Page 26 of Keeping My Captive

The doctor checks her breathing and then presses two fingers to her wrist as he watches a clock on the wall. With a grim look on his face, he tells me, “This isn’t good.” He reaches into his medical bag and produces a digital thermometer. He scans her forehead. “One-oh-four,” he reads.

I mutter a curse under my breath. “Do something!” I demand as my heart drums in an irregular rhythm. “Save her. Please. I…I can’t lose her too.” My words don’t even make sense at this point, but I can’t dwell on them right now. All I know is that I want her to be okay.

When I look up, the doctor is readying a needle. He swipes an alcohol pad across her arm and then injects her with something. I trust this doctor, so I don’t question him. He knows that if he double-crosses me, a painful, agonizing death is the only suitable punishment he will endure.

“I’m going to run some tests,” he informs me. After a few seconds, he looks up, realizing I haven’t left the room. And when I cross my arms in front of my chest and stare him down, he says, “Just try to stay out of my way.”

I nod in agreement. I’m not going anywhere.

Reaching out, I hold Aria’s hand. It feels cold to the touch, and I swallow hard, studying her pretty face and the way her long, dark lashes fan out over her pale cheeks. “I’m here, Aria. You’re going to be okay,” I try to assure her even though she probably can’t hear me.

Just the thought of not hearing her sassy words coming out of her beautiful mouth or seeing those honey-colored eyes locked onto me as they narrow and throw invisible daggers into my skull absolutely crushes me.

I realize in that instant that I would miss her. Terribly so. And that scares the fuck out of me.

CHAPTER16

Mateo

ARIA REMAINS UNCONSCIOUS for two days. The doctor eventually figured out she was suffering from a kidney infection. Most likely occurred when she was laid up in bed while healing from the whipping. Aria’s been on an antibiotics treatment for the past forty-eight hours, and the doctor is sure that she’ll be just fine.

After a quick shower, I get dressed for the day and go to the room that Aria has been staying in. It felt weird not having her in my bed at night. And I hate to say it, but I’ve fucking missed her. More than I thought I would. More than I would ever admit out loud.

Aria somehow wormed her way into my dark heart, and I didn’t even realize it. It happened so quickly, like some kind of cruel magic trick.

When I enter the room, Aria is sitting up in a cot in the corner of the room, wide awake and alert as she tries to communicate with the doctor as best she can with the language barrier. The man knows some English, so that should make it a little easier at least.

As Aria turns to me, all the air in my lungs leaves in a rush. I have a strong urge to run to her side, to plant kisses along her beautiful face and tell her that I’m glad she’s okay. But I abruptly suppress that urge and slow my walk. I can practically feel the mask slipping down over my face as I school my features. I can’t let this obsession, and that’s exactly what it is and nothing more, take ahold of me.

“Nice to see you awake, Aria,” I tell her coolly.

“Nice to be awake,” she counters.

I force my attention to the doctor. I ask him in Spanish about her condition and what needs to be done from this point forward.

“Lots of rest and liquids. Need to keep her hydrated,” he informs me.

“Considérelo hecho.” Consider it done.

“The doctor told me you barely left my side the last couple of days,” Aria says, a slow, mischievous grin spreading across her face.

My lips thin, and I glare at the man beside me.That bastard ratted me out.

I can see the amused sparkle in Aria’s eyes as she continues. “I didn’t take you as the Florence Nightingale type, Mateo.”

She’s testing my limits. “I think I liked you better when you were unconscious,” I snap.

That earns me a smile, and fuck, it causes my mask to slip a little. A couple of days ago, I would have done anything to see that smile. And to see her awake and happy now…it makes me feel things. Things I have absolutely no business feeling.

“I have some matters I need to take care of,” I inform her before turning to leave. When I learned that Aria was going to be okay, I purposely scheduled meetings outside of the compound today so that I could get some fresh air and have time to think about all these newemotionsI’ve been trying to deal with. I need to get away from Aria and see if the real world wakes me the fuck up without her in my constant presence.

That’s what I’m chalking this all up to. Taking care of her, having her by my side almost twenty-four-fucking-seven for the past week or so. Anyone would think they’re developing some sort of attachment towards another person in that case. That’s all this is. Pure and simple.

“Thank you!” Aria calls after me before I make it out the door.

When I turn to face her, I cock a brow in question.She’s thanking me?

“For staying with me, making sure I was safe, and for calling the doctor,” she says in a rush. Then, she stops, takes a breath and says, “For…everything.”

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