Taken With Trouble (CAUGHT IN CHAOS #2)

25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Liam

“ You ?” Serena screams. Her eyes are wild and manic. Terrified. I’ve felt the same for the last two hours, waiting for her to show up. I was convinced Sebastian had caught her.

“I thought you’d be a little happier to see me.”

It’s obviously too soon.

“I heard a shot!” She hits my chest, and I stifle a groan that seems to come from the depths of my soul. “I thought you were dead.” Her voice breaks, and I step forward, reaching for her with my right hand, but she shoves my arms away. “What did you do? How did you get here? Was this whole thing a ruse?”

“No, I swear. I managed to get off the boat a minute before they docked. Whoever shot had terrible aim. I came straight here. What took you so long?”

Another wrong thing to say.

Her eyes flame with fire. “What took me so long? You gave me two directions, Liam. Two! My feet are bleeding, I’m freezing and… and angry!” She picks up a book and chucks it at me.

“Would you stop throwing priceless artifacts? ”

“Would you stop being so annoying?” she yells. And then she runs at me, but she doesn’t have the strength to take me to the floor. I catch her, holding her freezing body tight against my chest.

I can feel her fear like it’s crawling onto my skin from hers. I’m scared, too. Because my grandfather wasn’t on that boat. I’m scared because Serena is right. They’re after her , which means they won’t stop searching. And I’m terrified that no matter what I do, I can’t get everyone I love out of this mess.

“I hate you,” she screams into my chest, punctuating each word with her fists.

“I know, sweetheart. I know.” I rub the back of her head. Her body crumples, and I scoop her into my side. Pain lances through my opposite side as I keep her steady, but it’s nothing compared to the agony she’s experiencing. I can deal with this torment. I deserve it. Each of her shaky breaths drives the dagger deeper into my heart as I walk her to the small bedroom off the kitchen.

Terry went out two hours ago to help find her. I wanted to go, but he convinced me to stay and wait. Tricked me really. I passed out, and when I came to, he was gone.

Because I lied. Sebastian’s men didn’t miss. The bullet got lodged in my left arm and Terry had to dig it out and stitch me up with nothing but a sewing kit and a bottle of brandy as disinfectant.

I didn’t want to leave and have Serena show up at an empty house. But that shouldn’t have mattered. I should have gone. Serena has been to hell and back in the last couple of hours, and it’s completely broken the unbreakable woman.

I sit her on the bed then dig through the dresser for clothes. I drop them on the bed by her then go search for the first aid kit Terry used not even two hours ago. I drench a towel in warm water and return to find her wearing the dry shirt, but she can’t get the pants over her frozen legs. That’s when I realize how bad they are. They’re nearly purple and covered in blood from her knees to her toes.

I curse. We should have gotten off the boat at the same time. I never should have left her to wander around alone, especially after such a traumatic ordeal.

“Let me help.” I kneel below her, wrapping the warm towel around her legs. She hisses, and a shiver wracks through her body. “I’m so sorry, Serena.”

She doesn’t speak. I’m not sure if she can, the way her mouth is chattering, and her body is convulsing… she’s got to be nearly hypothermic. I need to get her fixed up quickly. She groans as I remove the towel and dab around to make sure there aren’t any open wounds. Only a few are deep, but I apply antiseptic and bandage them up. Then I slip her feet into the sweatpants and slide them up to her hips. I add a pair of socks next. With each layer, she seems to shiver a little less. But she’s far from warm.

“Get in the bed,” I say, helping her stand. I lift the blankets for her to climb under. Once she’s settled, I pour a mug of tea from the kettle I had warming for the last hour and a half on the stove.

“Here.” I help her sit and hold the tea. Her frozen purple lips struggle to latch onto the cup, but she takes a sip, then another. When she’s done, I leave the cup on the nightstand and get in the bed beside her.

I scoot my body next to her, tangling our legs and wrapping my arm around her stomach.

“W-what are y-you doing?” she stutters.

“You were on my side. I was jealous.” I press a kiss to her shoulder.

“You can only stay for a m-minute. I’m still m-mad at you.”

“You can be mad at me forever. But I need you to tell me.”

“Tell you w-what?” With great effort, she turns in my arms, and I press her body closer. She looks at me, and in the dusk, I see the pure torture in her eyes.

“Your secrets, Seraphina.”