Free What Lies Beneath: Romantic Suspense by Lila Moore Page B

with effort. My right leg was essentially useless. Still, I managed to stand and turn. Theo wrapped the robe around my shoulders. I slipped my arms into it and tied it around me. Suddenly, Theo’s arm was around my waist, holding me to him securely.
    “Don’t slip,” he said.
    I leaned against him as he led me into the bedroom. He pulled back the covers and helped me into bed.
    “Get some sleep,” he said.
    I grabbed his arm.
    “Wait.”
    I wasn’t sure what to say. I just knew I didn’t want to be alone. Theo brought my hand to his lips and kissed it sweetly.
    “You should rest, sweetheart.”
    “I’d feel better if you laid down with me.”
    Theo looked at my hand. He turned it over, tracing the lines on my palm. I could tell he was trying to think of an excuse to leave. It was crushing, though understandable. I’d pushed him away. Now that I wanted him it was too late.
    I slid my hand free from his. I wanted to make things easy on him. I didn’t want to hear an awkward rejection of my advances.
    “Actually,” I said, “you’re right. I should get some sleep. Maybe it’s best you leave.”
    “I’d feel better spending the night. What if you sleepwalk again? It’s dangerous to be wandering around the streets at night.”
    My knee was killing me; I doubted I was going anywhere tonight. The pain would wake me up instantly. Besides, I’d overdone it today. I didn’t think I’d be walking long distances for quite a while.
    Still, I didn’t object to Theo staying. For the first time in a long time, I wanted a man close by. He grabbed Tom’s pillow from beside me. I started to protest, but didn’t say anything.
    “I’ll sleep on the couch,” he said.
    I nodded absently as he left my room with my husband’s pillow. If Theo slept on it, the scent would be ruined. Gone forever just like Tom. It wasn’t too late; I could call Theo back and give him a different pillow.
    I watched him go. He left my door open and walked off down the hall towards the living room. I closed my eyes and tried to forget.

13
     
     
     
     
     
    The rain fell so heavily it created a curtain obscuring my view. I couldn’t see more than a few feet ahead. The wind howled and whipped tree limbs violently across the path leading to the bridge. I winced and held up my hands. I wished I’d brought an umbrella, or a raincoat, or a scarf.
    Too late now. There was no going back.
    Not sure of my destination, I staggered onward towards the bridge. A shrill voice carried on the breeze. Was it a woman? Or was it the storm? The wind hissed around me with a high-pitched shriek that sounded like a small, wounded animal crying for help. I headed towards the sound.
    A man shouted incoherently. I turned to my right to see a figure running along the bank of the lake. He dove into the water and disappeared from sight. What was he doing? He’d be lucky not to drown in this weather.
    I waited for him to surface. The wind cut across the surface of the water creating waves. Normally the lake was crystal clear. Tonight it looked as deep and dark as the ocean.
    Suddenly, I was on my face in the mud. A large object had crashed into me from behind, forcing me down. A hand was on the back of my head pushing my face into a deep puddle. I choked on the brackish water and flailed wildly. My lungs screamed for release.
    “Too late,” a voice, high-pitched and wild, shouted.
    Too late.
    The words rang through my head with deep meaning. I’d wasted my life and it was too late to fix it. Time had run out.
    Then a last second reprieve.
    I’d just reached my breaking point when the hand released me. I lifted my head and gasped for air. The weight lifted off my back. I turned to find the space behind me empty. The person had disappeared into the rainstorm.
    I coughed violently. Before me, a dark figure emerged from the water. The man had made it out after all. Instead of relief, I felt dread. My fingers dug into the mud. I clawed at the ground and rose on