when I woke up the next morning. It was exhausting.
Rafe was watching me with lazy eyes and a blush tinged my cheeks. He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear then he leaned forward to brush his lips against my cheek. His fingers slipped through mine as he got up from the bed and left from the room. I didn’t know what to say. I wondered if I should chase after him or thank him but all I could do was lay there and do absolutely nothing. My stomach fluttered with butterflies and my heart felt different. It felt like it was a little better than it had been before.
Tracey leaned against the doorframe with a smirk. “So how was last night?”
I rolled my eyes and chucked a pillow at her. She dodged it. “None of your business.”
Tracey’s smirk only grew. “I didn’t hear any moaning, must not have been that good of a time.”
I pulled the blanket over my head to hide my embarrassment. “Virgin ears!”
She barked out a laugh. “That’s the biggest pile of horse crap I have ever heard!” The blanket slid from my body as she yanked on the end of it. I couldn’t hide forever. “We have a long day of frozen margaritas and hot men! Get your ass dressed.”
Tracey hadn’t been lying. She had dragged me through strip malls and then through three Mexican restaurants. She was on the lookout for the perfect frozen margarita and she wouldn’t stop until she found it. I couldn’t stand the taste of them anymore. Me and alcohol just didn’t mix anymore, even if it didn’t get me drunk. The taste did something to my insides and reminded me of all the times I had been stupid. I pressed my palm into my forehead. I didn’t want to have to relive that ever again.
Tracey sipped on her third margarita while she overlooked the bay. I could tell she wasn’t enjoying it by the way she pressed her lips together after every swallow. Like it was complete and actual torture for her. She leaned over to me and whispered, “The only reason this place is this busy is because of the beautiful view.” She eyed the chips and queso on the table. “Their food isn’t even that good.”
I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth. “I thought it was good.”
Tracey pouted. “Oh, Jade, you have so much to learn about the finer things in life.”
I considered arguing before I thought better of it. If her taste buds were superior to mine, then so be it. I was still getting used to my extra wolf-y senses. Maybe she was right. Maybe I did have more to learn.
Tracey hadn’t even drunk half of the frozen drink before she practically threw it onto the bar. The contents sloshed over the side and she made a face. She tucked a wad of cash under the glass and started to walk away. Her long legs were hard to keep up with as I rushed behind her. She hopped into the jeep and rolled all the windows down before I had even exited the restaurant.
“Maybe we should go back to the house, I think I could make a better margarita there.” I agreed with her. Anything to get out of restaurant hopping. No one would live up to her standards. My seatbelt clicked into place when Knox folded his arms inside of my window and leaned forward. His red hair was piled up on his head and he wore a tank top. He grinned and his canines flashed. Tracey growled. “I will run over you if you don’t move out of the way.”
Knox’s sigh was full of theatrics. “Why don’t you let me make you that fruity frozen drink?”
Tracey’s sunglasses slid down her nose. “Oh? You think you can do better than these places?”
Knox’s grin only grew. “Oh, baby, I know so.”
Tracey shoved a stick of gum into her mouth. “I think you’re on pretty boy.”
Knox hummed as he backed away from the Jeep. “See you in an hour.”
I closed my eyes. It was going to be a very long day.
