Page 13 of I’m The Worst

Nothing but property of the Sovereign.

Pain ricochets through my body. My muscles seize, twisting and cramping like they’re being torn apart from the inside.

“I can’t.” The words barely make it past my lips. I curl in on myself, pressing my forehead to my knees. “I can’t do this anymore.”

Everything fucking hurts.

My skin is slick with sweat, but I’m freezing. The floor beneath me is wet and cold. Every inhale feels thicker as my whole body shakes.

“Make it stop,” I choke out.

No one answers.

“Please.”

A large, calloused hand shoots under the bed and clamps onto my arm, yanking me out. I thrash, kicking, screaming.

No!

The movement is too fast, too rough. The ground tilts, and I hit my back hard. Pain ripples up my spine. My vision blurs, shapes shifting—dark and towering.

A shadow looms over me.

Wolff.

“Get away from me!” I shout as I twist and fight to get away, my nails digging into his arms.

Grip tightening, he traps me against his body. His heat burns through my damp shirt before a sharp sting lances through my arm⁠—

“What are you doing?” I try to shove myself out of his hold, but it’s useless. He’s a wall of muscle.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“If you’d keep the fucking IV in your goddamn arm, I wouldn’t have to do this every fucking time,” he bites out.

“Because you’re killing me!”

His breath sears against my ear. “I’m saving your goddamn life.” With his eyes boring into mine, his hold doesn’t loosen. “I need you alive. Got it?”

“Let. