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He carefully helped me to my feet, guiding me over to the sink where he poured a glass of water. I sipped it slowly, the cool liquid soothing my churning stomach.
“You should rest,” he said, his voice soft but stern. “You can’t risk your health or...or the baby’s.”
“It’s just pregnancy,” I said. “I’m not the one who’s been shot.”
“But you’re the one carrying my child,” Tristan retorted, his gaze intense. “And that means you’re just as important.”
I wanted to argue, to tell him how ridiculous he was being when he was the one lying injured. But looking into his earnest blue eyes, I didn’t have the strength. His hand brushed against my belly, a tiny smile playing on his lips–the first genuine one I’d seen from him in days.
“Alright,” I conceded, managing a weak smile of my own. “But only if you promise to rest too.”
He nodded seriously and led me back to the couch we’d fashioned into a makeshift bed. I cleaned the floor before we settled down, then his arm wound around me in a protective hold that was surprisingly gentle despite his injury.
As I snuggled against the warmth of his body, my head resting on his chest, I found myself enveloped in a sense of calm. His strong heart was beating against my ear, a soothing rhythm that lulled me into a state of tranquility I hadn’t felt in days.
“I’m sorry,” he said after a while, his voice low and soft. He was playing with strands of my hair absentmindedly.
“For what?” I asked, confusion lacing my words.
“For dragging you into this,” he said solemnly. “You don’t deserve any of this. You should be somewhere safe, preparing for the baby, not running for your life and burying phones in the forest.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “This isn’t the worst date I’ve been on.”
He laughed quietly. “The bar must be set pretty low,” he commented, humor lacing his words.
“You have no idea,” I replied, chuckling softly before lapsing into a comfortable silence.
As sleep started to claim me, I felt Tristan’s grip tighten around me.
“Promise me something, Adriana,” his voice was barely above a whisper and filled with serious undertones that had my eyes snapping open.
“What?” I asked, my heart pounding against my chest.
“Promise me you’ll stay safe…for our child,” he said, his gaze meaningful as he looked down at me. “Promise me that, if they come after us again, you’ll run. And you’ll get away. No matter what it takes.”
Chapter Fifteen: Tristan
The pain in my side had gotten a little better. The nausea from the painkillers had subsided to a dull throbbing at the edges of my consciousness, but that was bearable compared to the sharp stabs I’d been dealing with earlier. Adriana had slipped into restful sleep, her soft breaths falling into rhythm with my own. I allowed my eyes to linger on her face, peaceful in sleep, under the low light of the cabin.
Her soft breathing filled the quiet cabin, a sweet melody that lulled me into a rare sense of calm. The gentle rise and fall of her chest against my side was soothing, and I found myself transfixed by the simple, mundane beauty of the moment.
Despite our dire situation and the looming danger, there was nowhere else I’d rather be than here in this cabin, with Adriana sleeping in my arms.
And that made it worse.
I had wanted to avoid marrying her because I was sure I was condemning her to a life of unhappiness, to an arranged marriage neither one of us wanted. But as I looked at her, all I could think about was how much I should’ve said yes.
I ran my fingers through her hair, savoring the silky strands as they slipped through my fingers. My gaze fell to her stomach–our child was in there. Our child.
“Thank you for telling me,” I murmured into her hair. “I know you didn’t have to.”
She stirred softly, her brows furrowing as if she was in the middle of a deep dream. Gently, I caressed her cheek, my heart clenching with a mix of emotions that I didn’t want to name.
I looked outside; the sun was beginning to rise, painting a vibrant splash of colors across the sky. I could still smell the rain. Birds began to chirp their morning songs, adding to the serene atmosphere. But beyond this peace, danger lurked. As much as I wanted to stay in this moment forever, reality couldn’t be ignored.
She stirred slightly, her fingers twitching against mine. But she didn’t wake up. I let out a relieved sigh.
I had been lucky when the man coming for us had only managed to graze me with his bullet. If he had been even slightly more accurate, I probably wouldn’t be there, stroking the mother of my child’s hair. The pain was bad, but it wasn’t terrible.
