Page 132 of Only Be Mine

“Give me your wallet.”

The voice came from behind me, low, rough, and too close.

I froze.

Slowly, I leaned back and raised my hands, heart slamming so hard it hurt. I stood and began to turn, stupidly thinking of old movies, of heroes and calm voices and everything working out.

“Don’t move.”

Something hard pressed into the small of my back.

A gun.

“Okay,” I said quickly. “I’m not moving.”

Hands patted me down - my pockets, my jacket. My pulse roared in my ears. I kept my arms raised, lungs burning, thinking of Cate, of the kitchen light, of all the things I still hadn’t said.

The hands moved lower, invasive, searching. I clenched my jaw, nausea rolling through me, but I didn’t move.

Finally, the pressure eased. The footsteps retreated.

I waited.

Counted breaths.

Lowered my arms slowly.

I turned, and the world exploded in pain.

The last thing I saw was a blur of motion and a flash of metal arcing down toward my head.

Then everything went dark.

Chapter 48

Cate

Present

Iwoke wrapped in warmth.

Trevor’s arm lay heavy across my waist, his chest solid at my back, his breath slow and even against my shoulder. Morning light filtered in through the curtains, pale and forgiving, and for a few quiet seconds I let myself stay exactly where I was.

Safe.

Grounded.

The lingering haze of the night before settled over me - not regret, not confusion, but a soft ache that felt almost like relief. Like I’d made a choice and survived it. Like I’d reached for something real and it had reached back.

I shifted carefully, not wanting to wake him yet. His arm tightened automatically, pulling me closer, and I smiled despite myself. There was something comforting in that instinct, in being held without asking.

When I finally slipped free, he stirred, eyes blinking open.

“Hey,” he murmured, voice still thick with sleep.

“Hey,” I whispered back.

He smiled, slow and unguarded, and reached for me again, brushing his thumb along my hip. “How do you feel?”