Alexander's pov
My body hurt all over, aches and pains everywhere. I didn't dare move though, the thought of waking a peacefully sleeping Eva was not a nice thought. She'd probably get embarrassed and try and run away. I stare at her sleeping face, she looks so peaceful. So beautiful.
I move a little onto my back more, then she groans and wiggles around. I wrap my arm back around her and she nuzzles her face into my chest. I don't think I've ever felt so comfortable, even though having her pressed against me like this hurts a lot.
She moans and grumbles in her sleep and I can't help but let out a little chuckle.
"What're you laughing at?" Her raspy voice asks and I smile.
"You in all your glory." I smile and boop the tip of her nose with my finger.
"Good morning lovebirds!" Johnson shouts and rips the curtains open. I immediately send him a glare and Eva jumps so hard I think she shed a layer of skin.
"Doc. Go away." She grumbles and burrows her face in my body, hiding from the light.
"No can do. You, however need to get into your own bed. Alexander's body is very fragile no matter how inviting it is." He chides softly and she groans sitting up, her hair all over the place.
"Inviting? That's an interesting word to use doc." She stabs sarcastically and he blushes. Johnson has always been a very gentle sensitive and quiet person. Very caring. Honestly, how he ended up here is a sad story. Not mine to tell.
"Yeah yeah keep teasing while you're in bed." Johnson shrugs her off and walks over to me injecting something into my iv.
I can feel a warm sensation flush through my veins and a fuzzy feeling take over my chest.
"Okay, for the most part we're just gonna have you rest and keep you medicated to help with the pain. You should be able to leave tomorrow or the day after." He explains to me. I just close my eyes and nod my head as my pain slowly starts to fade away.
"What about me doc, when can I get out of here?" Eva asks and Johnson looks over to her. He walks over, and crossed his arms.
"You have head injuries, your case is a lot more severe even if we can't see it on the surface. I'm actually going to need to run some more tests, I've scheduled a ct scan and a mri at a nearby hospital. Speaking of, how is your head feeling?" He ends asking her, I look over to her and can tell she's in deep thought. Her bottom lip rolls between her teeth and then she sighs.
"I have a headache. And sometimes the light hurts my eyes." She mumbles, fiddling with the blanket.
"Mm, I see. Do you have any memory loss? Do you know where you are? What year it is? When's your birthday?" She laughs a little then sighs again.
"To be fair I've never necessarily known where we are. It's 2018, my birthday is October fourth, and as far as I know I don't have memory loss." She answers his questions and I realize she has never known where she is. She's known nothing but this house since she's been here. In Russia. God I wonder how she'll react when she finds out that she's in a different country.
"That's fair. Well it's good that you have no memory loss, the scans are scheduled for three pm. It's now nine, so you have some time to relax before then. I'll let you two be for now, but I'll be back later." He finishes up offering us both a smile before leaving. A sigh comes from my left and I look over at Eva. She's staring up at the lights, still rolling her lip between her teeth.
"Are you alright?" I ask and her eyes shoot to me. Her lip pops out and she holds my gaze a second before sighing again and looking away.
"Where are we?" She asks and now it's my turn to sigh.
"Russia." I answer and watch as her face remains emotionless. Her head begins to nod, almost as if she's processing the information.
"Okay." Her voice come out softly, quiet. Almost as if she doesn't even know what to say. Now it's my turn to stare at the ceiling in deep thought. How did we end up this way? Both of us in hospital beds? Both of us in my childhood home? Both of us trying to survive under my fathers destructive rule? I guess it was the hands of fate that decided this one.
"Alexander?" My heads turns to face Eva and our eyes meet. Her eyes are full of tears as she stares at me.
"Will I ever be happy again?" Her voice cracks as she asks the question. My heart hurts for her, a girl who had nothing to do with any of this yet has been thrown into the middle of it.
"I guess that's really up to you." I say, not really knowing what else to say.
