It’s been a week since I’ve last heard from Demitri. The heartache grows with every passing day, and I miss him so much it’s hard to do anything.
If it weren’t for Nikhil checking on me every day, I’d probably just lie in bed until I died because there’s nothing to get up for.
But the fear that Nikhil might be giving Demitri updates about me makes me drag my exhausted body out of bed. Feeling completely drained, I shower and get myself ready enough so that I don’t look like a zombie.
Dressed in a pair of jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and a sweater, I pick up my phone and text Nikhil.
Ariana: I want to visit my mom.
He responds immediately.
Nikhil: I’m coming.
I tuck my phone in my pocket and walk to the kitchen. I take a bottle of water from the fridge and swallow a couple of sips.
The front door opens, and I glance at Nikhil. “Did you make an extra key for yourself?”
“Yes.” There’s no apology in his tone.
I just nod and follow him out of the apartment. As I climb into the passenger side of the SUV, my heart skips a beat when I smell Demitri’s woodsy aftershave. I take a deep breath, getting more of the scent, and it rips through my insides.
When Nikhil slides behind the steering wheel, I ask, “Do you smell that?”
He takes a breath, then frowns at me. “What?”
“Demitri.”
Nikhil shakes his head, seemingly relaxed as he starts the engine. Driving us to the nursing home, he says, “I’m going to have to escort you inside, but I’ll keep a respectful distance.”
“Okay.” I take another deep breath, but the smell is gone, and it makes my heart sink like a rock to the pit of my stomach.
When we get to the nursing home, Nikhil checks the area and then says, “If you see anyone that looks out of place, let me know.”
I nod and shove the door open. Walking through the entrance, I head to the reception, so I can make arrangements for the month’s payment I missed. It will take a while before I have access to the money my dad left me, and I’m hoping they’re willing to wait.
The receptionist smiles at me, and then I ask, “Can I speak with someone in the finance department?”
“Sure, take a seat while you wait.” I walk to the windows and stare out at the parking area.
A guy from the finance department comes up to me, and I notice Nikhil taking a step closer. I wave my hand for him to back down and follow the guy into an office.
After we take a seat at a desk, I say, “I’ve been out of town for my father’s funeral. I missed last month’s payment but will be able to settle the amount I’m behind soon. I’m hoping you can give me some time.”
“Who’s the patient?” he asks.
“Beth Robinson.”
The guy checks on the system, then he shakes his head, and my heart just sinks further.
“The account is up to date,” he says.
Frowning, I lean forward. “It is?”
“Actually, it’s been paid in advance for the next six months.”
“What?” I give him a confused look. “Are you on the right account?”
“Yes.” He checks again, then turns the screen so I can see. My eyes dart over my mom’s information and then the transaction section, where it shows a payment of seventy thousand to the account.
“Can you see who made the payment?”
The guy looks, then says, “It only shows Beth Robinson in the reference section. To find out more, I’ll have to contact the bank.”
Did Demitri pay the account?
Probably.
My heart begins to race as I get up from the chair. “Ah… thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Have a nice day.”
I nod, mumbling, “You too.” Leaving the office, I walk to the residence section. I stop by the nurses’ station and force a smile around my lips when I see Ashley.
“Hey.”
She gives me a look of surprise. “Hey, hon. We haven’t seen you in a while.” Her eyes sweep over me, then she frowns. “Were you sick?”
“Yeah.” I gesture down the hallway. “How’s my mom?”
“She had a bad spell a couple of weeks back where she couldn’t remember who she was. We’ve adjusted her medication to keep her calm.”
I nod, then ask, “Do you think it’s okay if I visit her?”
“Yes, just pretend to be one of the staff.”
I walk down the hallway and reaching my mom’s room, I pause in the doorway and stare at her where’s she’s sitting in a chair in front of the window.
Hey, Mom. Sorry I haven’t been around.
I walk inside, and stopping next to her chair, I crouch down. She doesn’t look at me, and I force my voice to sound lighthearted. “Hi.”
Mom just keeps staring out the window. I reach a hand out and softly place it on her knee, but I don’t get a reaction from her.
Staring at the shell of my mother, I realize this might be my future. Just like her, I met the love of my life, and I had to let him go. At least she had me, but I don’t even have a child to keep the memory of Demitri alive.
Is this what her heartache did to her? She couldn’t go on without my dad and slowly just died on the inside?
