Unbreakable 2, The Mystery of Lilly (Cypress Grove Series) (2 page)

             
"Why before I was eighteen?"  All I ever knew was that when I turned eighteen, Jane was going to make me change my name and make me leave the state. 

             
"Something about when you turned eighteen, everything was going to change.  I didn't get all the details, but she paid me a lot of money to kill you.  She was getting more and more anxious the closer it got to your birthday.  I was afraid she would do something, so I took care of her."

             
"The crash, you did that?"  I am so shocked right now and have tons of things going through my head.  My poor Luke pops into my head again. 
I'm so sorry, baby, it's all my fault.
  I say a silent prayer hoping he can hear me.    Although I'm dying inside, the tears won't come.  I feel as if he is pushing me to survive this.  He would want me to survive. 

             
"Yes, I had to, to save you.  If I didn't she would have found someone else to kill you.  I could not let that happen."  He reaches for my face again, but I pull back.  "I'm sorry you had to hear this, I can't imagine what you must be feeling knowing your mother wanted you dead."  He looks wounded by my action of not wanting him to touch me.  He goes to grab my arm to help me up and I pull away from his grip.  He's being gentler now, as if he's not angry, but concerned.  "We have to keep moving love," he orders softly, but firm. 

             
I feel like I have no choice but to do what he says. I don't know what else to do.  My whole world is a blur and the sobbing starts again.  I get up, my knees still shaking, and he puts his arm around my waist.  He takes my arm and places it over his shoulder as we walk.  I cry uncontrollably as I allow him to assist me in walking.  I don't even know what to do or think. 

             
We walk for what seems like forever, my body so numb from the pain I feel like a robot.  The man leads me and we are suddenly in front of a metal door on a small hill.  It is like a fallout shelter that leads into the ground. Fumbling with the padlock on the door, he unlocks it and swings the massive door open.  He grabs my upper arm and guides me toward the opening. I step down onto hard concrete steps.  It's damp, the smell over
takes me the fu
rther we descend.  It is pitch black and my senses are heightened. I feel him behind me as he reaches over my head to pull on a string, turning on a light that flickers to life. 

             
In front of me is what I can only explain as a cage.  Iron bars encase an old, dirty cot-like bed.  There is a metal looking bowl in the corner that I can only assume is supposed to be a toilet.  The smell is musty, moldy, and dirty.  My stomach turns as I realize that I am going to be in this space for a while.  He pushes me toward the cage. I flinch as my shoulder slams into one of the bars.  My dislocated shoulder still throbs, but nothing compares to the pain in my heart over my Luke. 

             
All hope is lost to me, I just want to curl in a ball and die. Any expectation of running from this man has vanished if I am locked in this hellhole.  I hear a screech and turn my head to see him sliding a rusty metal chair toward me.  He is dirty with torn clothes, but I see he is very muscular. He looks tired, sullen, as he motions for me to sit in the chair. 

             
"I am going to take care of that shoulder," he says.

             
I shake my head no. I don't want him to take care of me in any way. 

             
"Sit and hold on to the bars, I will be quick," he orders, pushing me down onto the chair.  I don't take hold of the bars.  Instead, I slump in the chair looking down at the dirty concrete floor.  He grabs my dislocated arm and puts his foot on the chair.  The pain from the movement makes me whimper. He places his other hand on my chest.  I move to avoid his touch and the warning in his eyes sends shivers down my spine.  His foot moves to my hip, and when he has a good hold on me he pulls hard and fast. I scream in pain as the shoulder pops back in place.

             
"I'm sorry, but it needed done," the man says as he reaches for me helping me off of the chair.  He guides me into the cage, shutting the door with a loud bang that makes my whole body quiver. 

             
"What are you going to do, cage me up like an animal?" I shout angrily, "Let me out of here! I will never love you, I hate you! I despise you!  I want you dead and I want to be the one to kill you!"  I wanted to hurt him.  The look in his eyes tells me I've just succeeded.

             
"I know you don't mean it so I am going to forgive you," he says.

             
"Go to hell."

             
He doesn't say another word.  He puts a couple bottles of water and what looks like some protein bars on the floor just outside of the cage. 

             
He turns back to me. "I will be back as soon as I can.  I need to see what they know," he tells me as he turns to walk up the stairs.

             
"Let me out!"  I scream at the top of my lungs grasping the iron bars with my fists, my knuckles turning white as I try to move the bars.  "Let me out!" I scream so loudly again that I hurt my own ears with the words echoing in the small room, but he's gone. With a massive thud the metal door is closed, leaving me here all alone.

             
Oh my God, oh my God.  I start hyperventilating; I can't breathe, oh my God, I can't breathe!  Panic and fear overtake me. I feel myself hit the concrete floor before everything goes black.

Chapter 2

              I must be dreaming. I feel myself being lifted and I hear a familiar voice in my ear.  "I got you, baby."  It’s Luke's voice and it is the sweetest sound in the world. Am I dead, am I with Luke?  I don't care as long as I can stay with him.  I hear commotion all over and then see a bright light. 

             
I try to talk, but it is more of a whimper. My mouth is so dry it feels like my tongue is concrete. I want to feel him and I try to reach out for him, but can't move.  My whole body is lifeless.  Then I smell it, I smell the scent that makes my heart speed up. It's Luke's smell.  Warmth overtakes me again before all senses are gone and my world is once again black. 