"I understand that you have no control of your environment or the things happening to and around you. But, someday. Someday I promise I'll make it to where you can be happy again." My words are sincere, and they only cause her to start crying more. I so badly just want to get up and go to her, hug her. Comfort her.
"I wonder how long that'll be." She whispers, turning around and facing the other way. I stare at her back, watching her shoulders tremble from the sobs she's trying to conceal. I wish I could more for you Eva, but right now we're both in a powerless state.
I make this silent promise now, a vow if you will. I will make sure you are never harmed again, that you never have to silence your cries again, and that you will be happy again.
*****
Three weeks later (Eva's pov)
"No stop!" I squeal trying to escape the tickling hands of Alexander. His deep laugh echoes through the room and he stops his assault, holding his hand still on my side.
"It's good to hear you laugh." He says softly. My eyes meet his and we stay there a while, stuck in each others gaze.
"It feels good to laugh." I admit quietly, looking back and forth between those hazel eyes.
Over the past few weeks Alexander and I have mostly been inside his room, recovering and whatnot. Mostly just hiding from the world together.
"You know, any day now my father will be sending for me to get back to work. I know I'm not the boss, but he likes to make me do all the work like I am." He sighs, rolling on his back and rubbing his cheek. His stubble is grown out, adding some maturity to his young face.
"What will happen to me then? When you're not able to be around all the time like this?" I ask, trying not to sound too concerned. He rolls back over, and pulls me into his chest holding me tightly.
"Nothing will happen to you, I promise." He whispers and gently kisses my forehead. The thought of a man in the mafia making feel safe is an unsettling thought, but at least I feel safe nonetheless.
"Thank you for taking care of me Alexander. It's weird to feel like I can trust you this much, but I do." I reply, leaning back and looking up into his eyes. Over the past few weeks we've gotten to know each other quite well. Not much to do in here besides watch tv or talk. So, we mostly did the latter.
"That's all I ask, just that you trust me. And I will get us both through this." He smiles, kissing my forehead again. Our eyes lock, and neither one of us makes any effort to look away.
"May I kiss you?" He asks, his eyes darting to my lips then back to my eyes. My heart pounds, and my stomach tingles. Butterflies?
"Yes." I whisper. With no hesitation his lips connect with mine. His soft lips press against mine as he pulls me even closer to him. The kiss gets slightly heated but he pulls away. Smiling.
"I've wanted to do that for a while." He admits and I just giggle, hiding my face in his chest.
"Well, we are going to be forced into a marriage. Might as well be able to kiss one another." I mumble into his shirt, clutching on to it for dear life. My mind already replaying the interaction we just had.
His strong arm around me, pulling me to him as close as I can get, his soft lips pressed against mine like it's his last breath of air. My heart starts racing again, and my mind goes blank. That kiss is all I can think about.
A loud knocking at the door pulls me from my thoughts as Alexander just sighs.
"What?!" He yells, making me jump a little. The person outside says something in what I now know is Russian, then leaves.
"Fuck." He whispers, squeezing me tightly before getting up from the bed.
"What wrong?" I ask, watching as he strides across the room. He stops at the door, his hand on the handle, and turns to look at me.
"My father wants to see me." Is all he says before leaving and slamming the door behind him. My heart races, but not in the way it just was. It races out of anticipation, out of fear of what might be happening. Living under constant anxiety like this is exhausting, but I know. I know that one day Alexander will make things better.
**********
I'm baaaack!!! Hi my lovelies. Lately I've had nothing but time, and I've decided I'm going to my that time into my book. I love this book, I'm so proud of its progress and the love it's gotten. I know this chapter has been published, but I did some editing and wanted to add this.
Updates will be slow! Trying to rewrite a book is no easy feat that's for sure, but lately. I've had the inspiration for it, and so I'm going to put out as much as I can while I can
Have a beautiful day or night where ever you are. Much love!
Xoxo