Chapter 15 Blake
BLAKE
Huffing, I walked into the bathroom and slammed the door, then stared at myself in the mirror.
It was insulting. He wouldn’t fight me because he thought he would hurt me? He still thought of me as weaker than him.
But then my eyes drifted down to my stomach and I sighed, letting reality wash over me. I was pregnant. Of course, he wouldn’t fight me. And what did I do? Kicked him out the window for refusing to give me what I wanted. I was such an idiot.
It was my wedding day, and I was purposely causing an argument, all because I didn’t want to admit that things had to change. Getting in the shower, I did my best to scrub away the anger I felt. I couldn’t allow myself to get worked up over stupid shit that had to change.
By the time I was done washing my hair, I actually felt somewhat normal again, though I really needed to eat something. I was starving, and waiting too much longer would only make me sick.
Wrapping myself in a towel, I strode out to the living room, stopping in my tracks when I saw Gabe and Jules arguing over who was going to install the sensors on the windows.
“Why can’t you do it?”
“Because I’m having memory issues,” Jules snapped.
“Memory issues? Seriously, this again? You don’t have amnesia anymore!”
“You don’t know that. I could have...latent amnesia!”
“Latent amnesia? Do you even know what that word means?”
Jules gaped at him. “No, but I’ve heard it used in sentences before.”
Gabe shoved the cameras into Jules’s chest. “You’re doing it. Unless you suddenly forgot how to work your hands, you’re not getting out of this.”
Gabe spun, his eyes widening when he saw me standing there in next to nothing. “Um…this is not what it looks like.”
“So…you’re not installing security sensors in the house?”
A small grin tilted his lips. “Well, I guess that’s what we’re doing.”
“Why?”
“Um, because Knight said to?”
“No one told us you were coming.”
“Well, that’s sort of what happens when Knight’s involved.”
“Yeah,” Jules snorted. “Everyone listens to him. I bet if he told someone he had amnesia, they’d listen.”
“Shut up about the amnesia,” Gabe snapped. “It happened like ten years ago!”
“Any chance you guys are gonna leave?” I asked, hoping I could have the house to myself.
“Not until we’re done.”
“Yeah, the thing is, this is my wedding day.”
“I know,” Gabe smiled. “Congrats!”
“But you being here is sort of…in my way.”
“Oh, did you want us to move our things?”
“No, I want you to move. Like, out. Now.”
Gabe and Jules both watched me carefully, neither of them understanding.
So, I repeated it slowly so they could understand. “It’s my wedding day. And on a woman’s wedding day, she wants to have space for herself.”
Jules leaned over to Gabe. “I don’t follow.”
These guys…Since they were either being obtuse on purpose or really just stupid, I was going to have to take other measures to get my house back.
I dropped my towel and strolled past them, into the kitchen, catching how they both flinched and hid their eyes behind their hands.
“Uh…you know, we have other things…outside, uh—”
“Ouch!” Jules snapped. “You just pushed me into the table!”
“Well, you’re supposed to run when you see a naked woman!”
“I’m trying!” Jules countered. “Remember? I’m the one with brain damage! Things don’t always work right!”
“How fucking long are you gonna use that line on us? Get over it!” he shouted as he opened the door and shoved Jules outside. “Or I’ll give you another head injury!”
The door slammed behind him and I finally relaxed, going back to retrieve my towel. I didn’t normally walk around the house in a towel, but dammit, it was my house, and if I wanted to, I would.
It briefly crossed my mind that I should check on Parker, but since there were a ton of guys around, it was likely someone had found him by now.
Instead, I went digging through the fridge, looking for something to eat.
Nothing really seemed appetizing, so I settled on grapes.
Hopefully, the juiciness would be more refreshing than anything else.
Snatching them, I closed the door and nearly screamed when I saw Lizzy and Krista—my soon-to-be sisters-in-law— sitting at the counter, watching me carefully.
“Jesus, doesn’t anyone knock around here?”
“Did you want us to?” Krista asked.
“Well, yeah. That’s normally the custom.”
I sat down across from them and sighed, plopping a grape in my mouth. I was not having a good morning.
“You know, you look a little sad on your wedding day.”
I shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it.
“Are you having second thoughts?” Lizzy asked as she worried her lower lip.
“No, not really,” I sighed. “It’s not the wedding. It’s…the baby thing. I mean, don’t get me wrong. It’s great, but things are changing.”
