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She froze.

Then her gaze jerked to her arm. The white bandage was soaked red. “I…must have hit it.” Maybe she’d been fighting with the covers in her sleep. Heck, there was no maybe about it. Shelby was certain that was exactly what she’d done. She swung her legs to the side of the bed, making sure that she pulled down the edge of her nightgown as she did so because she didn’t want to flash Hunter right then. It was embarrassing enough that her screams had brought him running to her.

The last thing she’d wanted was for Hunter to see her as a shaking, screaming mess. She’d told him not to stay the night. He’d insisted.

His mistake.

“I’ll just go get a fresh bandage.” She stood up. One of the spaghetti straps on her gown slid off her shoulder.

Hunter lunged to stand in front of her. He caught the strap. His fingers looked far too big around the thin material. He brought it back up, and his hand skimmed over her arm. Her shoulder.

She felt that touch ricochet throughout her body.

“I’ll help you,” he offered gruffly. “I’ll get the bandage.”

Her head automatically angled toward him so that she could better discern his words. She’d taken her hearing device off as she always did at night for charging. It rested on the nearby nightstand, and she snagged it quickly, putting it into place with a practiced motion.

But as far as Hunter helping her—not necessary. She had this. She could certainly put a fresh bandage on her own arm.

And yet…

Yet…

It was oddly nice to have someone there, taking care of her. It was nice to wake up and not be alone with her fear.

He didn’t speak again as they eased into her bathroom. She tossed away the old bandage while he reached into the medicine cabinet. He cleaned the wound. Stared down at her with his dark brows furrowed, then reached for gauze to wrap around the wound.

He didn’t ask about the dream. Didn’t pressure her at all. So maybe that’s why she said…

“I was back in the sorority house.”

He kept wrapping the gauze around her arm.

“In the nightmare, I’m in the hallway. I can never remember exactly what woke me. I feel like it was a scream. I heard a scream, that is, but I can’t be sure. I’m just, uh, I’m in the dark hallway, heading for the light switch.”

His focus seemed to be on her wound. He cut the gauze with a pair of small scissors that had been in the medicine cabinet. Without a word, Hunter reached for the sterile strips to secure the gauze.

“I’m walking down the hallway. Margot’s room is near mine.” Margot. Computer Science major. Class valedictorian from her high school. Bright smile. A laugh that could fill a room. “The lights are off one moment, then on the next when I hit the switch. They flash on, and I see her.”

“Where is she?” Low. Careful.

“On the floor. Like she tried to run out of her room, but she didn’t make it all the way. Blood covers her back. A pool of blood is around her.” Later, she’d learn that Margot had been stabbed six times in the back. Once in the stomach.

Hunter’s fingers smoothed over the strips.

“He’s behind me.” Shelby barely recognized her own voice. “I don’t realize it until I hear him speak. ‘I see you, Shelby.’ He whispers that to me. Then he stabs me.” Her hand rose, going toward her ear. Her right ear. “I was trying to get away, to lunge forward. He caught me, and I fell. Then he stabbed me again.” This time, in the back of her shoulder.

Then…

Hunter let go of the arm he’d just bandaged. He reached for her other hand. Turned her hand over, and his fingers skimmed up the inside of her forearm. Over the deep scar there.

“He sliced me there. The blade was coming for my face, but I lifted my arms, and he sliced me there on my forearm.”

Eyes on her, Hunter lifted her forearm.

Hunter kissed the scar.

She blinked quickly. “Hunter…”