Chapter 6 – Nightmare

• Waylon
• “Thank you for your patronage,” I said.
• “Same to you,” Mr. Merlin replied, shaking my hand.
• “Would you like a ride back to your hotel?” I offered. It was getting late, and Merlin wasn’t familiar with the area.
• “No, I’d like to stay and check out your place. Sounds like there’s a packed house tonight.”
• “I won’t stop you then.” He nodded and walked off.
• Just then, Dan came in, his eyes narrowed.
• “Check this out. Demi’s here—with her cousin,” he said, showing me a video of Demi sitting with Diego.
• “I thought he was in Mexico?” I frowned. “What the hell is he doing here?”
• “He got into some legal trouble—on the run now,” Dan replied.
• “Whatever. If Demi wants to house a fugitive, that’s her problem. I’m done with today. Let’s go.”
• Dan nodded and followed me out—but something caught my eye. I paused, watching from a distance as Terra and her friend walked straight to Diego’s table.
• That’s… odd.
• “They know each other?” I asked, confused.
• “Possibly. I heard Diego’s a rat who licks the boots of rich kids. Maybe he’s trying to court Miss Terra.”
• Now that was not a good sign.
• Without hesitation, I turned and took the empty seat at the booth behind theirs.
• In the haze of loud music and flashing lights, Terra yawned—then yawned again. She seemed more interested in her phone than the people or the alcohol surrounding her.
• Six years ago, she could down a bottle of vodka by herself without blinking. But now? She wouldn’t even look at a drink. She really had changed.
• Then, as soon as her friend and Diego’s friend left the table, she excused herself and headed for the bathroom.
• The moment Terra disappeared, Diego reached into his jacket and pulled out a small white pouch—the same one Demi had slipped to him minutes earlier.
• So this was the plan?
• Terra, Terra… you may have changed, but you're still too damn trusting.
• As soon as Terra returned to the table, Diego wasted no time—he handed her the spiked shot with a casual smile, masking his intent.
• I tensed in my seat, every muscle in my body ready to spring. I wanted to storm over there, knock the glass from her hand, drag her out of that booth and away from that bastard.
• But I couldn’t—not yet. One wrong move, and she might never believe me. So I waited. Watching. Burning.
• She hesitated for a moment… then lifted the glass to her lips. Within minutes, it began. Her eyelids fluttered. She swayed slightly. Confused. Disoriented. Her fingers lost their grip on her phone.
• That was my signal.
• The moment she started slipping under, I pushed out of my seat and made my move. He wasn't taking her anywhere. Not tonight.
• “Make sure her friend gets home safely,” I said.
• Dan nodded and slipped into the crowd, already on the move.
• I turned and headed toward Diego’s table.
• “Easy bitch, playing hard to get,” Diego muttered under his breath as he leaned down and scooped Terra into his arms.
• He’d barely taken two steps when I stepped into his path.
• He stopped short, eyes narrowing. “Move. My wife needs to get home,” he snapped, clutching her tighter.
• I raised an eyebrow. “Your wife?” I asked, voice calm—too calm.
• “Yes,” he bit out, puffing his chest like he owned the world.
• I laughed. Sharp and humorless. “What’s so funny?” he growled.
• I took a step closer, locking eyes with him.
• “She’s your wife, yet you had to drug her?” I scoffed, stepping in closer. “What is it—she doesn’t want to sleep with you anymore? Or was this your twisted plan to get laid?”
• Diego’s eyes flashed with fury. “My wife is drunk, not drugged,” he spat. “Now get out of the way so we can go home.”
• “Really, Mr. Husband?” I said coldly. “Look up. Look around. See those?” I pointed to the cameras mounted in every corner. “Those are security cameras—4K quality. How do I know? Because I’m the one who put them there. This entire place belongs to me. And the woman you’re holding? She’s my wife. Need me to spell it out for you?”
• He clicked his tongue in frustration. “Tsk. Your wife was flirting with me,” he muttered, still refusing to let her go.
