Sleeping With the Enemy

Chapter Forty Five

The first thing I notice is the smell. The air is so thick with ammonia that my chest feels heavy, the chemical burning my nose as I gasp for air. It's dark and musty and smells so badly of mildew I almost gag. It isn't just the air that's making it hard to breathe though. As I start to come to, I realize my mouth is so dry that the skin of my lips tears as I try to open my mouth.

The cement floor is cold and hard beneath me and covered in a layer of filth. My hands are free, but I can tell by the dried blood and the deep cuts in my wrists that they've been bound at one point. I moan, every muscle of my body aching as I try to roll over, gaining my bearings.

The room is dark, and I have to blink several times trying to adjust my eyes. There are no windows, and the door doesn't even have a handle on the inside. There is no way out, even if I have the strength to try to escape.

Now that I'm alert, I notice for the first time that all I'm wearing is a large white T-shirt. Thankfully, it covers my body, but it's tattered and worn and I have no idea who it belongs too. There's a tiny strap around my neck, like some sort of collar. My head throbs, and feels so heavy I can hardly hold it up. Where am I? And more importantly where is Brandon?

He was only gone a few seconds when Herrera burst into my hospital room. He didn't even try to coerce me to go willingly, just held a gun to my head and told me if I didn't cooperate, he would put a bullet right in my temple and then he'd go after Brandon. I was terrified into a trance, moving quickly and doing every single thing that he asked. I put on a brave face for the nurses, hoping and praying that Brandon would walk through the door at any second. He wasn't fast enough though, and as soon as we were outside of the hospital, I felt a prick and then a burning sensation in my back. That was the last thing I remembered.

I have no long idea how long ago that was. It could have only been a few hours, or it could have been several days. Regardless, Brandon has to be coming soon. He would've realized immediately what happened, and I know he won't rest a single second knowing that I'm with Herrera.

The thought is horrifying to me. I know what Herrera's already done, but now he has nothing to lose. There is nothing to stop him from just killing me, or torturing me for days and making me die a slow and painful death.

My mind immediately goes to the life growing inside of me. It isn't just about me anymore. I have to stay strong for our baby. A baby I dreamed about. A baby that's everything good about Brandon and everything good about me combined into one tiny, perfect little being. A baby who's well-being is now being threatened by a man who's haunted my family for years.

I can't let him take anything else from me. Putting my hand on my stomach, I pray we'll both be strong enough to survive this. Whatever it is. I have to protect our baby at all costs, and get us out of here as fast as possible.

I stand up, my legs almost buckling underneath me in pain. My feet are on fire and as I look down, I realize someone has sliced the bottom of them so that it won't stop me from running if I were to get out.