Caught by Her Read online

  Caught by Her

  The Fighting Free Series

  By

  GL Chapple

  Caught by Her

  The Fighting Free Series

  Copyright © 2016 GL Chapple

  All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright owner, author and publisher, GL Chapple.

  This is a work of fiction. You should not believe any part of this book to be based in truth or fact. Any resemblance or similarity between people; living or dead, places, events etc is purely coincidental.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be resold.

  Please feel free to connect with me. I would love to hear back from you. I hope you enjoy and thank you so much for reading, please consider leaving a review – it really does make such a difference to authors and would be hugely appreciated.

  Dedication

  To my children:

  You are everything, and you are enough - always.

  Acknowledgements

  To my family - thank you for supporting me, for letting me chase my dream and believing in me.

  To Amo – You’ve been there from the start and your encouragement means more to me than you’ll ever know.

  To my awesome beta readers – Thank you! For the late messages, the laughter and the help…you guys are awesome.

  To Kellie Lalor – a special thanks to you for joining my beta team and providing invaluable feedback and big smiles.

  To Maria Naydenova – for making a kickass book trailer for both books…thank you so much.

  To Chapple’s Champs – for being my happy place

  To every single blog, thank you so much for your help in promoting me and spreading the word.

  To every single reader, thank you for taking a chance on me and reading my words.

  Edited by Laura from Editing for You.

  Cover by Michelle from Dream Designs.

  As I sat at my desk in work, Marcus poked his head around the door. I’d spoken to him the previous afternoon and caught him up on the news from the day before.

  Just as I was about to acknowledge him, my mobile rang. I held my hand up to him as I answered. It was Michael and he sounded anxious, his nerves obvious as he asked if Lena was with me.

  Confused, I explained that I was in work and asked him why he was ringing, but he declined to say, failing to reassure me that all was Ok before hanging up.

  “Everything alright?” Marcus asked, looking at my face.

  Perplexed I stared back, “I’m not sure, gimme a sec.”

  I felt uneasy. I phoned Lena’s mobile and immediately felt better as she answered. I explained that her father had been trying to get hold of her and asked where she was.

  The next thing I heard was Lena screaming Paul’s name. My heart stopped, her panic-filled scream squeezing the breath from my lungs.

  Marcus jerked his head up at the sound of her voice coming through my phone, followed by the noises that I’d imagined so many times since my parents’ deaths - the screech of brakes, loud noises, indistinguishable bangs and thumps, the sound of metal on metal.

  Lena hadn’t made another sound and my face must have shown my fear as Marcus came racing up to the desk, standing in front of me, concern written all over his features.

  I realised I was yelling her name into the phone, but it had cut off.

  I looked at Marcus, panic affecting my reactions. I tried to redial but it went straight to answer phone.

  I felt sick; my hands were sweaty and shaking.

  “Nate! Nate!”

  I looked at him, dazed. “What’s happened?”

  I shook my head, trying to clear the dread that was clawing away at me. “She’s been in a crash… I heard a crash. I just fucking heard it! Fuck! I can’t get hold of her!”

  Before he could respond, I flew up out of my seat grabbing my keys.

  “Where are you going?” Marcus shouted after me, but I needed to keep moving.

  I needed to get to her and make sure she was alright. I wasn’t going to lose her.

  He tried to catch hold of my arm but I shook him off, bursting out the door and sprinting down the corridor as my heart thundered in my chest.

  I heard my name being called but ignored it; the only person on my mind was Lena. I had to get to her; she had to be ok.

  This couldn’t be happening to me again.

  Lena

  The first thing that hit me was the pain - a persistent, dull throbbing that ached right down to the bone. It reverberated around my head before ricocheting down my neck and spreading throughout my body. Noises sounded too loud - people talking, doors opening and banging. It all seemed amplified, making me flinch inwardly with each noise, my heart stuttering with anxiety.

  My eyes felt as if they’d been glued together as I forced them open, groaning quietly and squinting as the light made me want to scrunch them closed again. I saw Nate immediately and relief flooded through me.

  No matter what had happened, he was here; he was with me; everything would be alright.

  I tried to clear the fog from my mind, closing my eyes again for a second in a slow blink. I opened them to meet Nate’s concerned face which was marred with lines of worry and exhaustion.

  He’d been slouched in the chair next to the bed, clearly sleeping but I must have woken him when I made a noise. He dragged his hand roughly over his face. I could hear the scratch of stubble against his skin before he leaned over to me. His eyes were missing their usual sparkle; his face tired and pale as his lips lifted in a relieved smile. “Hey, Sweetheart, you back with us?”

  “Hey,” I responded, my voice coming out like a croak. My mouth was so dry it felt like it was filled with mothballs. I forced a swallow down my arid throat and tried to pull myself to a sitting position, wincing and sucking in my breath sharply at the pain.

  He jumped swiftly up out of his chair. “Wait, let me help you…” He moved the pillows, positioning them behind me, then, holding me under the armpits, he helped me move up the bed and ease myself back against them, not quite sitting upright but no longer lying flat.

