He flipped the covers back on the opposite side of the bed, and Marisa tiptoed across the room and slipped in. "You sure it's okay?" Her voice came from the pillow. He could hardly see her face, but her dark hair lay in contrast to the white sheets. She'd taken the braid out, and he itched to run his fingers through her long strands.

He swallowed to keep his voice level, to hide the reaction the rest of him was having to her being in his bed. He shifted to face her and propped his head on his hand, as if this were a perfectly normal situation. "You want to talk, or do you just want to sleep?"

"I'm a little talked out."

"Yeah. Me, too."

"I want..."

Her voice trailed off, but he understood. "Turn toward the wall, okay?"

She did, and he settled behind her—close, but not too close—and wrapped his arm around her. He could feel the thin cotton of her pajamas, the warmth of her skin beneath. His arm and chest picked up the rhythm of her breathing. "Is this okay?" His voice sounded husky and had probably given away too much of what was going on in his mind. In his body.

Sweet torture.

"Yeah. It's..." She sobbed, and he could feel the slight trembling of her body as she let out even more tears.

"Shh." He held her close and inhaled her scent and told himself how he'd feel in the morning if he took advantage of the situation. How he wouldn't be able to look at her. How anything more than just holding her would ruin any chance for a relationship. The reminder helped.

Her sobs didn't hurt. They brought tears to his own eyes.

A few minutes later, her crying ceased. She sniffed, relaxed. Her breathing became steady.

He kissed her hair, inhaled her scent. He made himself comfortable and settled in to sleep beside her.

* * *

LIGHT BOUNCED IN THE dark room.

Nate shifted away from Marisa, trying to figure out the light. He was crazy. It was a dream.

He closed his eyes, opened them again.

It's not a dream if your eyes are open.

The light, a beam of light. A flashlight. He started to sit up, saw a long shaft, a hand gripping the end of it. And the shaft came toward him.

He tried to shift away, but it was too late.

A flash of pain. Everything went black.

Chapter 32

MARISA WOKE WITH A start. She'd heard a strange thunk.

A bright light flashed in her eyes, and a wave of terror rose to her throat, choking off a scream.

Before she could react, a hand gripped her arm. "Get up."

It was him. That voice from the phone.

"I said, get up."