her disappearance

29

ANOUSHKA

I came by Wren's hospital room with a bouquet and chocolates. Wren had proved to me that she wasn't on Isabella's side anymore. She nearly died just to prove herself and I hate that she had to do that.

She was wide awake, on her phone. When she sees me she smiles and drops her phone on her chest. "Is this a friendship reconciliation?"

"I guess so." I smile back.

I walked closer toward her and passed the chocolates and flowers. "Luca hasn't stopped buying me flowers," she says, smiling and looking down at the flowers. "And I appreciate this so much but you have to take them back to our dorm. They would look way nicer there." she grins.

I glance at the heaps of flowers on the nightstand and I nod my head smiling. "He's really into flowers."

She lets out a light laugh. "I mentioned I loved tulips and he never stopped sending me them."

That is so precious.

"How are you doing?" she asks, I sit on the edge of her bed.

"I'm okay," I whisper. "Just a bit shaken up but I'll be fine,"  I reassure her.

A haunted look washes over her eyes. "What did they do to you?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

I swallow hard. "They humiliated me," I admit.

"When I walked into the room I saw you handcuffed to the bed, naked. I felt sick. They did that to you." she confesses, her eyes glistening with tears.

"She was going to make him rape you in front of me," she whispers, a tear running down her cheek. "Did they catch them?"

I nod stiffly. I wasn't going to tell her what went in that bedroom when Creighton came. I can barely process it myself.

"Creighton and his stepdad came. They saved us."

She nods her head. "She's going to be gone for good," she says, resting her head against the pillow.

"I hope so," I murmur. "But you never should have put yourself in danger like that Wren. You and your baby."

"I had to Anoushka. When I found out you went missing, I just had a strong instinct to go to that house and I'm glad I did. If I hadn't, Luca wouldn't have called Creighton and we would most likely still be in that awful house."

She has a point.

"We're both fine now," she says. "We're safe and Isabella is gone."

"I got two hot chocolates." a deep masculine voice interrupts and I turn around to see a man, smiling while holding two cups of hot chocolate.

His hair was a deep brown and his eyes were as blue as Wren's. He places the two cups on Wren's bedside table before turning back to me and running a hand over his stubble. "Anoushka, right?"

I grin up at him. "Yes. Wren's dad?"

"Christopher." he introduces. I smile at him. "Nice to finally meet you. Wren has told me great things about you."

He grins. "I've heard the same. How are you doing?" he asks.

I give him a tight-lipped smile before shrugging. "I'm okay," I whisper. "I am sorry for putting Wren in danger," I say, glancing at her.

Wren gives me an 'Are you serious' look and she opens her mouth to speak but her dad beats her to it.

"You didn't force Wren to save you," he tells me, glancing at Wren before smiling at me. "I'm glad she did save you. I knew Isabella wasn't a good friend," he says, shooting a disapproving glance in Wren's direction.