Chapter Seventeen #2
“Uh… no. Not that I know of,” Valery said. “Krash told me the doctor checked you out and gave you something for the fever before letting you rest. But I don’t know much about last night. I got here this morning. Nobody mentioned anyone at your bedside except the doctor.”
Valery barely finished before the door opened.
“Madame Korven. How are you feeling?”
Dr Kalvin’s voice rang out as he stepped into the room with Krash right behind him.
“Tired…” I rasped. “And my lungs feel like they’re burning.”
Dr Kalvin didn’t look surprised. He set his bag on the nightstand and came closer.
“That’s normal after everything you went through last night. Let’s check you over and make sure you’re alright.”
I felt his fingers close around my wrist as he checked my pulse. His eyes tracked the rise and fall of my chest, counting, while the whole room seemed to freeze around us.
“Breathe normally for me.”
I obeyed and he pulled a little penlight from his pocket.
“Look straight ahead, please.”
I blinked as the light hit my pupils. He studied the reaction, repeated the same with the other eye, then placed his palm on my forehead.
“Your temperature’s back to normal.”
He slipped a stethoscope into his ears, pushed the collar of my shirt aside, and pressed the cold disk against my chest.
“Deep breath in…”
My ribs tightened as I took a slow, deep breath in.
“Again.”
He shifted the stethoscope from one side of my chest to the other, then down my back.
“Any pain when you breathe?”
“It’s not really pain… more like a burn.”
He nodded, like he’d expected that.
“That’s normal after inhaling water. The airways stay irritated for hours after something like this. Do you remember anything? Before, during, or after you went under? Did you eat or drink anything unusual?”
I shook my head. “Just a glass of wine, nothing else. All I remember is feeling dizzy, then suddenly everything spun and I fell in. After that, it’s a blank.”
I wasn’t about to mention seeing Kate in that half-dead haze. He’d think I was losing my mind. Besides, that memory was too precious to share with anyone.
He snapped his medical bag shut and stood.
“Everything looks stable for now, your breathing and reflexes look good so far, but after a near drowning I always run a few additional tests to make sure your body hasn’t developed any complications from the incident.
I’d like to get a chest X-ray to make sure there’s no residual fluid in your lungs and that your airways are completely clear.
I’ll also run some blood tests to check your oxygen levels, electrolyte balance, and considering you mentioned feeling dizzy before you fell into the pool, I’ll include a toxicology screen.
We’ll perform a neurological assessment as well, simply to ensure everything is functioning normally.
These tests are standard in cases like yours and shouldn’t take long.
I’d like you to come to my office this morning, we’ll run the tests then we’ll know for sure that everything is clear.
” He turned to Krash. “Tell Mr. Korven I’ll make sure there are no complications. I’ll keep him posted.”
Krash nodded to Dr. Kalvin, who was already leaving the room. Then he turned to face me, his expression serious. “Konflict asked me to remind you to take it easy. Cancel all your work, every meeting, including your night appointments. Trust me, you don’t want him handling that last part himself.”
I froze. My blood turned to ice at the way Krash’s words barely bothered to hide Konflict’s threat toward Knox. And right then, I knew I didn’t have time—I needed to get him out of the city. Konflict would kill him, I just knew it. I had to protect him.
“You’re as much of an asshole as your boss.
I don’t take orders from Konflict. I do what I want.
And since you’re his loyal little parrot, make sure you pass this on to him—he can go fuck himself.
I want him to shove it so deep he can’t walk.
Fuck him,” I snapped, already swinging my legs out of bed.
“Valery, tell your dick-on-duty we’re leaving. Now!”
Krash smirked before sharing a look with Valery. She pleaded silently for him not to start anything. He winked and walked out. God, I hated Konflict. I hated him and every minion on his payroll.
I climbed out of Konflict’s bed as soon as the door closed.
The shirt I wore was way too big, definitely his.
The feel of it against my skin gave me a comfort I couldn’t stand.
I hated myself for wanting to press the fabric to my nose and just breathe him in.
Fuck, I hated being this weak when it came to that bastard.
“I need to get out of here, fast,” I muttered.
“I brought you clean clothes. You can shower and change. I’ll have breakfast sent up.”
“No,” I cut her off. “I’m not eating a thing in this psychopath’s house. We’re leaving now. I have things to handle and I need to see Knox. He’s not safe.”
