Amelia Montgomery was just acting on instinct--protecting a scared little girl from a dangerous situation. She didn't know the girl's last name, or that one simple trip to the grocery store would turn her whole world upside down.
Thanks to Elijah Mi...
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I shuffled down the hallway towards my apartment that night without a single ounce of energy. If my best friend, Tyler Lockwood, hadn't pulled open the door, there was a good chance I'd have collapsed and fallen asleep on the floor.
"You look awful, kid," he sighed, helping me inside. I leaned one hand on his shoulder while I slipped off my shoes.
"Thanks. Is there any wine?" I plopped down on the soft white sofa, while Tyler poured from an opened bottle.
"Already on it." He handed me a glass, pressing a kiss to my forehead before sitting down beside me. "Hey, your hands are shaking. Did you take your medicine this afternoon?"
"No, I missed a dose. I was at the station way longer than I thought."
"Okay. Just take it easy on the wine. And leave your pills by your bed so you don't forget them in the morning."
"Thanks, Lox. What would I do without you?"
"Probably have way higher therapy bills."
My tiny white kitten, Dolly Purrrton, jumped up onto my lap to curl up between us.
"What a week for Dr. Fell to be on vacation. First the breakup with Stefan, and now this." I took a long sip of wine, holding it in my mouth for a moment before I swallowed. "I could really use some professional advice right now."
"Well, you've got me instead. I've been trying not to freak out, but after you called me from the cab on your way home from the police station, I turned on the news."
He shook his head, a frown pulling at his lips. "It looked bad."
"Ugh, the news," I groaned, rolling my eyes. "What have I told you about watching that horror show?"
His eyes were narrowed and filled with concern. "What the hell happened?"
I inhaled deeply, settling back against the soft fabric of the sofa and fighting the icy chill that was beginning to unfurl in my chest.
"I was finishing up and getting ready to check out, when I heard them yell to get on the ground." I swallowed hard. "It seemed like they were in there forever, but I just kept my head down. At one point, one of them told me to look up at him but then, thankfully, he just walked away. I guess they left, and then the police came to take us to the station."
I kept my eyes low, chewing on my lower lip as I debated telling him the rest.
"What else? What aren't you telling me?" He tilted his head imploringly.
"There was this little girl all alone in the same aisle. I just kept her with me, in my arms, until it was safe to go."
"Well, that was very heroic, Miss Montgomery," he said, patting my leg, a ghost of a proud smile on his face.
