I start crying immediately and step into his embrace. I thought he was dead and seeing him alive is such a relief.
Sander pulls me into his embrace.
The guy behind me makes a noise. He’s still on the ground though, and he’s looking at me like he’s scared of me.
“You did that?” Sander asks, pointing to the guy on the ground.
I nod, still not able to speak.
“You are incredible, Phoenix Black,” he says, putting an arm around me. “Let’s get out of here.”
What happened?
I try not to look at the number of bodies on the floor as we walk out the door of the building where I was being held. I now can see that we were in some sort of a warehouse type of building.
I’m glad Sander showed up, because there is no way I could’ve taken all of these guys. There are way too many, and I would’ve been way out numbered.
Sander opens the passenger side door of a car that is waiting outside and helps me get in. Once I sit down, I realize just how much I am shaking. I am not sure if it’s from the drugs that they gave me or if it’s that I’m coming down from such a huge adrenaline rush.
“Are you okay?” Sander asks me, as we take off.
I nod, and then realize he can’t look at me because he’s driving.
“Yeah,” I answer.
“Liar,” he says.
Clearly, I am not okay.
“I can’t take you to a hospital here,” Sander says. “Do you think you can make it about thirty minutes? I know a doctor that can see you. I’m not sure that a hospital would be safe right now.”
“Yeah, that’s fine,” I say, licking my dry lips. “I don’t need a hospital or a doctor.”
“Yes, you do,” he says. “You should sleep until we get there.
I start to close my eyes, but I have to ask, “What happened to all those guys? Are they dead?”
It takes a little while for Sander to respond.
“I will always do whatever it takes to protect you,” he says.
And I believe him. Fully.
With his words, I drift off to sleep.
I still feel safe.
When I wake up again, I am hooked up to an IV.
I am lying on a big, comfy bed in a large room. There is a bay window and I can tell that it’s dark outside. And I’m in here alone. I know that I am now safe. I must be at wherever this doctor is that Sander was taking me.
Maybe I really did need that doctor. When I was awake last, it was still daytime. Whatever medicine they gave me must have really messed me up.
I try to sit up on the bed, but my whole body hurts. I end up just lying back down.
The door to the room opens and Sander walks in, followed by another guy.
“You’re awake,” Sander says.
“How long was I asleep?” I ask.
“A few hours,” he says.
I look at the guy who is standing beside Sander.
He’s a tall guy. Taller than Sander. He looks just as scary, too. He’s got black hair and dark brown eyes. He gives me a reassuring smile.
“Hello, Phoenix. I’m Jacob Brown.”
“You’re the doctor?” I ask.
He nods.
“Can I take this out?” I ask, holding out my arm.
“After the bag is finished,” he says. “I’d like you to keep it in until then. You were pretty dehydrated.”
“Can we leave after that?” I ask.
Dr. Brown looks at Sander. “You said she was restless.”
“Aren’t you young to be a doctor?” I ask.
Because Dr. Brown only looks about twenty-five, at the most.
He smiles. “No, but I’m glad you think so.”
Okay.
This isn’t awkward at all.
“I’m going to give you two some privacy,” Dr. Brown says. “I’ll come back and check on you in a little while.”
“Thanks, Dr. Brown,” I say.
“Call me Jacob,” he says, then walks from the room.
What a strange man.
“How are you feeling?” Sander asks.
“Like I got run over by a car,” I answer. “Can you help me sit up? I can’t really move that well.”
He walks over to the bed and helps prop me up on some pillows.
“Better?” he asks.
“Much,” I say. “Thank you.”
“No problem.”
“And thank you for saving me,” I say. “I don’t know what happened. One minute, I was at the safe house, walking from room to room. The next, I felt a sharp stick in the side of my neck and that was it. I woke up handcuffed in a strange room with a guy telling me he was going to put a bullet through my head in a few hours if he didn’t get what he wanted.”
Sander sits down beside me. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how they found us. The guys were good. I didn’t even realize you were gone until I heard tires squeal. I got to you as soon as I could.”
“You saved me,” I say. “How did they even find us to begin with?”
“I don’t know,” he answers.
“Where is Uncle Matty and Jake?”
“I didn’t tell them anything yet,” Sander says.
“What? Why not? They must be scared,” I say.
“I can’t tell them, yet,” he says. “Look, whatever happened... there has to be a mole.”
“A mole?” I ask.
“A leak,” he says. “That means... somebody who knows what we’re doing leaked where we would be. I’m not sure who, but I couldn’t take any chances. We were an easy target when we left the school. They made their move. I wasn’t expecting it.”
“Am I going back to East Raven?” I ask, scared for the answer.
“Yeah,” he says. “I feel like you’re safe there. I’m going to bring in some people to help. No more CIA or Secret Service. I want them out of it. My organization will be taking over.”
“It’s not Uncle Matty or Jake. They kept me safe all summer,” I say. “They had plenty of chances to kidnap me, or whatever.”
“I know,” he says. “But maybe they switched sides or were just waiting for the perfect opportunity. I also don’t trust the people they work with. I will protect you, Phoenix.”
I nod, truly knowing that his words are true. What he did to protect me today was crazy. He really would do anything. I know that now.
“You need to get some sleep,” Sander says. “You should feel better in the morning.”
“Will you stay here?” I ask. “I mean, I don’t want to be alone.”
He nods. “Yeah. I will.”
“And when we leave here... will you teach me how to use a gun?”
“Absolutely,” he says, giving me a relieved smile. “I was worried you were going to shoot me today when I walked through the door and saw you with a gun.”
I try to smile, but I just can’t.
“Last time I was kidnapped, I don’t remember anything,” I say. “I just woke up in the hospital and somebody told me what had happened. This... it was different. And scary.”
“I won’t let it happen again,” Sander says. “I promise.”
And I believe him.
I fall asleep with Sander holding my hand. And even though I am scared to death, I still feel safe as long as I have Sander by my side.
The end.
Look for Never Say Never (Book 3) coming soon!
Letter from Scarlett
Hey! Thank you so much for reading the second book in my series, East Raven Academy. I am so excited for the future of this series and these characters. Good things are ahead! Book 3, Never Say Never, will be coming out very soon!
If you did enjoy this book, it would mean a lot to me if you left a review wherever you picked this up.
For more information on this series, be sure to check out my blog https://scarletthaven.net!
—Scarlett Haven
More books by Scarlett
Bayside Academy Series:
Gracie (Book 1)
>
Unraveling Gracie (Book 2)
Hating Gracie (Book 3—coming May 2018!)
East Raven Academy Series:
Ever After (Book 1)
Never Ever (Book 2)
Never Say Never (Book 3—coming soon!)
The Spy Chronicles:
Finding Me (Book 1)
Keeping Me (Book 2)
Losing Me (Book 3—coming June 2018!)
Stand alone books:
The Bucket List: Famous Online
The Day My Life Began
New Hope Academy Series:
Luck (Episode 1)
Fate (Episode 2)
Fame (Episode 3)
Wish (Episode 4)
*This series is completed.
Find me online.
Blog: https://scarletthaven.net
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Scarlett_Haven
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorScarlettHaven/
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Mailing List: http://wordpress.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=2b073ef1d3dd1a8003e58a389&id=8393d2923e
Never Ever (East Raven Academy Book 2) Page 21