My Enemy's Daughter (Edited)

chapter 32

Fiona's POV

I woke up the next morning, feeling disoriented. My head was heavy, my limbs stiff, and the light filtering through the curtains seemed too bright. This wasn't my room. I blinked, pushing myself up slowly, my brain struggling to make sense of the space around me. The unfamiliar bed was softer than mine, the sheets smoother, and the air... different. A dull throb pounded at the back of my skull as I sat up and scanned the room again, my pulse quickening.

Where am I?

Just as panic began to grip me, my eyes landed on a figure slouched in the chair beside me. Samuel. His presence immediately calmed me, pulling me out of the spiral I was about to fall into. He was asleep, but even in his relaxed state, the tension in his face was undeniable. His eyebrows were furrowed, his jaw clenched as if he was fighting off some unseen battle, even in his dreams.

Memories from the previous day started to flood back-being chased, the parking lot, the street... and the truck. Oh God, the truck. I stopped running like a fool, frozen in terror, and then nothing.I thought, surely, I'd been hit but I must've just fainted since I don't feel any pain. I shivered at the thought of what could have happened if that truck hadn't stopped in time.

Samuel stirred beside me, his hand twitching slightly as his eyes fluttered open. For a moment, he looked confused, then his gaze landed on me, and everything in his body snapped to attention.

"Fiona," he breathed, sitting up straight. His voice was rough, like he hadn't used it in hours, and there was an unmistakable relief in his tone. His hand reached for mine before he even realized it. "You're awake."

"I'm fine," I tried to assure him, but the words barely escaped my lips before he was leaning in, checking me over like I was made of glass. His hands hovered over me as though he wasn't sure where to start, his concern tangible. I could feel the tension rolling off him in waves.

"You scared me half to death," he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. "I thought-" He broke off, taking a shaky breath as he ran a hand through his hair, clearly struggling to keep his composure. "For a second, I thought I'd lost you."

I frowned, my still-groggy mind trying to keep up with his words. "Lost me?"

He swallowed hard and looked away, his jaw tightening. "I can't go through that again."

Again? There was something deeper behind those words, but I didn't have the energy to press him on it. Not now. "I'm okay," I said softly, squeezing his hand. "Really. I'm okay."

His eyes searched mine for any hint of falsehood, but when he saw the sincerity in them, his shoulders finally slumped, and he let out a breath. "I thought I was going to lose you." His voice dropped, barely more than a whisper, but the intensity of it made my heart clench.

"I didn't mean to scare you," I said, my own voice soft. "But... I guess fainting in the middle of the street will do that."

He shook his head. "Fainting? Fiona, you ran into the street." His tone was sharper now, frustration lacing his words. "You ran into traffic."

I winced, not wanting to relive the moment, but I owed him some kind of explanation. "I was... I was running away. From... something."

"From what?" Samuel pressed, his eyes narrowing. "Or should I say, from who?"

I froze. He must have seen me running. He had to have seen the man chasing me. There was no way I could lie about that now, but at the same time, I wasn't ready to dive into that part of my life with him. Not yet. "It's... complicated," I muttered, avoiding his gaze. "It's not something I can-"

He cut me off, his voice firm and unrelenting. "Who was it, Fiona? Who was chasing you?"

The intensity of his stare pinned me in place, and for a moment, I felt trapped. My mind scrambled for an answer that would satisfy him without dragging me into territory I wasn't ready to discuss. But before I could say anything, a knock on the door interrupted the rising tension.

I turned, feeling a surge of relief at the reprieve, but that relief was short-lived. The door swung open to reveal a man built like a tank, carrying a tray of food. He looked like he could crush me with a single hand, his face hard and expression unreadable. My stomach twisted with anxiety, but then I caught Samuel's nod of approval.

The man set the tray down on a small table near the bed. He glanced at me for a moment, his face twitching awkwardly as if he was trying to smile, but the effort came across more like a grimace. I stifled a laugh. The poor guy looked like he'd never smiled a day in his life.

As soon as the attempt failed, he seemed embarrassed, and without another word, he shuffled quickly out of the room. "He tried," I said, still amused.

Samuel shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "He doesn't deal well with... emotions."

I chuckled softly as he pushed the tray closer to me. "Come on, eat something. You need to get your strength back."

We ate in silence, though my mind kept drifting back to the question he'd asked earlier. Who was chasing me? I knew Samuel wouldn't let it go, but for now, he was focused on making sure I ate, and I was grateful for the momentary reprieve. After we finished, he helped me to my feet and led me out of the room. My body still felt weak, but I managed to keep up as we walked down a long hallway.

The house was surprisingly large. I couldn't help but glance around, noting the stone-faced men who moved through the corridors with military precision. Their eyes followed us, and I could tell they were trying to make themselves as invisible as possible.

"These are your employees?" I asked hesitantly, my voice barely more than a whisper.

"They work for me," Samuel answered simply, his tone giving no room for further questions. I wasn't sure I wanted to know more, anyway.

We eventually reached a smaller room near the front of the house. Inside were three younger men, all of them with the same hardened look as the others, though there was something more relaxed about them. Samuel instructed me to wait while he checked on the car, and as soon as he left the room, I couldn't resist the urge to mimic the way he barked orders. I puffed out my chest and deepened my voice, doing my best Samuel impression.

The men's reactions were instant. One chuckled softly, another snorted, and the third let out a full-on laugh.

"That's pretty accurate," the man who laughed said, wiping away a tear. "I don't think anyone's ever gotten that close before."

I smiled, feeling a little embarrassed but mostly amused. "Sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Don't apologize," he said, still grinning. "We all do it. But you? You nailed it."

We shared a lighthearted exchange, and for the first time since waking up, I felt at ease. The man introduced himself as Doc, and pointed to the other two-Jordan and Mike. Doc explained that he was the one who had checked me over when Samuel brought me in. "You were lucky," he said, his voice turning serious. "Samuel was out of his mind with worry. We've never seen him like that."

My heart fluttered at the thought of Samuel's concern, but before I could dwell on it, he returned, his face set in its usual stern expression. "The car's ready. Let's go."

I nodded, following behind him, but as soon as his back was turned, I couldn't resist mimicking his stiff, commanding walk again. The three men struggled to hold back their laughter, but when Samuel turned to glare at them, it all but burst out. They quickly quieted, though their eyes were still twinkling with amusement.

Samuel shot me a look, but said nothing as he led me out of the house and into the waiting car. The drive home was quiet, though I could feel his eyes on me every few minutes, as if he was still checking to make sure I was real.

When we pulled up in front of my place, he finally broke the silence. "You need to rest," he said, his voice firm. "But don't think we're done talking about what happened yesterday. I'll be back later."

I nodded, knowing there was no point in arguing. He wasn't going to let this go.

"Take care," he added softly, his hand lingering on the door handle for a moment before he drove off, leaving me standing on my doorstep, wondering how much longer I could keep dodging the truth.