A Trillionaire’s Revenge novel Chapter 11

Beep Beep Beep, I hear as I struggle to open my heavy eyes. The light was too bright, so I use my hands to cover my eyes.

"Where am I?" I ask immediately my eyes land on Luke.

"You're in the hospital, Natalie" he says and in a split second, memories start flooding my head. I touch my lips alarmed. I wasn't gagged anymore. I sit up and look at my legs. They were bandaged.

"I was kidnapped" I say, my hand on my mouth. I look at Luke, "I was kidnapped, it wasn't a dream.”

"I know. Do you remember exactly what happened? Where were you last night?" He asks and I freeze. Thankfully, Laurel enters at that exact moment and the attention is directed at her- something she must've been ecstatic about.

I use the back of my left hand to wipe the nonexistent sweat on my face. What would Luke do if he found out I tried to escape again? Bloody hell, I wasn't interested in finding out.

"Emmanuele sent this food for the both of you.” She gets closer to my bed, "Luke hasn't showered nor eaten properly for the past seventy six hours you've been here. Don't you think he should get some rest?"

I was shocked and a bit moved too. He stayed to look after me for over three days without showering? I was touched. "Thank you," I say looking at him, but for some unknown reasons I'm unable to look him in the eyes so I look away as fast as I can.

I clear my throat, "I was out for three days?" I ask. With folded arms, Luke sits on the couch. "Yes, you were. You lost blood and in addition to that, you haven't been eating and the doctors said you were stressed out"

"Doctors?" I ask.

He looks at me then picks a magazine to read. "I'm Lucas Carrington. I always get the best"

I roll my eyes at his statement. "I can only wonder why I would be stressed out" I say as I lay down, facing the other side of the room.

I was discharged from the hospital the next day even though I didn't want to leave. I felt more at peace here than in that cage I'd been forced to live in.

I tuck my hair behind my ear and adjust my sweater. Luke comes in.

"Ready?" He asks and I nod. Suddenly, he carries me in his arms bridal style and I gasp. We share an eye lock. "Why are you carrying me?" I ask in a low voice, wondering why my heart was racing.

"Honestly, I don't know either" He says.

The rest of the ride home was awfully quiet. Luke and I had sat in the backseat of his Rolls Royce as the driver drove. I could feel the tension in the air.

"Thank you for everything you've done so far, Luke. From helping my family to taking me to the hospital. I'm truly grateful" I say as I play with my fingers.

He looks at me, a bit confused, "Honestly, I don't get you at times. You have so many characters it's hard to tell who you really are. Anyway, it's my duty as your husband to care for you so you don't need to thank me for the things I do for you. Well, if you want to really thank me, you can do that by not trying to run away again" He says and I freeze. He knew. Bloody hell! I scream internally. Laurel had betrayed me.

***

Luke carries me all the way to my room and drops me on the bed.

"Thank you" I say again. He nods, "I'll ask them to send you something to eat and to make you a hot bath. If you need anything just dial the kitchen, the number 2 on the phone. If you need me, dial 1" He says as he leaves.

I lay down on the bed, stretching as much as I can as a smile plays across my lips. I remember how Luke carried me, how I held tight onto his neck and his scent. At that moment, I knew for certain, that I wanted to open my heart to Luke.

***

I'm in the shower, washing my hair and simultaneously having my bath. I was glad that I found the exact lemon verbena soap I used at home. The smell was heavenly. I turn the shower on to rinse of the soap when I see a shadow outside the bathroom.