an older replica of her teen self, except her rosy complexion was yellow and clammy looking and her long black hair was chopped short, the fringe sticking to her forehead. She’d spoken to Eloise with too-animated gestures while her dark gaze jumped all over the hall, walls, and people passing them by. Trembles shook her shoulders as though she was cold but her sweaty skin contradicted that. If that wasn’t proof enough of substance abuse, her repeated sniffling and rubbing of the nose did the trick. Carmen was a junky suffering from withdrawal symptoms. The question was whether she was trying to give it up or her supplier had stiffed her.
Pru raised shaky hands. “Calm down, Luke. There must be a reasonable explanati—God! Your hand is bleeding.”
He glanced at his already healing hand. “It’ll heal. Did you know these two knew each other?”
She shook her head. “I guess Mom and Tía Adoria won’t be coming.”
Luke winced. No, they weren’t coming.
“Carmen didn’t look good, did she?”
He inhaled sharply. It wasn’t the right time to discuss her choice in friends. “Do you know the woman who was talking to Carmen?”
“Eloise? No, not before my stay here. She’s Mrs. Lancaster’s assistant and is very loyal to her. She follows her orders to the letter.”
“You don’t know her from elsewhere?”
“I said no. Not everyone’s past is filled with unknown people.” Pru covered her mouth, eyes open wide. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” Yet, she evaded his searching gaze.
Something was wrong, her eruption didn’t make sense. “What is it Pru?” She turned to the side and pressed her lips. He leaned closer and softened his tone as he said, “Tell me.”
In a small voice he wouldn’t have heard if he was a foot away from her, she asked, “Who’s Hope?”
Luke blinked, his brow knitting together. Did she know Hope?
“I-you said her name during your sleep.”
He almost smiled. Was it possible that Pru was jealous? “She’s a working girl from my past.”
“You called her name and then woke up and moved away from me. She must’ve meant something.”
She helped kill me . Aloud he said, “I must’ve called her name because I was dreaming of the night my life changed forever. She meant nothing then and she means nothing now.”
“Then why did you push away from me when you woke up?”
He sighed, leaning into her, enjoying those peaceful feelings she evoked in him. “I always wake up jumpy from that nightmare.” Seeing Pru next to him had made him feel the extent of dirt in his life. He didn’t want her sullied by him. “Right now, there’s only one person in my life, and that is you.”
It hit him then how true that admission was. Pru was the only one for him. The crush had matured into something more—dare he call it love? His life wouldn’t be the same without Pru in it. It might’ve been destiny that brought them together again, but it would be him who’d break them apart. When Pru woke up from her coma, he must leave her alone. He was a nobody, nothing more than an animated body to serve a purpose dictated by the Laymour.
He considered Pru’s sad face now. He’d purposefully neglected calling her family. Since his death, he’d existed in the dark by selling goods to addicts and survived on that money. He wasn’t on any computer system or anyone’s radar, he didn’t even own a cell phone. If Sully found out he was still alive…
But what harm could come from calling her family? Who would know his identity if he didn’t mention it?
“I’ve been meaning to suggest before that—Pru! What’s happening to you?”
She turned her hands over and watched them fade out. “I-I don’t know.” She winked out of existence and appeared again, her hand reaching toward him in a plea. “Help me.” Even her voice was fading.
Luke gathered her in his arms to anchor her to him, or attempted to because just then she blinked out again. “Dammit,
Pru raised shaky hands. “Calm down, Luke. There must be a reasonable explanati—God! Your hand is bleeding.”
He glanced at his already healing hand. “It’ll heal. Did you know these two knew each other?”
She shook her head. “I guess Mom and Tía Adoria won’t be coming.”
Luke winced. No, they weren’t coming.
“Carmen didn’t look good, did she?”
He inhaled sharply. It wasn’t the right time to discuss her choice in friends. “Do you know the woman who was talking to Carmen?”
“Eloise? No, not before my stay here. She’s Mrs. Lancaster’s assistant and is very loyal to her. She follows her orders to the letter.”
“You don’t know her from elsewhere?”
“I said no. Not everyone’s past is filled with unknown people.” Pru covered her mouth, eyes open wide. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” Yet, she evaded his searching gaze.
Something was wrong, her eruption didn’t make sense. “What is it Pru?” She turned to the side and pressed her lips. He leaned closer and softened his tone as he said, “Tell me.”
In a small voice he wouldn’t have heard if he was a foot away from her, she asked, “Who’s Hope?”
Luke blinked, his brow knitting together. Did she know Hope?
“I-you said her name during your sleep.”
He almost smiled. Was it possible that Pru was jealous? “She’s a working girl from my past.”
“You called her name and then woke up and moved away from me. She must’ve meant something.”
She helped kill me . Aloud he said, “I must’ve called her name because I was dreaming of the night my life changed forever. She meant nothing then and she means nothing now.”
“Then why did you push away from me when you woke up?”
He sighed, leaning into her, enjoying those peaceful feelings she evoked in him. “I always wake up jumpy from that nightmare.” Seeing Pru next to him had made him feel the extent of dirt in his life. He didn’t want her sullied by him. “Right now, there’s only one person in my life, and that is you.”
It hit him then how true that admission was. Pru was the only one for him. The crush had matured into something more—dare he call it love? His life wouldn’t be the same without Pru in it. It might’ve been destiny that brought them together again, but it would be him who’d break them apart. When Pru woke up from her coma, he must leave her alone. He was a nobody, nothing more than an animated body to serve a purpose dictated by the Laymour.
He considered Pru’s sad face now. He’d purposefully neglected calling her family. Since his death, he’d existed in the dark by selling goods to addicts and survived on that money. He wasn’t on any computer system or anyone’s radar, he didn’t even own a cell phone. If Sully found out he was still alive…
But what harm could come from calling her family? Who would know his identity if he didn’t mention it?
“I’ve been meaning to suggest before that—Pru! What’s happening to you?”
She turned her hands over and watched them fade out. “I-I don’t know.” She winked out of existence and appeared again, her hand reaching toward him in a plea. “Help me.” Even her voice was fading.
Luke gathered her in his arms to anchor her to him, or attempted to because just then she blinked out again. “Dammit,
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