Redemption (Book 3) The Fixer Series Read Online Free PDF Page A

"Hey, Steph, can I ask you a question?"
    "Sure."
    "Where are we?"
    "Brooke, you're in the hospital."
    "I know that.  I meant, are we close to home?"
    She gave Tristan her " I can't believe you didn't tell her" look. 
    He shrugged his shoulders, "She's been out cold for three days.  How could I possibly tell her?"
    "Men," she huffed.  "We're in Prague, Brooke."
    "What?"  I asked, sitting up faster than I should have.
    "Honey, this is where they brought you after you were kidnapped.  Do you remember that?"
    "I remember the town where I had my hair cut.  I don't remember anything else about it, other than when Alexi and Tristan drove me to Dylan's hotel room.  We waited for him, but...," I began to cry.  "I'm so confused."
    " Shh...it's okay, Brooke.  Everything is going to be okay," she said, running her fingers through my hair.  It was just like she use to do when we were little.  "You need to get some rest now.  I'm gonna go sit over there by Tristan, I'll be right here when you wake up and we can talk some more."
    I nodded in agreement, but I wanted to know why no one would tell me how Dylan was.  Maybe he was gone, and the thought of never seeing him again ate at me a s I silently cried myself to sleep, slowly dying inside.

    I heard low, whispering voices in the room and began to stir.  The last thing I'd remembered was thinking that I'd never see Dylan again.  I was wrong.  I could sense that he was near.  My heart knew, and as I slowly opened my eyes, I saw his sweet smile.  There was so much that I needed to tell him.  I needed him to understand that what had happened wasn't my fault.  But when I tried to speak, he told me that we could discuss things later. 
    He looked terrible.  I could tell that he wasn't as well as he wanted me to believe , and maybe he wasn't ready to hear what I had to say.  He kept reassuring me that he was going to be fine, and although I had doubts, I had no other choice than to trust him.  I was too weak to argue, and vowed to just enjoy having him near.  He was mine, he really was.  I hadn't imagined him after all, when I was in that dark, concrete cell.  He was the man in my dreams, just as if he were an angel that had been sent to me in my darkest time of need.  I couldn't stop staring at him.  I wanted to rub the back of my hand against the stubble on his face, trace my fingers over his lips and love him like I did on our wedding night. 
    I could see he was in pain, his heart broken.  I wasn't convinced that the pain he was feeling was entirely physical.  I knew there was somethin g else causing his affliction.  I just didn't know what , and when I was able to be alone with him, I would make him tell me.
    D ylan leaned in and kissed me goodbye, before returning to his room.  His nurse was adamant about him needing to get some rest.  I didn't disagree with her, but I didn't want him to leave either.  I'd lost him once, and I didn't want to lose him again.      
    As Dylan was wheeled out of my room, I turned on my side, away from Stephanie and Tristan.  I was happy that they were there with me, but I needed time.  Time to myself, to gain insight into who I was and fully absorb what had happened to me.  I rubbed my belly, remembering the loss I had suffered while being held captive against my will.  I needed to grieve my loss, our loss, but we needed to do it together.  It was the one thing I dreaded the most, telling Dylan that I'd lost our baby.   
    The room was silent , so I took the opportunity to shut the world out and close my eyes.  I was soon fast asleep and that's when the nightmares began.  
    I dreamt about the young woman in the cell next to me.  Every night I could hear her screams as she was beaten and tortured by men who had no regard for her pain.  When they were finished with her, they would throw her on the cold, concrete floor and then lock the cell behind them.  The dream repeated over and over while I slept, always