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Alice?”
    I slowly look up at him. His eyes are warm and kind. His body is relaxed. There is nothing threatening about the man before me despite his big and domineering presence. I have no doubt he can smash a person with one hit but in this moment, he is marshmallow soft.
    “You can trust me,” sadness creeps into his eyes. I sense his need to know and I understand it. I give him a quick nod and relief fills his eyes. “You do understand what I’m saying.”
    I nod. Yes, I understand what you’re saying.
    “But you don’t talk?”
    I shake my head. No, I don’t talk.
    “I see,” he leans back onto the foot of the bed and watches me carefully. “Do you write?”
    I shake my head. No. A lie but I’m not sure if it’s safe, I was already crossing the line looking at him directly.
    “Is your name Alice?”
    I nod. Yes, my name is Alice.
    “Alice Scott?”
    I shake my head. No.
    I never got the chance to change my name in any official capacity because the abuse escalated fast. Erik wouldn’t let me leave the house because I fought against his ‘rule’. I was what he considered a flight risk. My last name is actually Michaelson but I have no way of telling him that. No form of identification to prove it either, Erik had destroyed it years ago.
    “Was that man your husband?”
    I look down at the dingy carpet. I don’t want to talk about Erik to him. I don’t even want to think about Erik. Because thinking about him meant I’d have to figure out what I am going to do next and quite frankly, I didn’t want to run anymore. I’m tired of running.
    “Alice, I know it’s hard but I can help you, if you want,” he shifts forward, pulling his knees up to his chest, resting his thick arms on them. I peek up at him through my lashes. I want his help but I hesitate. The last person who tried to help me landed in the hospital with four broken ribs, a concussion and a swollen face. I wouldn’t let it happen again, to anyone.
    “I know you’re worried but he can’t hurt me,” it’s as if he is reading my mind. I shiver, shocked over his perception. My fingers start to twitch again. “He’s being booked right now. Edwards knows something is off about him and is looking into it.”
    I hear the words but I don’t trust them. They can look all they want. They won’t find anything. Erik is good at hiding his tracks. Too good. He has too many connections, too many willing to play his game. Maybe this was a ruse too. A game Erik convinced this man to play and I was just a pawn.
    “Alice, let me help you.”
    Panic slowly pours into my body, filling every nook and cranny.
    Crap! Not right now, please not right now!
    A panic attack. A new development during my time running. I wasn’t too familiar with them but I’ve been having them since my second escape. They were lessening as time passed but when they hit, they hit hard and drained me for days. It was the last thing I needed, another reason to stay.
    *****
    Hudson
    I can see the panic mounting her body. She’s going to have a full blown attack if she doesn’t calm herself soon.
    She’s afraid. Deeply afraid.
    “Take a deep breath and slowly release it,” I coax softly. I desperately want to scoop her up and hold her close but I know it would only frighten her more. I’m as close as she is going to allow me for the time being. Every inch given had been her choice.
    She nods but instead her breathing becomes laborious.
    Shit, fuck!
    “Breath precious, slow your breathing down,” I hated seeing her tiny frame struggle against the panic but I’d be damned if I allowed her to surrender to it.
    I could see how tiny she was even as her sweater drowned her in its shapeless folds. It was that obvious. She doesn’t want me to see her though because she clutches the ratty gray sweater around her as if her life depended on it. The hood of her sweater hid her face from me most of the time, especially when her gaze rests on the flooring.
    I resist the urge to yank