It wasn’t until he mentioned it that I really felt the effect. My shoulders seemed to be weighed down from all the traveling to the secret about my infertility.
It was as if I was feeling all of it at once, and just the thought of getting myself out of the car to take the elevator up to the penthouse felt almost impossible.
Damien got out of the car first, and then he reached in for me.
I clung to him, hoping he would take some of my weight.
He seemed to know what I was doing because without saying another word, he swung me up in his arms and walked inside the building.
I looked away when I realized people around us were staring, but Damien didn’t seem to care.
“Put your head on my shoulder, pet,” he said, his voice rough. Probably from being silent most of the time during our travels, but it was a comfort to me, nonetheless.
I did as he asked, feeling the weight lift marginally. It was small, but the relief of it felt staggering.
My eyes burned from unshed tears.
“Press the elevator button for me,” he said, bringing me close. The elevator doors opened as soon as I pressed the button, and he walked in without waiting for the others. “Remember this code. 67899. That’s what you’ll need, should you ever come and go without one of us, got it?”
I nodded, looking over at our reflection in the mirror.
The girl staring back at me looked worn down and tired. There were noticeable bags underneath her eyes. She looked so frail in the arms of the giant of a man holding onto her, that I had to look away.
Damien stared at our reflection as well.
“No more hiding,” he said. “You’re going to tell me what the fuck is going on. Who do I have to kill to make all your problems disappear?”
I buried my face in his neck without answering him.
This wasn’t something he could just solve with violence.
He let out a small sigh. The elevator doors opened, and Damien walked quickly inside the penthouse suite. I tried to take in everything at once, but with the speed he was walking, the only thing I noticed in my exhaustion was the floor-to-ceiling window that took up one wall of the penthouse, offering an impressive view of New York City.
Damien entered a room and placed me on the bed, taking off my flip-flops and tucking me in.
I yawned.
It was barely twelve in the afternoon. I should not be this tired, but I was.
“Sleep, pet,” he commanded.
I shook my head. I couldn’t go to sleep plugged, but the thought of telling Damien or even attempting to take it out myself …
I squirmed.
“What is it?” he asked, his eyes moving over my face.
My cheeks flamed, and I pulled on his arms until he came down close to me. No one was around, but I didn’t want to say the words any louder than I had to.
“Nikolay plugged me.”
As punishment for not telling him what was going on with me.
Damien’s eyes widened a fraction before he threw his head back and laughed.
I shot him a disgruntled look.
“Is that why you’re pissed at him? I was wondering why he took you to the bathroom before we landed.”