Chapter Eleven
Chiara
T he pain comes out from nowhere, so sharp and unrelenting as it curls through my lower stomach, tightening around my insides with every passing second. It pulls me from the edge of sleep, the sharp ache anchoring me back into this reality—this madness which refuses to let go.
I press a hand to my stomach, but the pain only grows worse beneath my palm, spreading across me like fire.
It takes me a moment to realise what this could mean, and my entire body freezes. I’ve been so caught up in my fear, my confusion, that I’ve not paid this any attention. A horrible possibility blooms in my head, and as I squeeze my legs together, I know that I’m right.
No.
Not now.
I sit up, my breathing uneven, and I glance all around the room.
It’s quiet in here, empty for once, but I know it won’t last long.
They’re always close.
Always watching me.
I feel my heart beginning to race in my chest as I push the blanket away from my body, swinging my legs over the side of my bed as I stand up.
I don’t even hesitate.
My hands fumble at the waistband of these trousers they’ve given me as I pull them down, just enough to be able to see, and I gasp.
Blood.
It stains the plain white underwear, the dark red a stark contrast against the cotton fabric. My heart sinks as panic claws its way up my throat. I don’t know what to think. I don’t know what to do.
I’ve started my period.
Of course, my body has decided to betray me now.
My hands shake as the red is in my line of vision again, and I press one hand to my stomach once more, trying to ease the pain.
Nothing is helping.
At home, when I got my period, I relaxed for the full seven days, and a few more days too. Though Papa was a little awkward with it, and Dario would turn bright pink whenever he was aware of it, my family did their best to keep me comfortable, and distract me from the pain.
And now, I’m stuck here with these captors, unable to do anything.
I bite down on my bottom lip, wondering what I can even do.
If I ask them for help…
A fresh wave of shame crashes over me. They have already stripped me of everything—my freedom, my dignity—and now, I need to ask these very same men for help?
I can’t let them see me like this. Even the idea of it makes me want to curl up into a ball, sobbing as I pray to wake up from this awful nightmare.
But I have no choice.
They need to know.
There aren’t any supplies in this room, and the bathroom doesn’t even have the basic necessities.
There’s no way I can handle an entire week of bleeding all on my own.
And even though I don’t really understand it, I know they care about me fiercely, and there’s no telling what they’ll do if I try to hide this from them.
Carefully, I pull my trousers over my hips, squeezing my thighs together to try and stop the blood from flowing, as I sit frozen on the edge of my bed, waiting.
I don’t need to wait for very long.
The door creaks open as Nikolai steps inside, his gaze immediately landing on me.
As he takes in my tense posture—the way my arms are wrapped around my middle—his eyes narrow in my direction. He remains in the doorway, watching me.
“What’s wrong?”
Nikolai asks, his voice low but commanding.
The words are stuck in my throat. I feel my face burn as I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I can’t even try to speak, and that’s not even the most humiliating thing about this entire situation.
“Something is wrong.” He says again, more firmly this time. His eyes seem to darken as he steps closer towards me, his movements slow, and deliberate. “Tell me, Chiara.”
I swallow hard, my hands gripping the edge of the bed so tightly that I begin to feel my knuckles ache.
I clear my throat as I tip my head back a little so I can meet his eyes. His towering frame casts a shadow over me, and as he drags his eyes across the length of my body, a small dip appears between his brows.
“What’s happened? Why are you in pain? Tell me so I can help you.”
Help you.
The words sting, a cruel reminder that I’m entirely at their mercy.
Here, I’m only a captive, and they are my captors.
I can’t do anything here without them knowing.
Before I can tell him, Mikhail steps into the room too, his sharp gaze moving between myself, and his brother.
“What’s going on?”
He asks, the question directed to Nikolai.
Nikolai shakes his head slightly, his eyes never leaving mine.
“She’s in pain, Mikhail. She won’t tell me why.”
Mikhail’s expression darkens as he steps closer towards us, his presence just as overbearing as his brother’s.
“How can we help you if you don’t tell us?”
I take a deep breath in before speaking.
“I…” My voice cracks as I swallow hard, hating how small I feel right now. “I need…supplies. I’ve started…my period.”
The last word is barely a whisper, but it’s enough to make their expressions shift.
For a moment, there’s silence. Then Mikhail takes another step forward as he exhales sharply. Nikolai’s jaw tightens, his eyes flickering to his brother before returning to me.
