Soul by Audrey Carlan Read Free Book Online

until the light blazes like the sun into the room. I shut my eyes and hide my face.
    “Baby, oh my God, Gillian!” The voice is Chase’s, but I don’t believe it. He didn’t come for me. It’s a trick. My mind is playing tricks on me. I’ll throw my arms around him, and I’ll wake up, and it will be Danny all over again, groping me, touching me, kissing me. Violent sobs wrack my frame as I hold onto my knees.
    Hands are pulling at the blanket covering me then at my shackled hands. “No, no, don’t touch me!” I scream at the top of my lungs. Please God, someone hear me. Get him off me. “Chase!” I yell as loud as I can, hoping anyone, someone, will hear me.
    “It’s me, Gillian. Baby, it’s Chase.” Fingers are on my face, light caresses, much softer than Daniel has touched me. “I’m here. We got you.” He presses his forehead against mine and the scent of sandalwood and citrus enters my nostrils. I open my eyes and stare into the stunning Caribbean blue eyes. Tears fill those ocean-colored orbs and fall down the sides of his cheeks.
    “Chase,” I croak, my gaze cataloging every feature, every nuance. “You came,” I whisper, tears pouring down my cheeks. His hands gently clasp my battered face, his thumbs swiping along the apples of my cheekbones.
    “What did he do to you?” His voice is hoarse, full of emotion.
    I shake my head and watch as he does his own examination. His thumbs pet my busted lips, the bruises over my face. Based on the way his jaw gets tighter, I know it’s bad. The fact that I can barely feel the pain anymore, due to being so cold, I know I’m in a state of severe shock.
    A man I don’t recognize comes over to me. “I’m Agent Brennen, Mrs. Davis.” Mrs. Davis . He called me Mrs. Davis. More tears slide down my cheeks. “I’ve got a medical chopper on its way. We have to get you out of these chains. Can you stand?” Chase stands close helping me up. The chains shriek along the pulley system.
    “What the fuck is this?” Chase traces a hand up the thick, rusted, iron chains attached to my wrists and feet. I stand barefoot in the pasty vomit, which hasn’t even completely dried from last night, but I could care less. He is here. Chase found me. “I want her out of here now.” His tone is a deep protective growl.
    Jack comes over and puts a hand on my shoulder. I cower into Chase. “Let me see your wrist.” Chase grabs my hand and holds it out. “I found this in that closet at the top of the stairs.” He pushes a heavy looking metal key into the lock at my wrist and turns. The shackle drops to the ground with a bang. I jump at the noise but allow Chase to maneuver my other hand to get that bond off. Jack pushes aside the toile of the bottom half of my wedding dress and unhooks the remaining bands. I wince as each one is removed.
    The big bodyguard breathes in deep. “She’s bleeding around each ankle and wrist. The wounds on her ankles are showing signs of advanced infection,” he says but I can barely hear him. “Get her out of here.”
    Instantly, the world turns upside down. Lights and sounds move in a swirl in a dizzying motion through my vision. The light gets brighter as I am carried up what I think are a set of stairs. Ice-cold air hits the bare arms of my skin, and I shiver, my teeth chattering automatically. A whirring sound gets louder and louder, and I’m bounced up and down. I hold on tight to Chase, focus on his scent, his heartbeat and his warmth. Nothing can touch me if I am with him. Just him. Surrounded by his love.
    Vaguely, I realize I am being laid down, and a woman and man are barking orders. The whirring sound is so loud, and I’m beyond freezing. So cold. Only one point on my body is warm, and that’s my hand, because Chase holds it tight, never letting me go.
    “You found me,” I say, trying to get my eyes to stop rolling around.
    “I’ll always find you and bring you back to me,” he promises, his lips pressing down against my