Revealed (Unbound, Book 5)

Chapter Forty-Nine

Calin stroked my hair, whispering soothing words. I tucked my face into his chest, uncaring that his shirt was soaked from my tears. All of the fear and tension that built like pressure within me burst, and I had no control. The scuff of shoes on floor sounded around me but all my energy was flowing from me, and I didn't have enough left to look up.

I don't know how long we sat there, Calin cradling me across his lap with an arm around my shoulders and another beneath the back of my knees. Eventually, the tears stopped flowing. The noises grew louder. The anxiety of never getting free settled to a calm within my body, and I started becoming more aware. The drug must have been wearing off more as I could feel the emotions of multiple people. Emotions I knew I should be feeling but wasn't currently capable of realizing.

Calin, as though sensing the turning point I'd reached, pushed my hair out of my face and rested his chin on his chest to look down at me. "Nora?"

I blinked at him.

"I need you to tell me you are okay," Calin whispered.

"We need to take her to the hospital," Julian said from somewhere in the room, just out of eyesight. "She is not okay."

Calin glared past me in the direction of Julian's voice and shook his head. "Just make sure he is secured."

"He can't hurt her now."

"No, but I can hurt him," Calin growled, his jaw clenching until a tick appeared.

"They should both be in the hospital," Julian said. "Just different wards."

"Let's get her untied first, then I'll take her—"

"N—no." I licked my lips and pushed the words out. "I don't want to go to the hospital." I looked at Calin, silently imploring him for help. "Please. Remember after my accident? No hospital."

"But—"

"She doesn't need to go," Calin declared.

"She's hurt," Julian said as he began tying Trevor up. "And we need to call the police."

"No." I sucked in a breath as Calin shifted, gently setting me to his side so he could untie the ropes at my feet. I held onto his shoulder for balance, hoping I wouldn't fall to my side and prove Julian right. "We can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because he was working with your mom," I whispered and then grimaced. "I won't do that to you and your dad and, unless I agree, there's nothing to report. I won't go to the police."

"Nora."

I glanced to the door and found Aiden there, scowling at me. His gaze swept the room, pausing on Trevor, then came back to me. He looked at my wrists and ankles, then glared.

"You cannot let this boy get away with what he's done," Aiden said. "I'm sorry, Julian."

"If she's involved in this, throw her in a cell."

I shook my head and leaned back as Calin once again held me, this time wrapping his arms around me from behind. "We aren't calling the cops and I'm not going to the hospital."

"Nora, you can't let them get away with it!"

"You need medical attention!"

"It's the law to report a crime."

Their emotions bombarded me, and I sucked in a breath at the intensity. Despite the proof that they wanted what was best for me, I couldn't go to the hospital or police. It felt... wrong. My gaze found Islene's as she stood in the doorway between Nancy and Aubrey-Lynn. She nodded, giving me a silent encouragement, and I felt Calin's support. They were the only two who didn't argue with me.