Page 11 of Chained Fate
My baby girl.She’s still only the size of a speck of lint, and I already love her.
“Come on, let me get you something,” Birgit begs as she presents the bucket for me to be sick in for the umpteenth time.“Or let me take you to a hospital.”
“No,” I groan when I’m done heaving.“Please don’t.You… you promised.”
She nods, but she looks unsure.Probably because it’s one thing to impulsively offer to help a stranger, but it’s something else entirely to play nursemaid to said stranger for two days straight.At least I think it’s been two days.I’ve been fading in and out of consciousness, the agony in my head crowding out my awareness of anything but the pain.
And it’s not getting better.It won’t get better unless I take the drugs.And maybe not even then.Because there’s a tumor in my head, growing and spreading with each passing moment.
Now that I know it’s there, I can feel it.The dizziness, the nausea—it’s worse than it’s ever been.Each time Birgit helps me to the bathroom, I am less steady on my feet.I’ve been seeing white specks in front of my eyes, and Birgit told me I shook uncontrollably a few hours ago, as if from a seizure.
Probably because itwasa seizure.
I can’t go on like this, I know that, but I don’t know what to do.
Return to Alexei?Call my brothers?I can’t think through this pain.
I do know that I need to make a decision soon.I can’t keep letting Birgit take care of me.Not that she will do it for much longer.With each hour that passes without me getting better, she looks more worried.Promise or not, she’ll call an ambulance or force me to go to a hospital soon.
I’m also worried.Not about myself but about the baby.All I’ve been able to eat in the past two days is a slice of dry toast, and I threw that up.Today, I threw up from just a few sips of water, and I haven’t needed to pee in forever.That’s bad.It means I’m getting dehydrated.If this continues, I’ll have no choice but to seek medical attention and thus bring myself to Alexei’s attention—assuming he’s looking, that is.
The fact that he hasn’t found me yet may be a sign that he isn’t.
I struggle to think through the crushing pain in my skull.I know he has a team of hackers on call, same as my brothers.If it’s been two days, that’s definitely long enough for them to access traffic cams, security footage, and whatever else they use to track down people.By now, he must know where I am… unless he doesn’t care to know.
Unless he doesn’t want me.
Maybe he’s realized he’s better off without me.
Maybe he’s always enjoyed the chase, and when I reached for him in that dressing room of my own accord, I killed his desire for me.
My empty stomach twists and churns as I squeeze my eyes shut and huddle deeper into the thin blanket, so miserable I want to die.
No, that’s wrong.I want to live.
I want that little speck inside me to grow and flourish.
I want to see my daughter, even if it costs me everything.
And… I want Alexei.
I want to feel his arms around me, to burrow into the warm crook of his neck and breathe in his masculine scent.I want it so badly I ache with it, even though it doesn’t make any sense.
All I’ve ever wanted is freedom from him, and now that I have it, all I can think about is going back into his cage.
I must driftoff for a bit because when I open my eyes next time, it’s dark, and I’m a little bit less sick.Birgit is nowhere to be found—probably went out for dinner and drinks.I vaguely recall her talking about getting asked out by some guy on a dating app.The two other beds in the room are empty as well, which doesn’t surprise me.The two Italian girls checked out yesterday, and I guess this hostel is not that popular.
I don’t know what woke me.As far as I can tell, I still don’t have to pee, nor am I particularly nauseated, though I’m still quite dizzy.Maybe I’m thirsty?I push up onto my elbow and reach for a glass of water Birgit thoughtfully left for me on the nightstand.
And that’s when I see it.
A shadow.
It steps out of the corner of the room, and the dim light seeping in through the window reveals a man’s silhouette.
A big man’s silhouette.
My first thought is that it’s Alexei.
