Chapter 51
CHAPTER
FIFTY-ONE
Sia
It’d been too long. Hours…
And Val was dying.
I’d managed to stop her bleeding, but she needed antibiotics. Not to mention proper bandages. Andre’s jacket had stopped the bleeding, but she needed to be stitched up.
“Val?” I touched her face. She was in and out of awareness, and the moments it took her to focus on me scared me every time. I didn’t know if she’d just not wake up, and she wasn’t being honest about her condition. She kept telling me not to worry.
I knew Maxim would come, and though I didn’t know what he was capable of, I had a feeling it was a lot . He’d gotten both of us out of a room full of the Russian mob, and we’d both come out with little more than a few cuts and bruises.
It scared me, asking him to come. I didn’t want him to get hurt, but I had to put my faith in him.
I didn’t have a choice.
Val couldn’t focus on me this time when I spoke to her, her eyes closing, and when I gazed at Andre his expression was grave. For someone as young as he was, he was handling this really well.
I guessed I was too.
I couldn’t take all this with Val. I got up.
“Where are you going?” Andre popped up, and as soon as he did, Val turned her head. She watched as I went to the door.
I pounded on it. “Hey! Anyone, out there? Hey! We need help!”
We needed to get something for Val, and that included basic human needs. Andre said these people fed him three times a day, but Val needed water.
I banged on the door again, and eventually, I backed up when it swung open.
The guy filled the doorway. He was tatted up to his neck, and some fishtailed around the back and went up to his ear.
I swallowed. “Val needs help. She needs bandages. Antibiotics. Water ?—”
“Boss never gave the approval for any of that,” the man grunted. He looked like he wanted to slam the door in my face, but I ran up to him.
“Then ask him.” I gritted my teeth. “We need help in here. This isn’t fucking right.” I surprised myself with my bravery.
The guy’s eyes narrowed. “Like I said, he gave no approval, and I ain’t bothering him.”
This was so sick. Fucked up. I raised and dropped my hands. “I want to talk to him.”
“Sia…” Andre stood, fear in his eyes. He shook his head. “What are you doing?”
I didn’t know, but I was going to push this. I balled my hands into fists. “This is about me and my brother, right? I’m sure your intention is to kill us and let Val rot, but I’m sure he won’t want to do any of that after he hears what I have to say.”
This surprised the guy and everyone in the room, including Val. She had no idea what I was doing, and even though I wasn’t certain, I did have an idea.
“It would benefit him more if both my brother and I were alive,” I said, facing him. It was weird acknowledging I had a brother, but now that I knew I had one…
I looked at the guy in the suit. “I want to talk to Natan.”
The guy in front of me cocked his head. He crossed his arms. “You tell me, and I’ll relay the information.”
I shook my head. “I’ll only talk to Natan.”
It was the only leverage I had, and when the guy sighed, I had a flutter of hope.
He waved his arm. “Come on then.”
I didn’t hesitate.
I left the guy at the door and went to get my shoes. I’d taken them off while we’d been waiting.
“Sia,” Andre started, but I lifted my hand. I actually did have an idea.
“ What are you doing, Sia? ” Val signed, her movements labored, weak. She also mouthed the words to help me with understanding the signs.
I pushed my feet into my boots. “I’m buying us more time,” I said, both signing and speaking. I kept my voice low. “Maxim needs more time.”
He was going to come, and I needed to give us all the best chance we had.
Even if that meant subjecting myself to the wolves.