The Underworld

chapter forty

Alaina

How long have I been doing this? An hour? Two? I couldn't sit still. The moment we reached the mansion, I headed for my room and didn't come out.

I paced my room back and forth. My hair was disheveled after all the times I ran a hand through it. My shoes were kicked somewhere in the room. I still had the dress from today on. A shower. I need a shower. It'll relax me, or at least I hoped it would.

I grabbed the first nightdress and slippers I saw. Just as I was about to step out of the closet, I remembered the phone Teo had given me. I checked to see if he had sent me anything.

There was none.

I bit the inside of my cheek. He said he would do everything in his power to help me. Could he save me by tomorrow?

Most likely not.

I had no idea where Teo was nor what he was doing. I didn't bother asking either. I don't think he'd tell me even if I asked. Why would I anyways? If anyone were to find this phone they could see every message we sent each other, just not who I was messaging.

Would he even care if I told him I was in danger?

I almost laughed out loud. That's how he lured me into this, but he could be saying things behind my back. I could've fallen into another trap just because I was too stupid and desperate to get away from the one with Louis.

Running away by myself wasn't possible. I wouldn't make it past the front door without having a leg cramp and getting caught by one of the guards. I knew what the maids and guards did, when they did it, and who exactly did it. Louis had made it possible so that there wasn't a place left unattended. Causing a disturbance could do the trick, but what could I do? Where could I do it when I knew I'd be watched through everything I did?

My grip on the phone tightened. I wasn't doing enough and if I was, it didn't feel like it. Annabeth. Markus. Teo. They all had a plan. They all promised to help me, but I couldn't just sit around and not do anything.

I'm weak. Scared. So scared.

Ignoring the thoughts in my head, my fingers tapped against the screen. How much longer?

I hid the phone. I didn't know when Teo would respond and I wasn't going to do nothing while I waited. I grabbed my sleeping gown clothes and headed into the bathroom.

The hot water relaxed my muscles, but the stress was still there. I took my time washing myself. Sometimes I just stood under the shower head with no thought in mind.

The baby remained still, for a time. It was only when I lightly drummed my fingers over my stomach that they moved. I tried to envision them—how they'd be when born. Morning sickness wasn't an issue in the beginning of my pregnancy, but when it did start it was terrible in all honesty. The baby didn't start moving as early as most first time moms had felt. The doctor assured that it did happen to some mothers and I happened to be one of them.

In general, the baby was calm most times and it's kicks weren't hard nor painful. The contractions I had yesterday really scared the crap out of me. I was not ready to give birth. My due date wouldn't come till next month and I can't let Louis hurt them.

Once I finished my shower, I took just as long to get ready for bed. Flicking the lights off, I stepped out of the bathroom. I panicked when I realized I wasn't alone.

"Oh my—You!" I snapped when I realized who it was. "What the hell?"

"I'm sorry querida." Markus made his way to me with his hands up. "I didn't mean to scare you. I thought you went to sleep."

"That's the least I can do right now," I admitted. I walked past him and towards the bed, but was stopped when I felt him wrap his arms around me from behind.

"Alaina." He placed a kiss on my head. "Tell me what's wrong."

I focused on the way his thumb rubbed circles on my hip and leaned back onto him. "Everything," I let out a heavy breath. "I just want it to be over," I said honestly. I pulled his arms tighter around me.

"Everything will be okay," he said.

I was tired of hearing that. I was tired of waiting for something good to happen. I was just tired. It wasn't his fault, but I just couldn't keep hearing that everything would be okay when nothing was okay.

"No, you don't understand Markus. Louis will find out the gender of this baby tomorrow." Just as I was about to place my hand on my stomach, I stopped myself and pulled my hand away as it formed into a fist. "If it's a boy, I can probably live to see another day, but if it's—" A deep, shaky breath escaped my lips. "He can't find out the gender. Not yet. I wish never."

For a moment, I thought Markus was going to let go of me. To do what, I don't know. I don't think I could sleep if he left me alone. Instead, he spun me around so that I could face him and kissed me.

It ended too soon, I thought. Markus ended the kiss, but kept me in place with his hold on my face. His lips were inches from mine. If I moved a bit forward, I could reconnect ours. I needed him to reassure me, as pathetic as that sounded.

"Do you trust me, Alaina?" He rubbed his thumb over my cheek.

"Yes," I nodded.

"With your life?"

I let out a small laugh. I should've tensed. I should've pulled away and have him tell me why he'd ask something like that. But I didn't because I wasn't afraid. "I do."

I don't know who pulled who in first, but it didn't matter. This second kiss lasted longer. Teeth clashed in the beginning. Our lips pressed and slid against one another, and when we separated for whatever the shortest amount of time could possibly be—for whatever the shortest amount of distance possible—we united again with more forced. Our tongues desperately went in search for the other. I didn't want this night to end with simply a kiss, as much as my body might deny me it.

I let out a whine when I felt Markus pull away. I kissed him again. And again. And again. He moaned through every one of them. His hold on me told me he wanted to continue, but he continued trying to pull away. So I let him go with a final long kiss.

"You would be the death of me, Alaina." He kissed the corner of my lips. "No pudiera vivir sin ti." He kissed the other corner. He had told me before what the meaning meant. I couldn't live without you. "I couldn't even let you live without me." He laughed against my neck before placing a kiss. "I'm too damn selfish. Greedy. Whatever you want to call it. I don't care."

"I don't mind." I pecked his cheek.

With our foreheads against each other, he said, "I'll get us out of here. The less you know the better, but tomorrow. I'll get you out of here."

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