Page 178 of Requiem for Love

“Where is it now?”

“It departed from Stockholm about an hour ago. And, get this. There are camping grounds nearby. I’ll notify Interpol and the police. The fastest route for us will be if we take E4.That’sour search area.”

CHAPTER42

Biology didn’t wait.

One morning, she woke up with sweat dotting her skin and nauseous in a way she hadn’t missed. This pregnancy’s symptoms differed from Theo and Josiah’s, but this particular symptom remained the same.

She called for Siriano.

Surprisingly, he came right away, saw the condition she was in, and she made it to the bathroom just in time. As she threw up, her mind raced. Under no circumstances could he know about the baby.

Once the episode passed, she cried. The reason for her tears would be a lie, but the tears were real. With each day that passed, her capacity for strength diminished.

“You said you wouldn’t do this,” she whispered.

His voice sounded from a location too close behind her. “Do what?”

“Poison my food.”

“I didn’t.”

“Then why am I sick?” She looked back at him, over her shoulder. “You had that chicken with the red sauce, too, right? Did you feel even a little sick after you ate it? I noticed you looked a little green later that night.”

He looked off to the side. Then he set a hand on his stomach. “A little. I think.”

She groaned.

“You can stand?”

She pretended to struggle to her feet until he had to help her the rest of the way. He brought her a cup, and she washed her mouth. Once finished, she fell against him. He didn’t move away, but he didn’t hold her.

“I need to lie down,” she said.

He led her back to the bed and retied her to the metal rail, but he didn’t leave immediately. She shut her eyes, praying he didn’t put two and two together.

After grumbling something she didn’t make out, he left the room and returned with a shirt. He helped her into the shirt, stood around for a moment, and left again.

Two days later, he bathed her.

Two more days after that, he hit her after she made him orgasm so hard he fell to the ground. He then returned with more ice and tissue for the blood on her split lip.

Lately, as she watched Lavigne transform, she wondered whether this was the reason some men despised their attraction to women. Inside, those men were aware that they harbored something so fragile, the right woman, or simply a clever one, could bend it to her will. If the woman had bad intentions, they would be left embarrassed, emasculated, or worse—the woman would laugh at them.

So, as a form of protection, they stood on soapboxes, denigrating all women, praying that if they barked loudly enough, it would cover the gaping vulnerability that could otherwise easily be infected, effectively destroying the host.

Lavigne’s soapbox was his fists.

If he didn’t use his fists, he would have to admit that he was falling for her and she was in control of the descent. Unfortunately for him, she’d already slipped her way inside, and when she was done with him, she would bear little difference from a brain-eating amoeba.

* * *

Ayesha lay in bed, pretending to toss and turn in her sleep. With each turn, she fought an invisible captor. When she heard Lavigne enter the room, the fight increased.

So, she called his name.

“Siriano, help.” She gripped the sheets. “Siriano, don’t let him take me.”

---