her disappearance

28

ANOUSHKA

I was kidnapped.

Those words still don't feel real. The truth came out. Isabella staged her disappearance because she was jealous.
Ivan knows about our marriage arrangement.
Kai was Isabella's partner.
Jeremy was also Isabella's partner.
Kai killed Jeremy.

And now I'm with Creighton. His hand is on my thigh as he drives us to the hospital. I touch his hand gently and I caress my thumb against the back of his hand. "I love holding your hands." I blurt.

Creighton glances at me with a smirk. "Well, I love touching you."

My cheeks felt hot and Creighton parked his car. "Let's go inside," he says and I nod.

We asked the desk for Wren's room and when we found it, Luca was already there.

He looks up to see me and relief flashes in his eyes and he mutters a curse before walking over to us. I was ready to hear him curse me for putting Wren and their child in danger but instead, he pulled me into a tight hug and I let go of Creighton's hand to hug him back. "Oh thank God," he mutters and a tear runs down my cheek as I note the care and relief in his voice. Besides Creighton and Wren, I hadn't ever heard someone care for me like that. Luca truly felt like a best friend to me. He pulls away to look at me. "Are you okay, Anoushka?" he asks.

I nod, wiping my tears away. "I'm okay." I whisper. My eyes dart to Wren's unconscious body. "Is she?"

He looks back at Wren. "Shes going to be fine." Luca says. "If she told me what happened, I would have gone with her," he mutters to himself. "I would've been able to stop them."

"She didn't want to put you in danger." I admit. "Is the baby okay?" I ask.

He nods. "Healthy and safe," he mutters, walking to Wren's side and grabbing her hand.

"If anything was to happen to either of them." he mutters.

"But nothing did. They're okay." Creighton cuts him off. "Everyone is okay."

He nods his head reassuringly. Someone knocks on the door and I notice Creighton's uncle.

It's going to be a long night.

•••

Scared doesn't even begin to explain how I feel. Every time I close my eyes I see Kai. I feel him. His taunting words were in my ear. His revolting touch.

The nickname Creighton gave me that I eventually adored became one that I despised. Not because of the word but because of who said it. When Creighton calls me his angel, it makes me happy but when I'm alone I remember Kai's words. It fills me with so much misery that I want to throw up.

Someone knocks on my door and I murmur a come in. Creighton walks in and smiles at me. He gets into my bed, pulling my back into his front as he lays down behind me.

We stay silent for a while. Just holding each other.

"Did Kai touch you in any inappropriate way?" Creighton asks quietly, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Depends on what you mean." I whisper.

He goes quiet. "Did he rape you?" he finally asks.

Rape. He didn't rape me but whatever he did to me in that room. I feel violated and sick in my own skin.

"Anoushka." Creighton whispers.