Read Online Captivated by Deb Apodaca - Free Book Online

couldn’t see straight.
    “Thank you...” I croaked.
    I felt so pathetic. I didn’t think he even heard me. Even so, I still leaned my head closer to his chest and nestled it in between his peck and his bicep. That’s when I noticed that his chest was bare. He had no shirt. Strangely, it didn’t bother me, and I thought nothing more of it. I was very comfortable there, even though I felt like I was laying my head on boulders. It was a safe feeling. I wasn’t even scared that I didn’t know this guy, let alone the fact that he was carrying me to who knows where. The night was now a peaceful quiet. I could clearly hear his strong heart pounding in his muscled chest. And it was out of control. Kind of as if it was trying to punch its way out of his rib cage. Was he scared about something? I wanted to ask him if everything was okay. Beyond what I could physically hear, I started to feel him. Not with my hands; I felt him around me. He was shaking. He was shaking as an anxious person would in the presence of something overwhelming to them.
    But he never said a word. How I wish he would. At least then I’d be able to hear his voice. I felt myself drifting off again, but I couldn’t. What if he left before I woke up? I wasn’t going to let that happen. Will-power needed to be with me. I couldn’t. I just couldn’t close my-
    When I was able to open my eyes again, I was laying on my bed. The first thing I saw was the blurry sight of a forearm. And it had two markings on it. Tattoos? I couldn’t make out what they were, but I knew they had to be tattoos.
    “What’s your name?” I whimpered out.
    Still no answer. He had to have heard me. I was beginning to think he wasn’t answering on purpose. My vision started clearing up some more, but it was too late. In one quick movement, he was away from the bed and jumping out the window. I tried to call out to him. To beg him not to leave. But it was too late and he was gone. And there I was, lying motionless on my bed. Questions started pouring in my head. One thing I knew for sure is he knew who I was. He obviously knew where I lived. Who was this guy? I had to find out. No doubt about it. I had to find him. But for now, all I could do was rest.
    “Mindy?” a worried voice called out.
    I opened my eyes to the bright light slicing through my exposed window. As I gazed at the window, the figure of the person that saved me ran through my mind. How I wished I was able to see him. I hated myself for being so out of it last night.
    “Mindy?” Markus was standing at my doorway holding my purse in his hand. His eyebrows were scrunched up and his brown eyes were wide in alarm. “You okay?” Markus asked.
    “Yeah. Why do you ask?” I was confused with his question. Did he know what had happened? I slowly sat up and felt the soreness on the back of my and head. My arms and legs were also sore, kind of as if I worked out for hours.
    “Well, it’s one in the afternoon and you’re barely waking up. Not to mention your hair has leaves in it.” He placed the purse down on my nightstand. It had blotches of mud along the bottom of it. But how did Markus get it from the forest? He sat at the foot of my bed with his head down, something obviously was bothering him. It actually looked like he hadn’t slept all night.
    “I found your purse on your porch. You must have dropped it there.” Markus said. He studied me, and worry was all I saw on his face. Markus wasn’t the type to show exaggerated emotions. During situations in the past, he was always the one to calm me down, yet I was sure he was still freaking out on the inside. Curiosity lit his features. “What’s up with the shirt?” he asked.
    Confused by his question, I looked down. Oh yeah. This was totally not my shirt. A smoky grey t-shirt was draped over me. A male’s large, smoky grey t-shirt. I gasped in shock. But I was sure I still felt the blouse I was wearing last night still on me. Pulling at the opening to the