Chapter 76

Maxwell POV

A muffled cry wakes me up from my sleep. I twist beneath the sheets and open my eyes to the dark room.

Laura shuffles around the bed, releasing a distressed moan from her trembling lips.

“No,” she whimpers. “No. No. No. Please. Don’t. Please. No!”

“Laura.” I take one of her hands but she bats me away.

Her eyes are firmly shut as she squirms and shakes her head aggressively. “No.

Please. Leave me alone. Please. Don’t hurt me. Please.”

“Laura.”

I cup her cheek to find her skin burning beneath my palm. “No!” she yells as tears escape from her closed lids. “Get away. Get away.”

“Laura. Baby.” I attempt to pull her close to my chest, but I only make it worse.

Her eyes fly open, and she screams at the top of her lungs, fear etched onto her face.

She extends her arm aggressively, which ends up knocking into my jaw, sending my lip into my teeth. Blood invades my mouth as I listen to her erratic breaths.

Laura scurries back into the headboard, eyes shot wide with terror. “He’s