*FOUR WEEKS LATER*"I want to take you somewhere this Friday," Nikolai tells me when we're cuddled up in bed after my third failed seduction attempt of the week.His arm is wrapped around my waist while the other strokes through my hair, as he looks at me, full dimples on full display.The smiling asshole.How exactly did we get here you might ask? It's simple really. Four days ago, the doctor finally cleared me for all forms of physical activity in the bedroom. To put it bluntly, I was finally allowed to fuck my husband which was exactly what I'd needed. In the last few weeks, I've been so sexually frustrated that I thought I might go mad (It also didn't help that I was ovulating). So when I was finally allowed to take what I needed, let's just say my enthusiasm got the best of me. When Nikolai came back home earlier, I'd thrown myself at him, unashamedly and asked— no, begged him to take me.And did he do as I asked? No. Instead, my attempt was met with a very patient but firm 'n
AvaIt takes two weeks for me to be deemed healed enough to go home. During that time, I’ve been poked and prodded more times than I can count, forced to eat food that barely qualifies as edible simply because my body hadn't healed fully to be able to eat real food, and watched the same four walls until they began to blur together.Honestly, it's been terrible but I'd be lying if I said it was all bad.Aaron came by the next day after I woke up. I told him everything Marcus told me while I was with him including how I wasn't his either. At first, he was quiet, but then he simply nodded and introduced me to the man who'd come in with him.His name was Cillian O'Connor, and he'd been close to both our parents, especially my mum. To my father—my real father— He was his enforcer, but to my mother, he was her brother. I didn't even know my mother had siblings, but he explained that the two of them lost contact after she left the first time, so it's no surprise I never heard of him.The t
AvaI jolt awake and I'm immediately immobilized by the pain spreading throughout my chest and my ribs Fuck. That’s going to leave a mark.My next breath comes in a shallow gasps as the sting sharpens, intensifying from the inside like a lit fuse. I blink against the harsh white blazing light above me, as the room I'm in comes into focus.I’m in a hospital that much I can tell from the beeping noise beside me and the annoying scent of disinfectant.My gaze glides around the room before landing on my husband's figure next to me.Nikolai is seated in the only chair beside the bed, his elbows to his knees, head bowed in his palms. He hasn't realised I'm awake yet I try to sit up but I am immediately pulled back down by the pain and give up.My body feels like shit, the upper part mostly. I feel nothing in the lower section, and that worries me. Did my getting shot somehow leave me paralyzed?God, I hope not.The heart monitor suddenly picks up and it's in that moment Nikolai raises h
AvaWhere am I?I glance around the room, my eyes eagerly scanning my surroundings as I try to figure out what this place is and why it feels so familiar.Had I been here before? Maybe. I'm seventy per cent sure I've seen those walls before.I lift my head. There's a single window nearly touching the ceiling but It's too high for me to reach. Maybe if I climb the walls. I think I see a stone out. If I could balance on it, maybe I could see what's on the other side.The thought is immediately discarded once I realise the walls are far too steep for any type of climbing.My gaze scans the room once more and I'm startled when I see something curled up in a corner.Or rather someone.It's a girl.What is she doing here?The first thing I notice about her is her dark brown hair. It's the same shade as mine except hers is longer and falls past her shoulders and knees as she buries her face in her lap, shoulders shaking.Is she crying?My body moves on instinct. Maybe if I can get her to s
NikolaiI've never been a fan of hospitals.The walls are always too clean. Too sterile. And the place reeks of blood and death. Two things I've never minded until now."Here" I look up from the palm of my hand to meet my brother-in-law and a canned soda from a brand I don't recognise looking down at me.When I don't take it he pushes it towards my face again and goes, "Here."Sighing, I mutter a quiet, “Thanks,” The last thing I want is a drink right now, but Aaron is being a persistent motherfucker, so I take the can but don't open it.We've been here for close to twelve hours now. Usually, I tend to avoid hospitals at all costs, but Ava's injuries were severe, more than what our doctors could handle. Bringing her here was the only shot I had to make sure that I didn't lose her. Her blood still clung to my fingertips, dried now, but the perspiration from the can made my grip slick.How could she have done that? Throwing herself in front of a bullet was beyond stupid, especially for
Hi readers 👋🏾 I understand there's been confusion on where Marcus was shot and that was completely my fault. Him being shot in the head was part of an earlier draft and I forgot to edit it out before I published the chapter. As of now I've edited it out (So no, you're not going crazy if you can't find it again)I'm sorry for the mix up but please note that Marcus wasn't shot in the head (As I don't think anyone can survive being shot in the head) Thank you and please react once you see this message so that I know it's reached enough people ❤️