“Serenity, I don’t think that’s smart. You heard Krash. Konflict’s watching you. Seeing him now would be reckless.”
“I don’t have a choice. I need to get him out of here. Please, use every resource we have to help me cover our tracks. We just need to buy enough time for him to leave tonight. Please, Valery. Help me save him.”
She looked at me, sad and fierce, then took my hands in hers.
“Of course I’ll help you. Go shower. I’ll take care of everything.
Maybe it’s not such a bad thing after all, sleeping with Konflict’s enforcer.
Time to put this pussy to good use for once.
I’ll do everything I can for you to see him and get him out tonight. Go shower, I’ll get to work right now.”
Her words gave me hope. At least I had one person on my side, someone I could still count on.
I slipped into Konflict’s bathroom to shower.
The place was huge, marble everywhere, with both a shower and tub.
It was gorgeous. But all I felt was a hot wave of jealousy.
Images of him and Eleana Sawyer tangled up on the bathroom counter flooded my mind and I wanted to put a bullet in both their heads.
I washed up and got dressed, but curiosity ate at me.
Instead of joining Valery, I wandered into his closet.
My fingers ran over his shirts, his jackets, his T-shirts.
I grabbed a few, brought them to my nose, my heart tight in my chest. His scent was familiar and foreign at the same time.
I hated that I couldn’t even remember the feel of his lips, the taste of his skin.
It was so fucking sad that we never were what I once hoped we’d be.
I closed my eyes as that sadness took over, breathing him in, desperate for the illusion of being close, so close I could almost hear his voice, hear mine answering, feel his mouth on mine.
“Knox…”
“Konflict…”
“Konflict. Kiss me, Konflict. Kiss me like it’s the last time.”
My eyes flew open, my heart thundering in my chest. What the hell was that? A memory, a dream? Was it real?
“Serenity? Are you ready?” Valery’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
Fuck, what was I doing?
I tore myself out of there like the room was on fire. Valery caught me leaving my husband’s closet and shot me a suspicious look, but thank God, she didn’t say a word to make things worse.
“I’m ready. Let’s go.”
“Alright.”
We walked out of the villa and got into the Bentley already waiting outside. I didn’t know how Valery did it, but Krash saw us leave and didn’t say a single word.
“Your favorite dick didn’t have anything to say? What did you do to him?”
She smiled before answering. “I have my ways, girl. Told you I handle things. I’m taking you straight to Dr. Kalvin’s office.
There’s no way I’m letting you run around without knowing exactly how you’re doing.
After that, we can go wherever you want.
I already asked Vixen to send Knox to a new place that I picked.
It’s more discreet, so you can spend part of the night with him before I get him out of this city.
Don’t worry about Krash and his men. My pussy has way more power than you think. ”
I cracked a smile, happy for a piece of good news, however small.
Just like Valery said, she took me to Dr. Kalvin’s office for the tests he mentioned earlier.
After that, we headed to the casino, where I handled all the final details.
I’d been preparing for this moment for months.
No matter what anyone thought, I honestly had no intention of running from my fate.
I wasn’t afraid to die, and I wasn’t going to run to escape it.
“Here, this is for you. Open it,” I said, putting an envelope in Valery’s hands.
She looked at me, suspicious, then opened it. As her eyes ran over the document I’d signed, she looked stunned.
“No. I can’t. I won’t accept this,” she said, handing it back.
I grabbed her hands, holding the papers against her palms.
“Please, take it. You’re like a sister to me.
You’ve been by my side as far back as I can remember.
You were there for me when I was born, when my mother died, you did everything you could to give me love.
You deserve this casino, Valery. There’s no way in hell I’m leaving it to Konflict, and he doesn’t even need it.
But you, you’ve been with my family since you were little.
Your parents served the Veylor’s and died in the last massacre.
I’d never forgive myself if I left you with nothing.
You’re the only one I trust to run this place.
Please, take it,” my voice shook, raw with emotion.
She let the envelope fall and pulled me into her arms. It was the first time I’d seen her break down like this, but I got it. I was a mess too, crying in her arms.
“Fuck, Serenity. You can’t do this to me. You can’t just leave and hand me the casino you bled for. I can’t take it,” she sobbed.