Page 36 of Unbroken

She felt their gazes on her, curious and penetrating, and she clutched at Aiden’s shirt.

Undaunted, Karl tried to lean around Aiden’s broad form.

“None of the other women managed to escape. How were you so lucky?”

The question struck her like a dagger.

It was the same thing she’d asked herself a thousand times. She had no idea why she’d survived when he could have just as easily raped and killed her as he had the others.

She still remembered the smell of the dank cellar, saw the bloodstains on the mattress…

Felt Wainwright’s hands and mouth crawling over her body.

The floor tipped beneath her feet, and black crept into the edges of her vision.

She had to get out of here.

Now.

Her heart raced in her chest, banging against her rib cage with heavy thuds. Her breath came faster and faster as he continued to interrogate her.

“How did you…?”

The remainder of his question was lost to her as her thoughts spun out of control.

She gasped, trying to drag in breath to no avail. It felt like a vise had clamped down around her lungs. Her knees buckled as her vision went black, and she barely registered the sound of angry, raised voices over the blood rushing in her ears.

Her lungs hyperventilated, and she felt a strong arm wrap around her before sweeping her off her feet.

“You’re okay, sweetheart.” Aiden’s voice barely penetrated her haze of panic, and she grasped onto it like a buoy in a tempest. “Just breathe, Maya. I’ve got you.”

After what felt like forever, her vision began to clear, and she registered a distinct difference in temperature. She blinked against the glaring light and realized she was draped over a bench on the sidewalk, staring up into a bright streetlamp.

She closed her eyes and drew her first full breath in what felt like hours.

“Everything’s okay,” Aiden soothed next to her ear. “I’m right here.”

She reached for him, and he clutched her hand.

“I’m… I’m okay.”

“We should get you checked out.”

She shook her head, then gradually shifted to face him. The bench was hard and unforgiving, and she grimaced as she rolled onto her side.

“Maya, we⁠—”

“I’m okay.” She closed her eyes again for a second before meeting his gaze. “It was just a panic attack. I’ll be fine.”

“That didn’t look fine.”

His words were harsh, but she knew they were born of concern.

“I know. Thank you for getting me out of there,” she said softly.

“That jerk⁠—”

Aiden abruptly cut himself off as he threw an angry glare toward the restaurant and the reporter inside.