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.