“Well, yeah, that usually happens,” Krista snorted.
“No, I mean…with your brother. I don’t want him to stop looking at me like I’m capable.”
“Do you really think that would happen?” Lizzy asked.
I shrugged again. “This morning, he didn’t want to fight me.”
“No!” Krista gasped. “You mean, he didn’t want to fight a pregnant woman? The horror!”
“See? That’s just what I’m talking about! I’m now the pregnant woman. A month ago, if I wanted to pick a fight with him, we’d end up in the gym sparring. He wouldn’t have cared if I was bruised and bloody. He would have given as good as he got. But now?”
“Well, you know, that little fact that fighting could actually hurt the baby might have something to do with his reluctance to take you on,” Krista smirked.
“I know,” I sighed, thunking my head on the table. “It’s so horrible of me! I have this life inside me and everything’s great, but I’m that woman! I never thought I would be…this,” I said, waving at my body.
“You didn’t think you would have kids?” Lizzy asked curiously.
“I don’t know. I guess I didn’t even think about getting married. Not until—” I cut myself off as my thoughts started drifting to a much darker time.
“Where’s the journal?”
I didn’t say anything and he nodded to the two men who had just held me up. I was yanked to my feet, but only seconds later, I was on my back hanging over the tub. I felt my feet being lifted, and then some kind of board was shoved under my body, tilting me back toward the tub of water.
“What are you—”
A sopping wet towel was placed over my face, suffocating me and causing me to choke on the water being poured over my face.
It was too late to take a breath. I was choking and gasping for air, but none would come.
I thrashed and writhed, but they were holding me down too tightly.
I could feel the water filling me. I would die if they didn’t stop soon.
Shaking my head, I tried to forget the facility where Parker and I were held, but it was nearly impossible to get the horror out of my mind.
“I need Parker,” I said, shoving to my feet.
“What? You can’t see him!” Lizzy gasped. “It’s bad luck to see the groom.”
“I already shoved him out a window! I hardly think my luck is going to change from seeing him.”
“But—”
“Lizzy, just get him!” I shouted, wringing my hands as a flood of images swarmed me.
“I’ll ask again. Where is the journal?”
It wasn’t going to stop. He wanted the journal, and he would do this until he got what he wanted, but I couldn’t give in. If I did, that meant he won. Millions of people would die, and I wouldn’t have that on my conscience, even though I knew I would never be walking out of here again.
When I didn’t answer, the board tipped back, and the air was stripped from my lungs as the towel was thrown over my face again.
Over and over, they poured water on my face, trying to get me to talk.
Every time, I came just a little bit closer to giving in, but I never did.
My body ached and my lungs burned, but I held strong.
Fire burned through my lungs as I tried to hold out, refusing to give them what they wanted. I would never tell them. They could torture me all they wanted, but the location of that journal would never be theirs.
Tossing the rag aside, they removed the board and threw me right in the water and held me under. Water seeped into my mouth, and I choked on the water until black spots filled my vision.
This was it. This was the end.
“Blake!”
I spun around and lunged into Parker’s arms, my eyes filling with tears as I squeezed him tight.
“Hey, what’s going on?” he whispered.
I felt him motion for the girls to leave. The door slammed, and only then did I feel truly safe again. It was just the two of us. We were back on the ranch and no one could hurt us.
“Baby, you gotta tell me what’s going on,” he asked, his voice low and urgent.
I could feel the panic coming off him in waves, but I just couldn’t get the words out. Not when those memories were so fresh in my mind.
Instead of pressuring me, Parker picked me up and carried me into the living room, sitting down on the couch where he cradled me in his arms as the worst of the panic attack passed.
Slowly, my grip on him lessened and I could breathe again without feeling like the world was going to come crashing down around me. Sniffling, I pulled back, brushing the tears from my face.
The understanding in his eyes nearly undid me for the second time.
“Sorry,” I murmured.
“It’s okay. I get them sometimes, too,” he smiled, brushing my hair back from my face.
“You do? I’ve never seen them.”
His lips quirked up in a smile. “Well, that’s because I’m supposed to be the stronger one. Can’t fail at that again.”
“God,” I laughed, pressing my head against his chest. “I’m so sorry about pushing you out the window.”
“I know, baby. You’re a fighter. I’d expect nothing less.”
“Even if I am screwed up?”
His hand slowly stroked my back, soothing me in the way only he could. It felt so good to just be the two of us that I almost wanted to tell him to call off the wedding.