  I had to grit my teeth to stop myself from crying out. I managed to get myself comfortable, putting my head back against the pillow, already feeling worn out.

  Even breathing was painful. Every part of me seemed to hurt. My eyelids fluttered closed again.

  What the hell had happened?

  I tried to recall, my mind struggling to remember the details. I was just so tired. Clearly I was in hospital but my memory was blank and I felt too drained to concentrate.

  Nate’s voice dragged me back to the present. My eyelids felt like they had 10lb weights attached to them as I opened them to look at him again.

  “Do you want anything? Glass of water? Some pain relief?”

  I shook my head, which was a mistake. The pain was piercing and instant. I squeezed my eyes shut again and moaned, raising my hands immediately to hold my head. It felt as if it was going to split in half.

  “Maybe something for my headache,” my voice was barely above a whisper.

  He leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. “I’ll be right back. I’ll just let them know you’re awake and get the nurse to come and give you something. I’ll be two minutes.” He left the room and I closed my eyes again.

  “Good afternoon, Ms. Nicholls. How are you feeling?”

  I opened my eyes to find a male doctor standing at the foot of the bed. Nate was back in the chair next to me but I hadn’t heard him return. I had no idea how much time had passed since I’d closed my eyes. It could have been m
inutes or hours.

  I turned my attention back to the doctor, “Like I was hit by a bus,” I mumbled, then suddenly gasped as the memories came rushing back, flitting through my mind like a kaleidoscope of horror. I caught Nate’s pained expression in my peripheral vision.

  “Oh, my God!” I exclaimed, turning sharply to face him before crying out again at the pain in my head. Holding it tightly in my hands, I called out to him, “Paul? Nate - what’s happened to Paul? Oh, my God, is he OK?”

  Images assaulted me in quick succession: the car coming straight towards us; Paul’s body as it was flung violently towards me; the blur as the car spun around before slamming to a standstill against something else.

  Another car?

  A barrier?

  I had no idea. I couldn’t hold onto anything. It was like a slideshow flicking through my mind but going too fast for me to be able to focus.

  Nate took hold of my hand and squeezed it gently. “He’s alright, Lena. Don’t worry. Paul’s fine, battered and bruised like you but you were both very lucky.” He tried to reassure me but he still looked upset.

  I wanted to get off the bed and crawl up into his lap but I settled for squeezing his hand. He gave me a small, tight smile but it didn’t reach his eyes.

  “So, you can remember the accident? That’s good news.” the doctor said, drawing my attention back to him.

  I started to nod before stopping myself. “Yeah, I remember a car coming straight through the junction. It crashed straight into Paul’s side. I saw the car just before it hit us, but I didn’t have time to do anything.”

  Remembering the accident sure as hell didn’t feel very good. My voice was thick with emotion as I fought to hold back the tears. I didn’t want to cry in front of the doctor or to upset Nate any more than he already was.

  Besides, it hurt to breathe. I was pretty sure crying would be agony.

  The doctor proceeded to run through a few tests with me, asking questions to check my memory and shining a light into my eyes making me groan. Apparently I’d already had a CT scan on admission - not that I had any recollection of that.

  Nate sat quietly next to me, looking subdued. His posture was stiff, his eyes normally sparkling pools of vibrant green were dark and murky, uninviting, and so unlike Nate that I felt myself frowning at him in question. He ignored me, keeping his eyes either on the doctor, or on his hands which were clasped in front of him.

  The doctor ran through a list of my injuries - nothing major thankfully. I’d suffered a concussion, which explained my headache. I vaguely remembered hitting it against the glass as the car made impact. Luckily it wasn’t as severe as it could have been and my memory had returned quickly. I’d bruised my ribs but there were no broken bones. I was desperate for information on Paul and pleaded with the doctor to find out what was happening.

  He advised me that Paul was under the care of his colleague, but that he would get an update for me, reassuring me just before he left that Paul was doing well and wasn’t in any danger.

  I turned to Nate, just as another nurse entered the room with the food trolley and fresh water for me. I took the water but waved the food away, relieved when the nurse left and it was just the two of us again. We’d barely spoken since I’d regained consciousness. People had been in and out of the room but I just wanted him.

  I needed to feel him.

  I needed the warmth of his embrace.

  I needed him to make me feel safe and secure again.

  Obviously he was going to be worried and upset but something felt wrong and it was unnerving me, even more so than I already felt.

  I held out my hand to him and he took it, holding it between his own hands and applying gentle pressure, but he made no move to come closer which confused me. I felt shaken up, vulnerable from the upset and scare that I’d had. “Nate-” I began, but he pulled his hands free, leaning back and taking out his phone from his pocket.

  “I need to let your parents and Maddie know you’re awake, I’ll be right back.” He stood up from his seat abruptly, leaning over to kiss the top of my head before walking out of the room.

  “Nate…” I called out after him, although I spoke quietly, I had no doubt he would have heard me but he didn’t turn around.

