Todd takes my hand in his. “You’re safe now.”
I shake my head as confusion sets in. Stace. Where is Stace? My thoughts are interrupted by a nurse as she walks into the room.
“Oh, she’s awake.” She smiles, she walks over and takes my blood pressure and vitals.
“Do you know where you are?” she asks.
I look around the room in despair. “Hospital?” I whisper.
She smiles broadly and Todd picks my hand back up in his. I cough. My throat is so dry. The nurse passes me a glass of water and I sip it slowly.
“What happened?” I whisper.
Todd brushes the hair back from my forehead and I swat his hand away. “Don’t,” I whisper, annoyed.
“You have been through a horrifying ordeal,” Todd replies softly. “You are home now.”
My eyes hold his, and although I’m still foggy, I know I didn’t imagine him and Melissa at that nightclub.
“Home?” I ask.
“Yes, I’m here, and I’m not leaving your side. I’ve been frantic.”
I frown.
“I thought I had lost you forever.” He smiles softly.
My eyes flicker to the nurse in confusion and she smiles. “I will go and get the doctor.” She leaves the room.
“I know about your father.” Todd pauses. “I know about everything.”
I stay silent as the tears fill my eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks.
I stare straight ahead, unable to make myself look at him.
“I could have helped you deal with this. I could have protected you.”
“What happened?” I whisper. What does he know? “I don’t remember much.”
“You were kidnapped by your father’s men.”
I frown.
“He tried to kill you again, but thankfully he was shot dead.”
I swallow the lump in my throat as I see him lying on the cold, hard factory floor. The pain pumps hard in my leg. “My leg?” I whisper.
“You were shot.”
I frown and my eyes meet his for the first time.
He wipes the hair back from my forehead. “I’m so sorry, Shelly. We will get through this. I love you, we will get through this.”
“Melissa?” I ask.
He shakes his head angrily. “It was a mistake, a one-night, terrible mistake. We haven’t seen each other since. She has moved out of the apartment. I have been frantic and going out of my mind searching for you.”