Chapter 162
“Drake?” Vera’s voice suddenly cut through the tension. She was
standing in the doorway to Sophia’s bedroom, one hand pressed
against her cheek. “My face is burning. I’m feeling dizzy.”
Drake’s attention immediately shifted to her. “We should get you back
to the hospital.”
Vera nodded weakly, leaning into him as he moved to her side. “I
think the medication is wearing off.”
I watched as Drake slipped his arm around her waist, supporting her
with practiced tenderness–a tenderness he’d never shown me after
my losses, after my pain. A bitter laugh escaped me, sharp and brittle
like broken glass.
Drake looked back at me, his eyes cold and unreadable. There was a
flicker of something–perhaps doubt, perhaps anger–before he
turned away. “This isn’t over,” he said, not bothering to specify
whether he believed Allen’s explanation or not.
As they moved toward the door, Drake paused, looking over his
shoulder at me. His eyes flashed gold for a brief moment–a silent
warning, a reminder of his power, his claim.
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Chapter 162
“Fuck you,” I mouthed silently at his back, my hand forming a fist at
my side.
Then they were gone, the door closing behind them with a soft click
that felt like the final note of a funeral dirge.
I collapsed onto Sophia’s couch, my legs giving out entirely, my whole
body shaking violently. My palms were bleeding where my nails had
dug into them, small crescents of pain I hadn’t even noticed
inflicting. I stared at the bloody marks, feeling disconnected from my
own body.
“That fucking bastard,” Sophia muttered, disappearing into her
bathroom to retrieve her first aid kit. “Here, let me clean those before
they get infected, damn it.”
But I hardly felt the sting as she dabbed antiseptic on my palms. I was
numb, hollowed out, a shell of a person. My eyes stared unseeing at
the wall, my breathing shallow and mechanical.
“Thank you,” I said to Allen when Sophia went out to buy some
dinner, leaving us alone. My voice sounded strange to my own ears,
flat and distant. “For helping me.”
Allen sat beside me on the couch, keeping a respectful distance. “It
was the least I could do.”
a
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Chapter 162
I almost smiled, my lips twitching with the effort. “That bit about the
white blood cell count? That was good. But you lied. There was no
white blood cell count in that report you were looking at.”
Allen’s lips quirked up slightly. “You caught that, huh? I may have…
embellished certain details. But I believe you about the miscarriages.
That was real, wasn’t it?”
I nodded slowly, my head feeling impossibly heavy. “Yes. And the
doctor did say I might… that I probably won’t be able to…” I couldn’t
finish the sentence, the reality still too painful to voice aloud. My
hand moved unconsciously to my flat stomach, then fell away.
“I’m sorry,” Allen said simply, and I could tell he meant it.
“I need a drink,” I said, standing up on unsteady legs, swaying
slightly. “Something strong enough to make me forget this whole
shitty day.”
Allen gently caught my wrist. “Given your condition, that might not
be the best idea.”
“I don’t care.” My voice was flat, emotionless. “I need something to
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