Page 125 of Sinful Lies

30

ZARA

My body shivers with cold,and I curl my knees up to my chest to try and contain my body heat, though it’s clear I’m fighting a losing battle.

I groan, my teeth chattering as I wrap my arms tighter around myself.

Did Dimitri turn up the AC? I swear the bedroom didn’t use to be this cold… But then again, I normally wake to find Dimitri’s body wrapped around mine like my own personal heater.

Where the hell is he?

The thin mattress beneath me barely has any stuffing, so each of the springs digs into my side as I turn over.

I could have sworn the bed was more comfortable than this…

My eyes fly open, and I bolt upright, suddenly remembering where I am, or rather where I amnot.

I’m not tucked up beside Dimitri in our bed at the penthouse. His strong arms are not wrapped around my waist, holding me close against his broad chest as he softly kisses my neck to rouse me from sleep.

“Oh god.” I may never experience that again, and the thought brings tears to my eyes.

The future I saw for us is slowly starting to slip away with every second that passes. My hands move to my stomach, and my heart aches for the two lives that I carry inside me.

Will I ever get the chance to hold my babies? To tell them that I love them?

This is all my fault. If I hadn’t been so weak, I could be living that future right now. Instead, I tore it to shreds by admitting the truth to Bianca right under Giovanni’s nose.

I should have known better, and I’m about to pay the ultimate price.

I screw my eyes shut as tears start to leak down my cheeks. This can’t be the end of us, not when we’ve barely had a chance to be anus.

I think I must have finally exhausted myself a few hours ago, which is the only reason I managed to get any sleep at all.

My stomach growls, and my mouth is painfully dry. I desperately need water, but Massimo hasn’t been by in hours, though it’s still dark outside the window. How long have I been out? Doesn’t feel like much.

Why has Dimitri not found me yet? He must have worked out I’m missing by now and that Massimo is the one to have taken me.

He promised me he would protect me, and Dimitri Koslov does not go back on his promises. I have to hope that we can survive this, if not for us, then for the babies that I carry inside me.

I need to speak to Massimo, to try and explain that he’s got this all wrong, if only to stall him in his plans to torture me before Dimitri can get here.

He doesn’t seem like the negotiating type, but I can’t just sit here and do nothing while I wait to die.

My babies need me,Dimitrineeds me, so I’m going to do whatever I can to get the hell out of this mess.

Climbing off the bed, I stumble over to the door.

My body’s weak, and it takes all the energy I have to bang my fists against the door to try and get Massimo’s attention.

“Help!” I cry. “Please!”

The skin over my knuckles starts to crack as I pound them harder against the wooden door. I have no idea if Massimo is even nearby, but I have to try.

“Massimo!” I yell, though my voice comes out hoarse from a lack of water. “Massimo, I need to talk to you!”

I pause, gasping from the effort as I strain my ears to listen for any signs of his heavy footsteps approaching.

When it becomes clear that he’s not coming, I rest my forehead against the door and screw my eyes shut.

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