              "She's severely dehydrated and in shock.  Some of the cuts are bad so we will watch them closely.  She has some broken ribs, but other than that she is fine.  She's a fighter. We will continue to push liquids."  I hear a voice talking, but I don't recognize it. 

             
"Thank you, Doctor." It's Emma's sweet voice. My eyes open, they feel as if someone has rubbed sand in them causing tears to start to form. 

             
"Baby, I'm here, you're safe." I turn my head to the familiar voice and the tears start streaming down my cheeks. 

             
"Luke." I whimper at the magnificent sight of him as he looks down at me. "Am I dreaming?" I can only hope I never wake up if I am. 

             
"No baby, I'm here," he says, pressing his lips to my forehead. The feeling is like warm sunshine.  "You are in the hospital and you're going to be fine."  I see tears forming in his eyes as he looks down at me so lovingly. 

             
"I saw him detonate the bomb. I saw him do it. I thought you were dead," I cry, the tears falling even harder now as I catch my breath.

             
"No baby, Jacob got us out before the bomb went off.  Everyone is fine. You need to rest, Lilly flower, please relax and go to sleep." His eyes never leave mine as I feel him rubbing my arm and then see Emma step behind him and then Jacob.  The sobs that are choking me are from joy.  Everyone I love and care about is right here with me. 

             
"We're not leaving you, baby, please close those beautiful eyes and sleep," he says again.  I feel so happy that I do what he says and let sleep take me.

Chapter 3

              "Hey, Lil." I look up to see Emma. She's blurry, but she is a beautiful sight.  "You hungry? I would like you to eat," she says, pointing to a tray on the table next to me.  I feel a hundred percent better from the last time I woke up.

             
"How long have I been asleep?  Where's Luke?" I panic thinking I might have dreamed the whole thing. 

             
"He'll be right back. He's talking to his parents in the hall.  You have been asleep for two days and he has not ventured farther than just outside the door since we found you," she assures me, and then all of it comes back to me like a horrible nightmare.  She must see the terror in my eyes and the realization of what happened because she quickly moves to reassure me I am safe.

             
"It's okay, Lil. You need to get your strength back first then we will tell you everything.  Right now you need to eat and relax, okay?"  I nod at her to let her know I understand and turn when I hear the door open.  Luke is walking toward me and I feel my cheeks burn as the smile forms on my face.  Even my cheeks are sore.

             
"I love you, I love you so much," Luke says, pressing his soft lips to my forehead.  "I'm so sorry, baby." He pulls back looking deep into my eyes.

             
I shift my gaze to Emma, confused.  "Why are you sorry, what's wrong?"  I see Emma shoot Luke a warning as I try to sit up, but it hurts too badly.  Sharp pains shoot through my side. I try to hide the wince, to not let the pain show.

             
"I told Lilly we would explain everything when she has her strength back up." Emma moves to help me sit up, adjusting the pillow behind me so that I can sit without pain.  "She needs to eat."

             
"No, if something is wrong I need to know. Why are you sorry?"

             
"Baby, nothing is wrong, I swear.  I am just sorry that you had to go through this," he says, bringing my hand to his lips brushing my knuckles with gentle kisses. "Let's try to get some food in you."  He grabs for the tray and pulls it to me. 

             
Emma grabs some red Jell-O, opening the lid and dipping the spoon in, she tries to feed me a bite.  I grab the spoon from her. "I can feed myself," I snap and they both laugh, laughter that is choked as if it is a long time coming. 

             
"There's my feisty girl, God I love you," Luke says, his eyes beaming at me.  I give him a smile and his face lights up even more.  "God, that is the most beautiful sight in the world."

             
I eat my Jell-O gone. I never thought red Jell-O could taste so good and I ask Emma if I can have more.  She rushes out the door and returns seconds later, her arms full of little red Jell-O cups. 

             
I laugh aloud as she dumps the cups on my tray.  "I meant one more, Em." She just shrugs and opens another cup for me.

             
"Where's Jacob?" I ask them as I take another bite. 

             
"He's with Lucy. She is still admitted for observation," Luke answers. He must see the worry on my face and answers me before I can get the question out. "The Ketamine he gave her was too much for her tiny body. It is taking longer to get out of her system. He gave you a much smaller dose. We think he didn't anticipate her being there and gave her a dose he would have given Jacob," he explains and I feel instant guilt for her and what she had to go through.

             
"If it wasn't for her, we never would have found you." Luke chokes and I can see his eyes watering.  "As soon as she woke up she asked for a laptop and found you using the tracking system she developed."  I remember her sticking the small square on my back.

             
"She put it on me, I forgot all about it."

             
"Yes she did, thank God.  She's smart. It was something she came up with. We had to wait for her to wake up so she could track you." A single tear rolls down his cheek making my heart break.  "Lilly, if we didn't find you. . . ."

             
"Luke, please, we can get into all of this later." Emma speaks up no doubt feeling the tension in my body. 

             
"No, I want to know.  Did you catch him?"  I can't believe I am just now thinking of this.

             
They both look at each other and their eyes tell me that it is not good.  Oh my God, he’s still out there. I can tell by their hesitation to answer.

             
"No, no, no." I can't breathe again. I feel myself start hyperventilating as I try to catch my breath.  Luke wraps me in his arms, my head resting on his hard chest. I feel his heart beating fast. This only makes me more anxious.

             
"Lilly, you need to calm down, baby girl." I hear Jacob’s voice and look up to the concern on his face. "We'll get him, with your help," he says and I can tell he is barely holding it together.