Billionaire Undaunted:The Billionaire's Obsession ~ Zane(4)

Pulse racing, her breathing erratic, Ellie's reaction was pure terror.  Frantically, she started to look around the cabin, hoping there was  nobody here.

Except … she wasn't in the cabin anymore. Her rational mind started to function and she slowly tried to take in her surroundings.

It didn't take her long to realize she was in the hospital, medical  personnel scurrying around and passing the open door to the hallway at a  pace that made her dizzy.

The white sheets and blankets that were covering her helped verify her  location, as did the IV in her arm and all of the wires attached to her  body.

She started to feel terror welling up inside her, not understanding why  she was here or how she got to a hospital, when she heard his voice.

"Thank fuck! You're awake."

Her head jerked up to see an exhausted-looking Zane Colter at her  bedside, his clothing rumbled and his hair mussed, as though he'd been  running his hand through it over and over again.

Her suspicion was confirmed when he raked his hand through his hair  again, either in relief or frustration. Sometimes with Zane, it was hard  to tell what he was thinking. But stoic or not, she was glad he was  here, and she felt her body relax for the first time in a very long  time.         

     



 

"What happened?" Her voice was as weak as her body. "How did I get here?"

"You don't remember anything?" Zane asked with a frown.

Ellie probed her brain, vaguely remembering hearing Zane's voice telling  her everything would be okay. "I thought you were a dream."

"I hardly think I'm anybody's dream," Zane said drily.

Ellie suddenly remembered how she had gotten in her current condition in  the first place, horrifying memories flowing back into her brain as she  struggled to sit up in bed. "Oh, God. I have to talk to Chloe. James-"

He pushed her back down gently. She didn't have the strength to really move, much less sit up.

"Is dead," Zane finished. "He killed himself, Ellie. Before that, he was  in the hospital because he was stupid enough to hurt our sister. That's  why you didn't get food and water. You were in bad shape when I finally  found you in that cabin."

"Chloe-"

"My little sister is on her honeymoon. She married Gabe Walker, a man who will take good care of her."

Ellie's head was spinning by the time he caught her up on what had  happened to Chloe, and how she'd been blackmailed. She'd missed so much,  and so many things had happened while she'd been held captive by James.

"Thank God," Ellie whispered and let her head fall back onto the pillow. "After I saw those videos, I was so afraid for her."

"He knew that you knew about them?"

Ellie nodded. "He caught me with his laptop. I was on my way to Chloe  when he kidnapped me at the office and tossed me in the trunk of his  vehicle."

"Christ!" Zane cursed vehemently.

"I was unconscious for a while, so I didn't know how far he'd driven. I  didn't even know exactly where he had me hidden. All I knew was that I  was in some sort of cabin, and I assumed it was remote. I never did  figure out why he didn't just kill me."

"Insurance," Zane grumbled. "I have no doubt that after the wedding, he  would have stopped caring whether you were alive or dead."

"Everybody thought I was dead?" she asked quietly.

"Pretty much," he agreed. "But Chloe and I never stopped looking. Since  your car was missing, most people assumed you had either left or were  already dead."

Ellie shuddered. Her poor Blue Turtle had been in the office parking  lot. Obviously, James had gotten rid of it. "I think I was almost dead.  Toward the end, I wasn't sure whether I wanted James to come back, or  just let me die." His visits hadn't been frequent, but they'd always  been painful.

"Don't say that," Zane rasped. "I know he beat the crap out of you. Did he rape you, Ellie?"

"No," she told him, embarrassed. "I was too fat for him in the  beginning, and I think he got more joy out of torturing me. Once I got  thinner, he told me I was a dirty, disgusting pig."

Zane stroked her hair absently. "I'm so damn sorry I didn't find you earlier."

She smiled up at him weakly. "I'm grateful you found me at all." She  hesitated before saying, "I wonder what he did with my car. He could  have taken my keys, but I wonder where he hid my old Blue Turtle."

"Your what?" Zane answered, confused.

Ellie sighed. "I called my car my Blue Turtle. I had it for so long, but  it just kept on going. It just got a little slower over time."

"It was never found," Zane confirmed.

"I assume that once you found me, you brought me here. Where are we?"

"Denver. It was closer, and has medical facilities better equipped for  the condition you were in. I did what I could the first night of the  blizzard, but when you still weren't coherent the next day, I headed  down from the mountain. The snow had let up some, and I had to take the  chance of getting you somewhere for treatment."

"I lost track of time. How long did James keep me there?" Ellie had lost  her senses a little at a time, and the days and nights had all run  together.

"About seven months," Zane answered reluctantly.

Ellie's mouth dropped open in shock. For a while, she'd counted the days  and weeks that passed, but eventually she'd slept most of the time when  James wasn't there. After she'd tried everything she could think of to  get herself free, her hopes of being rescued had faded. Little by  little, her energy had gotten depleted, and she'd started rationing her  food and water, never knowing when she'd get some again … or if she ever  would.

"My mom. She's probably been heartsick." If she'd been missing for months, her poor mother was probably worried.         

     



 

"I called her. Saying she was happy would be an understatement. She's on  her way here from Montana." He waited a moment before he asked, "Do you  want me to tell Chloe?"

"No," she answered immediately. "She deserves her time away after what  happened with James. It sounds like she's healing. I can see her when  she gets back. I hope I'm healthier when I finally see her."

Ellie didn't need a mirror to know she looked hideous, and the last  thing she wanted was for Chloe to blame herself. Now that she knew the  whole story, Ellie knew Chloe had been through enough. Although Ellie  desperately wanted her best friend, she didn't want her to see her this  way. Knowing Chloe, she'd blame herself.

"We haven't told them anything. She doesn't even know James is dead. I  have a feeling Blake probably told Gabe." Zane sounded slightly  uncomfortable. "But I think she might be pissed that I didn't tell her  that I found you."

"It's probably better that way, even if she's a little angry. I'll tell  her it was my idea. Once she feels more together, she'll be able to  handle everything better. She might not fuss as much if I'm stronger."

"I think she might feel better knowing you're alive," Zane answered drily.

"Not yet. Please." Ellie knew Chloe, and she'd be heartsick if she saw  her right now, emaciated and torn up from James's frequent beatings. She  didn't want her best friend to see her as she was now, not when Chloe  had been through so much herself.

"Stop worrying about Chloe. She's doing a hell of a lot better than you  are right now. Do you need anything?" Zane asked hesitantly, looking  impatient, like he needed something to occupy himself.

She was going to need a lot of things, but she refused to think about that right now. "No. How long have I been here?"

"Two days," he answered gruffly.

"I don't remember," she admitted, unable to recall her transport to the hospital.

"Totally understandable," Zane informed her. "You were confused because  of the dehydration. Luckily, there shouldn't be any permanent damage  once you're completely healed. Now that you're getting what you need,  everything will correct itself. It will take time to put some weight  back on, and you'll need time to recover from the weakness, but it's all  reversible."

Ellie noticed that Zane looked completely done in. His expression was  weary, his eyes were bloodshot, and there were shadows beneath those  expressive gray eyes.

"Have you slept at all? You have a house here in Denver, right? Maybe  you should go home and get some rest." Even as she said the words, her  heart lurched at the thought of him leaving her alone. Rationally, she  knew she was out of danger, but she selfishly wanted Zane to stay with  her for a little while longer.

"Do you honestly think I'm going anywhere? Jesus! I tore up most of  Colorado looking for you. I'm not leaving," he said stubbornly, crossing  his arms over his broad chest.

"Then at least sleep tonight." She glanced out the window, noticing it  was dark. There was an extra bed in the room right next to her.