• I didn’t bother arguing. I yanked Terra out of his arms and held her protectively.
• Then, loud and clear, I let the whole bar hear it, “Buddy, I’m pretty damn sure not a single woman in this place wants to be drugged and dragged away by someone like you. Now get the fuck out of my bar before I call the cops.”
• I carried Terra in my arms and met Dan by the car. Her friend was just as wiped out as she was.
• “Women are too trusting sometimes,” Dan sighed, shaking his head.
• We drove to a nearby hotel and checked in. As soon as I laid Terra down on the bed, she began to stir. Slowly, she opened her eyes and met mine. The lust and desire in those ashen orbs held me captive.
• Without a word, she leaned forward and kissed me—softly at first, but it quickly grew heated, intense.
• As much as I wanted to lose myself in the feel of her lips, I couldn’t. I couldn’t hurt her again. Begrudgingly, I pulled away and stepped back, breathing heavily.
• “I’m hot. Help me. I’m hot,” she whined, twisting and turning, her cheeks flushed bright red.
• Upon closer look, I noticed a rash spreading across her arms and legs—an allergic reaction. This wasn’t good.
• I quickly called in for some Benadryl, then grabbed a towel and a bucket of warm water from the bathroom. But when I returned, Terra had stripped completely naked.
• The sight—God, the sight—did things to me. But my eyes stopped cold on the faint, horizontal line across her lower abdomen.
• A C-section scar. I knew exactly what it was. My mother had one.
• Does that mean there were complications with the twins?
• Terra’s groaning pulled me back to reality. She was now sitting on the bed, eyes barely open, licking her lips like she was thirsty for something more than water.
• “What the hell are you looking at?” she grumbled, her voice raspy. “Eyes up here.” She pointed to her face.
• I chuckled.
• “What’s so funny?” she snapped.
• “Nothing,” I replied, shaking my head.
• She flopped back onto the bed and gave me that come-hither look. Droopy eyes, a flirtatious smile, and that slow, teasing curl of her finger—it made me want to rush over and satisfy her on the spot.
• But a knock at the door snapped me back to reality. I took a step toward it, needing space.
• “Where are you going?” she whined, her voice raspy and sweet.
• God, that does things to me.
• “I’ll be back. Just… stay.” I motioned to her like one would to a misbehaving puppy.
• “Woof,” she barked—adorably, infuriatingly—and I bit down on my lower lip hard enough to draw blood.
• Before I did something she’d hate me for in this life and the next, I turned and shut the door behind me.
• Once I was away from temptation, I took a deep breath, trying to cool off.
• “Sir, your Benadryl,” said the voice on the other side of the door.
• “Right. Safety first,” I muttered, opening it to retrieve the meds.
• With the packet in hand, I took five deep breaths, steadying myself before having to face temptation again.
• When I finally stepped back into the room, Terra had fallen asleep. Her body was curled into a fetal position—just like the many times I remembered her being scared.
• “Linney, I’m sorry…” she began sobbing softly in her sleep. “Mommy is so sorry…”
• I paused, heart tightening. Linney—was that a boy's name? Or a girl's?
• I gently gave her the medicine without waking her. She didn’t stir, which made the process of cleaning her up and getting her settled much easier.
• “Why…” she muttered.
• I froze, turning around to see her face contorted in pain, tears spilling down her cheeks as if she were trapped in a nightmare.
• “Why did you hate me so much?” she whispered, her voice cracking—those words slicing right through my chest.
• I set the bowl aside and gently wiped the tears from her face. Then I took her hand—small, trembling—and held it tightly, refusing to let go.
• I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t know if it helped. All I knew was that I couldn’t release her. The thought of letting go… it hurt more than I was willing to admit.
• But I couldn’t stay. If she woke up and saw me here, she’d likely assume I was the one who hurt her. Begrudgingly, I let her go and had the front desk call her family.
• I waited—long enough to see the Andersons storm through the door like the damn Avengers. Then, without a word, I turned on my heels and disappeared into the night.