Sitting down by her feet, I rest my cheek against her leg. “I met the most amazing man, Mom.” My shoulders begin to jerk. “I had to let him go, and it’s killing me.”
Suddenly I feel my mom’s hand brush over my hair and my eyes dart up to her. She looks down at me with sympathy, her own eyes tearing up.
“I miss him so much,” I admit to her, the moment overwhelming me.
She nods, brushing her palm over my hair again.
“I miss you too,” I whimper on a sob.
A tear spirals over her face, and then she goes back to staring out the window.
Unable to reign in the tears, I get up and press a kiss on her forehead. “I love you.” Rushing out of the room, I dart past Nikhil and head to the SUV.
Nikhil’s right behind me, and opening the passenger door, he asks, “Everything okay?”
I nod, wiping at my cheeks. “Yeah, it’s just hard to see her like that.”
To see what will become of me without Demitri.
DEMITRI
In the past two weeks, Ariana only left her apartment once, and it was to visit her mom. Nikhil said it didn’t go well and that her mom keeps getting worse.
Ariana moves from the bed to the couch, and all she does is stare. She only eats once a day when Nikhil checks in on her.
Watching her fade before my eyes is pushing me to my limit. I’ve given her the time she asked for, and I regret it every day.
I’m planning on fucking kidnapping her again, and this time I have everything ready. I don’t know why I’m waiting.
Tell me to come to you, Malyshka.
It’s the middle of the night, and Ariana’s sitting in the living room. She lifts her head and glances around the room. Her eyes drift shut, and she shakes her head. ‘I can’t do this anymore. How am I supposed to live without him?’ She shoots up, and grabbing hold of the coffee table, she shoves it to the side. ‘I can’t…’ her breathing catches in her throat, and then it bursts over her lips as she begins to tear the apartment apart.
My heart cracks in two, and shoving the car door open, I get out and run across the street. I take the stairs two at a time, and using the key I had made for myself, I unlock the door and dart inside.
I come up behind Ariana and wrap my arms around her to keep her from destroying anything else. Heartbreaking sobs tear from her as she sinks back against me, not even putting up a fight. I crouch down with her, and taking hold of her face, I turn her to me. There’s no recognition in her eyes that looks feverish, as if she’s lost her mind.
Pulling the injection out of my pocket, I use my teeth to remove the cap, and then I inject her with a sedative. I put the cap back on and pocket the empty syringe. Pushing my arms beneath her back and knees, I lift her to my chest as I rise to my feet.
Walking to the front door, I press a kiss to her clammy forehead and whisper, “Shh, Malyshka. Sleep. I’ve got you.”
I shut the front door behind me and carry her down to the SUV. After laying her down on the back seat and slipping behind the steering wheel, I pull out my phone and dial Alexei’s number.
He answers within seconds. “Everything okay?”
“I’m taking Ariana back to the island. Tell Nikhil.”
“Okay. So you’re working things out?”
“We will,” I mutter, and then I end the call.
Come hell or high water, we will. This madness ends now.
I drive to the private airfield and carry Ariana onto the plane. After getting her settled in a seat, I strap her in and press another kiss on her forehead. I take a deep breath of her soft scent and then close the door before settling behind the controls.
I feel calm during the flight and boat ride to the island. I take Ariana to my bedroom and then set up an IV to get some nutrition into her body.
Standing back, I stare down at her, and then the anger begins to bubble in my chest.
Why the fuck did you do this?
As my anger for her keeps increasing, I stalk to my closet and change into a pair of sweatpants before heading to the gym so I can punch something.
I lay into a punching bag, pushing my body to the max as I try to calm down.
We will fucking stay on this island until Ariana comes to her senses.
There’s no more running.
No more chasing.
She will never leave my fucking side again.
I slow down, and taking a step back, I catch my breath.
I said I wouldn’t force her, but fuck that. Ariana no longer has a choice.
Going back to the bedroom, I take a shower and then bring a chair up from the entertainment room. Placing it next to the bed, I sit down and watch Ariana sleep.
When the IV runs dry, I take it out and check Ariana’s vitals. Her blood pressure is normal, and there’s color in her cheeks.
Sitting back down, I let out a sigh, and then I wait for the sedative to wear off.
When you wake up, it’s you and me, Malyshka.
No more lies.
