Page 83 of Embrace Me Forever

Resigned, I follow his instructions, walking calmly out of the restroom and along the hospital corridor. Despite every instinct screaming at me to resist, I know I must comply for Coco’s sake. Bertram and his men never bluff.

My captor wears a mask so realistic that it portrays another person entirely. With his head bowing down, shadowed by my figure, nobody notices anything amiss. It’s mere speculation, but I can’t shake the feeling that he’s the hooded man who’s been stalking me in Denver.

We move just like the others, mingling with the normal flow of hospital foot traffic, drawing no second looks. He ushers me through the hospital’s back corridors, away from watchful eyes. His pace is unyielding, each step taking me further from the safety I had moments ago.

Outside, a dark-colored car waits, its engine quietly idling in a secluded spot.

“Act normal,” he instructs coldly.

Two other men, dressed as paramedics, await my arrival.

“So you understand,” the hooded man begins as he pulls out a rag. “My colleagues and I aren’t particularly fond of children. So believe me when I say we will kill your daughter if you try anything.”

He gags me with the rag, even though I’ve remained silent. Coco’s safety hangs on my compliance, a fact I haven’t forgotten. And I don’t know where Blake is.

I wince as my captor secures my hands tightly with a zip tie, restricting my movements further, and shoves me into the backseat, flanked by the other two men. There has to be CCTV here. Blake is vigilant and will find me.

But if Coco is with Bertram’s men, then God…what happened to my Blake?

The car comes to a halt. The journey is brief. I’m only taken a block away. The hospital building is still visible from here. I’m forced to walk down another street, where an ambulance awaits.

My chest hardens as I grasp the cunning of these men. I suspect there are no cameras here, and once I’m inside the ambulance, who will question it?

Despite the risks, I know I must leave some clue for Blake. As the men begin to strap me onto the stretcher, I summon all my strength and resist. The three men quickly overpower me, and I can’t see beyond their looming figures.

The hooded man issues another warning, and I cease my struggle, hoping my brief resistance dislodged something from the ambulance.

Then, the hooded man produces a syringe, his voice chillingly calm. “Sweet dreams, Mary. I’ll see you on the other side.”

31

BLAKE

I wake up in the hospital room, my vision slowly clearing. My tongue tastes of acid, and the rest of my mouth feels thick. As I attempt to move, I find my arms nearly unresponsive—not due to the IV line attached to me, but from a paralyzing weakness.

“Mr. Blake,” a doctor greets me. He introduces himself. After I’m more alert, he instructs me to squeeze his hand and attempt to move my legs, which I manage with great effort.

“You’re quite fortunate,” he explains. “Firstly, the dose administered was insufficient for a man of your size, as you successfully dislodged the syringe before the entire dose was delivered. Secondly, we avoided a potential complication since the needle did not break off. Such an occurrence could have led to fragments entering your bloodstream.”

“Where’s…Coco?” I manage to ask, my voice dull from the strange numbness in my mouth. I gulp, but there’s barely any saliva in my throat. “My daughter.”

“She’s safe,” the doctor reassures me.

“And Georgia-May? My…my partner?”

The doctor remains silent, not answering my question. A fire ignites within me, but my body refuses to cooperate. The doctoradvises me to rest before quietly exiting the room. My throat is too parched to even call him back.

Rest is impossible now. Summoning every ounce of strength, I laboriously pull myself up. Barely able to stand, I drag my debilitated body to the doorway.

Outside, I spot Clay conversing with the doctor. Seeing me, Clay rushes over, and the doctor quickly follows, both of them supporting my faltering frame as they guide me back to my bed.

“I’ll keep an eye on him, Doc,” Clay reassures the doctor, and he leaves us alone.

“Coco?” I probe Clay, craving more details than the doctor provided.

“She’s with Isabelle and Amber. She’s unharmed. Wyatt and our other bodyguards are protecting them,” he responds.

“Georgia-May. Where is she, Clay?” I sit up.

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