Chapter 31
He is still under
Dina
When I wake up again, the nurse helps me to the bathroom, but then follows me in and closes the door, shutting both of us in the small space. Isn’t she supposed to be outside while I do my business? Maybe she thinks I need more help.
“I can go on my own,” I tell her.
She turns on the faucet and whispers, “When I left the parking spot in front of the store that exploded, a large black SUV took my space. There were two people in the car. After I overheard you talking about a man trapped under the rubble, I told my supervisor what I remembered. My supervisor told the chief of police, right in front of me. Yet, it’s been hours since that happened, and nobody seems to be searching for this man. ”
“Because the man is Declan Crossbow.” It’s actually Connor, but I must honor Connor’s wish to be the trap for anyone who might want to hurt his brother.
“Who is Declan Crossbow?” the nurse asks.
She’s not a Selnoan. “A pain in the chief’s butt.”
She turns away so I can do my business and turns back to me while I wash my hands afterward. I wince at the image reflected in the mirror. I look worse after my nap. Bruises are starting to color me purple.
The nurse’s tag faces her, not me, so I can’t read her name.
“Even if he’s a pain in the ass, how can they leave him to die?” she asks.
“He’s a very big thorn in the ass.”
She bites her lip. “Now I don’t know what to do about it. We can’t just leave a man to die.”
“You must be new in town.”
“I’m afraid I am. I’m a travel nurse. This is my first assignment.”
Sergei knocks on the door. “You girls about done in there?”
“Yes, sir, we’re coming right out.” She makes a face. “Little impatient, are we?”
Slowly, I manage to walk to the bed and sit down. “Get out,” I tell him.
“Dina—”
“Don’t Dina me. Get out. Get out. Get out. I never want to see you again. You stand for everything that’s wrong with men today, and for a while there, I hated half the population of Earth. So get out.”
Sergei rolls his eyes. “The insurance company will want to speak with both of us.”
“The insurance company?”
“The salon had insurance, remember? I bought it because I took care of our business. You did…”
I press my palms over my ears and watch Sergei turn red in the face. He hates it when I don’t listen, but what else can I do when I can’t leave the room and when he refuses to leave? I don’t want to have to listen to him, and I can’t get him to shut up.
He shouts. I can hear him.
“Lalalala. I’m not hearing you. Get out.”
Sergei takes a step toward me, but the nurse puts her hand out, trying to stop him. I uncover my ears.
“Sir, you should go, or I’ll have to call security.”
Sergei smirks. “Call them.” He sits back down, clearly feeling smug.
The nurse helps me onto the bed. “I can walk out, can’t I?”
The nurse tucks me in.
She looks at me the way I would look at my daughter when she is being unreasonable. “Technically, you could, but there are so many police here that I’m unsure what’s going on. If your husband is the problem, I can have him escorted out.”
“He’s my ex-husband.”
“We’re still married,” Sergei says.
“What he means by that is that I’m still trapped with him so he can torture me and drag me through courts because he’s a sadistic bastard who has no mercy for anyone.”
Sergei shakes his head. “A divorce after so many years of marriage is painful. My wife hit her head, that’s all.”
I can tell the nurse doesn’t appreciate him talking down to me that way, but she smiles politely (or pityingly) and leaves.
Sergei kicks the bed.
My brain rattles, intensifying my throbbing headache.
He kicks the bed again. “You stupid cunt. If the chief hadn’t asked me to babysit you until the other Crossbow twin comes, I’d put a fucking pillow over your face and make it look like you died in your sleep.”
“Oh my God.”
“God won’t save you when you fucked the devil.”
I swallow my smart-ass response because I’m terrified he might not be able to keep the promise he made to the chief of police.
I’m also scared that after they get whatever they want (the deaths of both Connor and Declan), they’ll let Sergei snuff me out.
I bet I can’t leave the hospital room. I bet the nurse would come back and tell me I needed to rest or something.
The nurse returns. She takes one look at me and asks, “Are you still doing okay? Do you have any pain now?”
I shake my head. Fear chokes me, but I manage to ask, “Can you stay with me?”
She glances at Sergei. “I have other patients.”
“Did you talk to your supervisor?” I ask.
A slight nod. “I would like you to rest now.”
“I will. But I have the right to be alone. I don’t want him here. Get him out of here.”
“She hit her head. She is talking nonsense,” Sergei says,
“Where is security?” I ask, trying to rise.
The nurse places a hand on my shoulder. “Please lie down.”
“Call security. Tell them to walk him out. He’s threatening me.”
The nurse looks from Sergei to me, her face paling. “Okay, ma’am, I’ll call security.”
Sergei jumps out of the chair, and the nurse backs herself against the wall, where he grabs her by her throat and puts his face close to hers. “Listen here, bitch—”
My wobbly feet can’t hold me well, but I manage to stand up and throw myself at his back. “Leave her alone!”
He throws me off, and I fall to the ground, hitting my hip against the bedrail. My headache explodes so much that I think I just might spill my brains out.
Sergei throws up his hands. “For fuck’s sake.” He kicks me in the butt, then hovers over me. “I’m not going anywhere.”
I hear the door of my room open, and footsteps approach. Security?
The chief of police walks in. He says something, and I wish I could understand him, but his voice sounds like it’s echoing.
The nurse nods at him but looks at me apologetically as she pulls out a loaded syringe. I try to fight her, but Sergei presses a knee over my body, holding me down. I’m weak anyway. The nurse pushes fluid through my IV. I can feel it in my veins.
Are they putting me under?
It’s okay. I’m not afraid. Chi-chi grew up and doesn’t need me anymore. I’m sad nobody will tell Connor’s story. My dad will miss me.
Declan? I’m pretty sure he’ll burn the city down. I smile as I go under. Maybe dating Lucifer isn’t so bad after all.