The guy who’d been in the hut with them came and sat beside them. What was his name? Travis?
She nodded then yawned. “Sorry. Haven’t had much sleep lately.”
Travis, who was a good-looking guy and well built, gave her a concerned look. “Gonna take you a while to recover from being held captive for eight days.”
“Eight days? Oh, my God. It felt like forever, but I wasn’t sure how long it really was. Why did they hold me that long? What did they want? Why kill everyone else but me?”
Curt and Travis gave each other a look. “They sent your father photos of you as proof of life for ransom.”
“How much? Did he pay it?”
“Seven million,” Curt told her. “He was still waiting to hear details, but he didn’t want to take any chances with your life so he hired us to rescue you.”
She shivered and the other man gave her a small smile. “You don’t have to worry about them anymore. We’re going to get you home where you’ll feel safe.”
She nodded, although she thought it would take her a long time to feel safe anywhere again. She glanced over at Curt, who reached out and squeezed her knee. Except with Curt. She always felt safe with him. She blinked back tears. The look on his face became slightly panicked.
“Jenna?”
“I’m okay. Just feeling a bit off balance.”
“Understandable. We’re only a few hours from where we’ll meet the chopper then we’ll be airlifted out of here, and you can return home and get on with your life.” Travis stood and left.
She shivered. “He makes it sound so easy. Like being kidnapped and held by extremists happens every day.”
“It won’t be,” Curt told her bluntly. “He’s trying to keep you feeling positive and happy because we can’t afford to have you lose it right now. Then we’d probably have to sedate you.”
Panic filled her at the thought of being helpless. “Don’t. Please. I couldn’t take that. I’m not going to go crazy on you.”
“I know you won’t. I know how strong you are.”
“I don’t feel very strong right now.”
“Not everyone would have survived eight days in that hell hole and still come out sane. You did. Because you’re strong. You remember that when you’re feeling low. When you?
?re wondering why you were taken. When you’re scared. You survived. That’s all you ever have to do, Jenna, survive. Because I will always come for you.”
She had to glance away to hide her tears this time. These tears were for a whole other reason. Because she knew he didn’t mean those words as anything more than from one friend to another, but, to her, they meant so much more.
“Here, I’ll put this bar into your pocket, and you can have it later.” He stuffed it into her pocket, stilling as he obviously felt the remains of the one she’d hidden there earlier. He gave her a stern look as he pulled out the half-eaten bar.
“Jenna,” he said in a low, warning voice.
She shrugged. “It tastes like dry cardboard coated in artificial sweetener. It’s disgusting.”
His lips twitched. “It is. You’re still eating it though.”
“Bossy.”
“Troublemaker.”
Chapter Two
Three months later . . .
Jenna stepped out of Lacey’s office feeling drained and defeated. Why couldn’t she remember?
Dissociative amnesia. She knew what it was. She just never thought she’d suffer from it. She’d blocked out the memory of being kidnapped and beaten because it was so traumatic she couldn’t cope. Great. So, she was weak. Too weak to remember what had happened to her.