“Is that all?”
Nikolai asks me, his tone now calm.
I nod my head as I press my palm to my stomach, wincing.
“There’s nothing here, and I didn’t know what to do.”
Mikhail sighs, his expression softening slightly as he turns to look at Nikolai.
“We’ll handle it.” He says, already moving to head back towards the door. “You stay here, and I’ll go grab some things.”
Once he leaves, Nikolai turns to look at me again.
His towering presence is both comforting and suffocating all at once. Though he doesn’t say anything, he does watch me with those icy blue eyes of his, and I can’t tell if he’s angry, concerned, or even something else altogether.
“You should have told us sooner.” He finally says, his voice low. “We told you we would take care of you, and we don’t go back on our word, darling.”
A shiver goes through my body at that word—darling—as I look away from him.
I don’t respond, and luckily, Nikolai doesn’t push me to. Instead, he steps back, giving me some space, and for the first time since this nightmare began, I feel a small flicker of relief.
For some time, Nikolai stays with me in the room. He doesn’t speak much.
His gaze feels heavy all over me. Those icy blue eyes of his are always on me; watching me, waiting for the right moment to strike.
I shift uncomfortably on the bed, feeling blood seep out from my entrance as I wince, pressing my palm to my stomach. I begin standing up, and Nikolai is immediately there, his hand on my arm as he helps me.
“What’s going on?”
I take a sharp breath in as pain shoots through my lower stomach, unable to stop myself from holding onto Nikolai, almost crying out from the pain.
“I’m going to bleed through my trousers if I remain seated.”
I admit to him in a quiet voice, the humiliation of my confession making my entire body burn up.
I keep my gaze on the floor, unable to say anything else to him, hoping that this silence will stretch long enough until Mikhail returns.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t.
Nikolai puts one finger under my chin, tipping my head back, forcing me to meet his eyes.
My breathing hitches as he slides his hand down from my arm, choosing to hold me by my waist instead as he tugs me closer to his body.
“Would it be better if we moved to the bathroom, darling?”
My heart rate picks up, and I nod slowly at him.
Together, we begin to move, the wooden floorboards in the room creaking with every step that we take.
I feel wetness smeared between my thighs, and I can’t help but hate myself for getting into this situation. Even though it’s not my fault—not really—I wish I did something instead of coming here with them, practically offering myself to them.
When we step into the bathroom, I feel like I can breathe a little easier. All I need now is Mikhail, and I hope he’ll return soon, and with the right products for me to use.
When Nikolai’s hand suddenly lands on my stomach, I take a sharp breath in, gasping.
“W-What do you think you’re doing?”
His lips twitch at the corners.
He applies some pressure on my stomach, rubbing softly, easing the pain away. My lips part as I breathe out heavily.
“What do you think I’m doing, darling?”
Oh.
I focus on keeping my breathing even, his touch suddenly so comforting.
I open my mouth to speak, to answer him, when the door swings open, and Mikhail steps back inside. I watch him shut the door behind him as he makes his way towards us with a small paper bag in his hands.
“I got what you need.”
He announces, crossing the room quickly as he opens the bag, showing me what’s inside.
A package of pads.
A new pair of black underwear.
A pair of black shorts.
My face burns as I look down at all the items.
For some reason, Nikolai’s hand pressed against my stomach feels too hot now, and as Mikhail drags his eyes there, I feel my face burning up.
I put my own hand above his, trying to get him to stop holding me, but it’s no use.
He won’t budge.
Instead, I choose to ignore his hand on my body as I lift my eyes to meet Mikhail’s, speaking softly to him.
“Thank you for bringing me all of these things.”
He nods at me, and for some reason, that small action makes my skin feel like it’s on fire, the embarrassment rolling over me in waves.
Again, there’s a finger under my chin, tipping my head up so I can meet Nikolai’s eyes.
I spot the look in his gaze, and I frown slightly.
“What?”
I ask him, my voice coming out sharper than intended.
His lips twitch into a faint smile, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Beside us, Mikhail takes a step closer, and I turn my head to look over at him.
“You need help.”
He tells me.
My stomach drops as I shake my head quickly.
“No, I don’t.” I say, my voice rising slightly. “I can handle it.”
Mikhail leans in closer, his eyes narrowing in my direction.
“You’re in pain.” He points out, as if it’s not obvious enough. “Let us take care of you.”
I glance between both brothers, my heart pounding in my chest.