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Chapter 1

The pain was unbearable, but I had to keepbecause, if I didn’t, he’d find h the streets; scared, alone, and in the dark as the mist of rain hit my face There was no time to think and there was no tih the puddles of the diely I keptpain continued deep inside et dizzy, so I stopped in the alley and sat up against the brick wall My breathing was shallow I reht could reflect on it I gasped as the blood soaked my hand and dripped onto the ce to lose consciousness, but I had to keep ainst the wall, I pressedout of the alley

Myback to what had led e, the look on his face that I’d never forget, and the knife plunging intoworse I didn’t knohere I was, and I didn’t knohere I was going until I bumped into a man, and he held onto ht?”

I couldn’t speak, and I started to fall to the ground I felt him take my hand from my side as he picked me up, carried me a few feet, and slid me into the back seat of a vehicle

“What the hell, Joshua?” I heard a low voice say

“She’s hurt and she needs medical attention It looks like she’s been stabbed”

“Call Dr Graham, tell him what happened, and have hiet her to the eet back to the house quicker Now let’s go”

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled ainst h et you all fixed up,” his low voice said “Who did this to you?”

I tried to look up at him, but all I could see was darkness and shadows My eyes slowly closed until I felt his strong hand grip my chin

“Stay with me Don’t close your eyes You need to stay alert”

“I−I can’t,” I whispered

His grip on htened as he moved my head from side to side

“You can and you will It’s not a request; it’s a command Do you understand me?”

Before I knew it, the vehicle had stopped and the door opened After I was taken from the car, the man carried me inside and up the stairs

“Lay her here, Ian, and let me do what I have to do,” I heard another ht?” the low voice asked

“I’ll do the best I can, but it looks like she’s lost quite a bit of blood,” he said as he cut , but I couldn’t Between the roo and the blurry faces, I just needed to closeI remembered

I slowly opened my eyes and took note of the oversized bed in which I was lying in The sheets were soft and the pilloere fluffy As I stared straight ahead, I noticed the beautiful green fabric that was draped ast the four intricately carved cherry wood posts

“You’re awake,” the low voice said as he walked through the door

“Where am I?” I asked in a soft whisper