Page 16 of Unbind

She’s still seizing, but not quite so badly, and as Gen holds her and I rub gel into her gum until I can feel no trace of it, it strikes me that the spasms are lessening.

Oh Godis what I think she says, but it’s garbled around my finger. I ease it out of her mouth and wipe the back of my hand over the slick of moisture running down my cheek before wrapping my fingers gently around the back of her neck.

‘It’s okay,’ I tell Gen. ‘You can let her go now. What’s her monitor say?’

She casts around for the phone, which is perched on one of the cushions. ‘Three-point-three.’

‘Show me.’

She turns it and props it back on the cushion so I can watch the data. The arrow has turned and is bearing upwards. Good. The number is rising more slowly than I’d like, but I can only guess it operates on some sort of delay.

I shift my hands so they’re cradling Natalie’s face. She’s still weeping, but it’s less distressed and more piteous now. She’s almost childlike like this. I’m well aware that this will be a highly vulnerable position for her to find herself in when she comes around, especially in front of a guy she despises, and I hate it for her.

I hold her for a moment. ‘I’ll try the juice again,’ I say with a hard sniff. ‘Natalie? You need more glucose, sweetheart. Okay? Try to take a drink for me. Everything’s going to be okay. You’re doing great.’ I have no way of knowing how much excess insulin is in her system. I suppose all I can do is feed her juice and gel gradually until I see the numbers ticking up to a safe level.

Beats the hell out of pricking her skin to test her blood, that’s for sure.

I hold the glass to her lips, dispensing juice with difficulty. It’s messy, and a good half of it rolls down her chin with each sip. I notice idly that my hand is shaking, but it’s going in. That’s the main thing. She’s managing to swallow between heaving sobs, and she’s attempting to curl a trembling hand around the glass, though I have no intention of letting it go. She’s not strong enough yet.

‘You’re doing so well,’ I tell her. Her spasms have lessened now to the point that I don’t have to hold her head still anymore, but I keep my hand there for comfort as much as for anything else, letting my fingers smooth down her hair, which has got all mussed up. ‘You hear that? You’re doing so well.’

I blink away the moisture blurring my vision and glance up at Gen, but she’s staring at me with the strangest expression. It looks like concern.

‘Are you okay, Adam?’

‘I’m fine. Can you get me a towel? Or a whole load of tissues?’

She hesitates, checking me out again. ‘Of course,’ she says, bustling through the doors. She’s back again a moment later with a box of tissues, tugging a few out and handing me a wad.

I get shakily to my feet and take a seat beside Natalie, easing her backwards so her head is supported by the cushions. ‘Let’s get you cleaned up a little,’ I tell her, setting the glass of juice on the coffee table and using the tissues to wipe the tears from under her eyes, the juice from her mouth and chin and neck, and her runny nose.

I ditch the tissues and begin to feed her the juice again. Her head lolls backwards. I know just how exhausted andshitty and intensely vulnerable she’ll feel when the worst of this has passed and she’scompos mentis.

Gen comes around the back of the sofa and takes a seat adjacent to us, watching me. ‘This must be very triggering for you.’

‘I’m fine.’

‘I can’t believe I didn’t know what to do.’

‘Believe me, I’ll be having words with Natalie about that,’ I say. ‘And so should you. It’s fucking irresponsible. She should have briefed you all fully.’

Natalie groans and pouts like a child, letting more juice leak out over her full lower lip. I put the glass down and reach for the tissues again.

‘But it can wait,’ I tell Gen hastily as I mop her chin up. She swipes my hand away, and I grab her wrist gently, holding her hand away from her face. ‘Right now, she needs peace and rest, and ideally a full checkup.’

‘You’re very good with her. I was a mess.’

I have a feeling I’m a mess too, but I shake my head. ‘Where does she live?’

‘Seven Sisters.’

Fuck that. There’s no way she’s schlepping all the way back to the arse end of North London, or wherever the fuck it is. ‘I want to take her back to mine, get my doctor over. My nutritionist, too. Get her fully checked out and have my chef cook her a square fucking meal.’

‘Come on, Adam. You’ve been great, but there’s no way she’ll go for that. I can’t possibly put her in that position.’

We eye each other over Natalie’s head, and it’s perfectly clear what she’s thinking. Gen’s not one to hold back when she disapproves.

‘I’m telling you.’ My voice is barely above a whisper. ‘I swear on my baby sister’s eternal memory, I will not harm ahair on her head. Youknowthat. And you’d better persuade her of that fact.’ I lift the clump of damp, sticky tissues to my face and wipe my cheek.

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