Free Darkness Follows by J.L. Drake

back and stared at the ceiling.
    “Can I get you anything, baby?”
    I shook my head, nervous about falling back to sleep.
    Seth carefully moved on the bed to lie next to me on his side. He kissed my forehead. “Try to get some sleep, baby.” I nodded as a few tears fell. I moved my hand over to his. “I won’t leave you, I promise,” he said. I breathed him in and let myself go. I knew I was safe at the moment.
    ***

Seth
     
    I peeled myself away from Emily’s side and glanced at my phone. It was seven in the morning. It had been six days since she’d been taken from the woods.
    She hadn’t said much. Mostly, she slept. They kept her on a steady round of pain medication to make sure she was comfortable. I had made sure there were no visitors until she was ready. The only time I’d left was to shower in the morning and to get some clean clothes. Garrett was always around to help or to just keep me from going crazy.
    Thankfully, Sarge had given us a leave of absence with pay. He justified it by saying we were on private security duty.
    Whatever…I wouldn’t go back to work anyway.
    I stepped outside of Emily’s room. Closing the door gently behind me, I nodded at the security guard.
    “Connors,” Avery said, standing in the doorway of a private visitor’s room. I saw Matthews and Johnnie behind him.
    “What are you guys doing here?”
    “How’s she doing?” Avery asked as I moved toward them.
    “She’s all right. They say she’s healing well. Em doesn’t say much, and she grows tired quickly.”
    “Jesus, man, we’re so sorry.”
    I took a seat next to Matthews in the tiny room. “You guys really don’t need to be here. She’s not up for company yet.”
    “We’re here because we love that girl too,” Johnnie interrupted me. “We wouldn’t have it any other way.”
    I dropped my head in my hands. I just wanted this to be over. Get her home safe and sound. “Thanks, guys.”
    “Is the coffee decent here?” Matthews asked me as he pulled out some singles.
    “There’s a Starbucks downstairs.”
    “I’ll be back.”
    ***

Emily
     
    I sensed someone come into the room. A light touch to my calf made my eyes flutter open.
    “Hey,” Matthews said quietly as he took Seth’s seat next to my bed. “You look like shit,” he joked, but his smile quickly faded.
    “Nice to see you too,” I croaked.
    He let out a long breath. “Have you ever heard of the Witness Protection Program?”
    I rolled my eyes. Beat to shit or not, I hadn’t been born yesterday.
    “The FBI thinks it’s a smart move for you, but talk to Agent Patrick. You can trust him.”
    I held up my hand carefully and tried to stop his sudden outburst. “Wait, why is the FBI involved?” I didn’t know a lot about the rules, but I did know the FBI didn’t involve itself in kidnappings unless there was a good reason.
    “They think Lasko was involved in a kidnapping in Texas, and because of the bodies that were found on the property,” Matthews said quickly, like he reminded me rather than telling me for the first time.
    I closed my eyes while I tried to process the information.
    “Look.” He turned to glance at the door. “I don’t have much time. I’m here to tell you that your escape only made it worse. They…You need to disappear until this gets taken care of!” he whispered urgently.
    “Matthews,” I whispered back to stop his mad chatter. “What do you mean ‘they’?” My heart raced. “There’s more of them? What do you know?”
    He went silent for a moment, and my eyes filled.
    “I can’t tell you yet. Soon, I promise. I…I made my choice. Please give me two weeks before you say anything to the guys, because it’s not just you in danger. It’s them too.”
    Suddenly the door opened. A nurse came in and gave Matthews a strange look.
    “I’m sorry, sir, but she can’t have visitors unless you’re family.” She eyed him, making it clear she bloody well knew he wasn’t.
    “I was just leaving.”