Chapter 416
0416
“It’s all I could find. Let me know if you need anything else,” he says, bending down and kissing my
cheek.
I look up, my heart skipping a beat, and nod. “Thank you.”
“I’ll be back to bandage her up.” Our eyes meet before he leaves the room.
“Will she be ok?” Adriana asks just when I see the bullet wound on the side of her neck. It missed but…
barely.
“I’ll try my best. How long has she been unconscious?” I ask, dreading the
answer.
“Days…” Adriana’s voice is weak, and I glance at her. She’s scared. Deep down she knows I might not
be able to do anything. “I tried, I really did, but they said they won’t see her because she wasn’t
chipped… that by law they can only attend to someone who was legally chipped. I know I failed her.”
“You didn’t. Our system did,” I reply quietly.
One that needs to be abolished and I will make sure it is. No matter what.
My eyes flash as I continue working on Ada, time passing painstakingly slowly for the others, but for
me, it’s a race against the clock, as everything I do is adding to the stress that her body is under.
Zade returns soon after, and when he picks up a bandage and walks towards Adriana, a flash of fear
flickers in her eyes.
“No thanks, I’m good,” she says tensing.
“Are you ok?” I ask, glancing up at her.
“I’m not really anyone…” she murmurs as Zade cocks a brow.
“Don’t waste my fucking time,” he says quietly.
“Please, Adriana, for Ada, you need to take care of yourself,” I say firmly and she hesitantly lifts her top
slightly and Zade deftly wraps the bandage around her.
I watch him for a split second, weirdly… I don’t feel jealous. I know I should, but his love for me… after
last night… I don’t feel insecure at all.
He IS mine.
He leaves again and I continue the painstaking slow job of removing all the shards. He returns at one
point and offers me a drink, replaces the water without
+15 BONUS
being told, asking if I need anything.
His gentle brush or touch sends tingles of sparks through me.
“You need to rest for a moment,” he says quietly.
“I can’t. Her body is under too much stress,” I whisper, feeling exhausted, but refusing to let that show. I
just wish I had more light.
It’s turned dark outside and even though he’s not letting on, he’s becoming increasingly on edge. I can
smell gasoline from the hall and I wonder what he’s done, but I’m too busy to focus.
Adriana’s fallen asleep, but at least her heartbeat is steady and rhythmic.
But even with the waning light and the exhaustion, I can’t afford to stop working on Ada, time is running
out and I need to finish this.
I pause suddenly, unease washing through me.
Something isn’t right.
I look back at the open door. Zade’s gone again, and I suddenly feel an odd sense of foreboding.
‘Zade… something isn’t right.‘
‘We have company. Well done for catching that… but don’t stress it, I’ll take care of it,‘ he says through
the mind–link. I glance towards the window, my stomach twisting as I imagine someone opening fire
from there.
‘I trust you,‘ I murmur through the mind–link.
Moving Ada was not an option, and her heartbeat was already dipping dangerously despite the fact I
had managed to get half of the bullets out and cleared up.
Please be ok…
The sound of something breaking makes me tense.
‘Lock the door,‘ Zade’s voice comes.
‘Be careful baby,‘ I breathe, my heart thumping as I swiftly get up and lock the door, scanning the room
for anything to put in front of the door, but the room is empty save the bed and chair.
Fuck!
‘Zade, please, be careful.‘ I repeat, trying to calm my sudden thumping heart.