  I heard the desperation in my voice and hated myself for it. I squeezed my eyes shut and focused on my shallow breathing, trying to swallow down the hurt and confusion as the door closed behind him. I was probably feeling emotional and overwrought but it felt like he couldn’t wait to get away from me, and it hurt.

  I needed him. For once, I had accepted that I needed someone, reaching out rather than trying to go it alone, and he’d walked away.

  “I thought she was awake?” Paul’s voice dragged me back from my thoughts as I lay with my eyes closed.

  Nate had barely left my side, but the atmosphere still felt strained and I couldn’t understand it. I’d tried to talk to him but he’d refused to admit there was an issue, yet he seemed distant and closed off, his actions lacked intimacy. He was here, saying and doing the right things, but I could feel him slipping away from me and the thought made me want to scream with injustice.

  The hours were dragging by and I couldn’t wait to get home. I hoped that things would start to feel more normal again once we could get back to reality. He hadn’t asked me anything about the accident so we had managed to avoid the awkward conversation that I knew would have to be faced.

  If I thought he had an issue with me before that conversation, I was sure that we’d have some issues after it.

  “I am.” I opened my eyes to look at Paul. I was so relieved to see him standing in front of me. “It’s so good to see you!” My eyes were swimming with tears as I blinked, trying to stop them escaping. I tried to joke, anything to stop myself from dissolving into a sodden mess. “You’re the second best thing I’ve seen this morning!” I glanced at Nate, hoping to see his arrogant smirk but he looked lost in his own thoughts.

  “You’re a welcome sight yourself, girl.” Paul’s voice sounded gruff, and he sucked in a breath sharply, as he gingerly lowered himself onto the chair next to the bed, sitting the opposite side to Nate.

  “How are you?” I asked anxiously.

  It was my fault that Paul had been hurt. If I hadn’t called him then he wouldn’t have been involved in the crash. I moved towards him too quickly and whimpered as a sharp pain shot up my right side, causing my eyes to water. Nate immediately sat upright and Paul’s eyes flashed concern.

  “I’m alright,” I breathed out slowly and heard Paul laugh softly before groaning himself.

  “Jesus, what a pair we are!”

  I looked over at him. His left arm was in a cast and I felt guilt crushing down on me.

  As if he was reading my mind, he gently shook his head at me. “Don’t start that Lena. This is not your fault. Don’t look like that! A drunk driver ran the lights. This could have happened at any time, to anyone. I don’t want you feeling guilty and upset over this.” He looked me right in the eyes and, as if to emphasise his point, he repeated sternly, “This is not your fault.”

  I diverted my eyes and tried again to hold back the tears. I didn’t know what the hell was going on with me the last few weeks. I’d turned into an emotional basket-case. I hadn’t cried in years but lately it seemed to be my go-to response for everything. It was ridiculous. I wasn’t a crier.

  He cleared his throat, forcing me to look back at him, ‘Pull-yourself-together-woman’ written over his features.

  My lips twitched into the start of a reluctant, watery smile, but, before I could respond to him, Nate spoke up. “So, what was going on? Why were you in the car together?”

  I felt my heart sink. This was the discussion I’d been dreading.

  Nate looked resigned to the conversation that he’d obviously been avoiding himself. It suddenly occurred to me that he might have the completely wrong idea about Paul and I being in the car together. I wondered if that’s why he’d waited until no
w to bring it up.

  I wasn’t sure which conversation would have been easier to face. I needed his strength and support right now but I wasn’t sure I was going to get it. I knew that he was going to be angry about this. I stole a glance at Paul, whose face remained blank and expressionless. I knew he’d go with whatever I said but I didn’t want to lie to Nate.

  I took a breath, as much as my battered ribs would allow, before turning to Nate. “Byron had found the address of the guy…” I let the rest of the sentence hang in the air, unable to voice his name and chewing my lip nervously as I waited for Nate’s reaction.

  Nate looked at me in confusion for a second before realisation spread across his face. I could see the moment that he knew whom I’d planned on meeting. His face grew tight; his eyes which were already dull went dark, losing all trace of their vibrant green; his jaw was rigid; the muscles strained in his neck. He clasped his hands together in front of him, both knuckles white. His whole body was tense; coiled up in the chair. He looked to be holding onto his composure by the thinnest of threads.

  “Why?” The word was a growl, low and fierce.

  My mind was scrambling to think of an explanation as I heard Paul speak up in my defense.

  “She wanted some closure, Nate, I was going…”

  He didn’t get the chance to finish as Nate whirled to face him. His eyes were hard as flint as he glared at him, his fists clenching and his voice ice cold. “I should fucking kill you, Paul,” I cringed at his tone, “What the hell were you thinking? What if I took your wife or your daughter to meet someone who had…” Nate couldn’t finish his sentence, seemingly, the anger and emotion playing over his features making the words impossible to say. He was furious. He stood; his chair squeaking loudly as it flew away from him. He fixed Paul with a piercing stare. “I should fucking kill you.” He pointed his finger aggressively at him before storming out of the room.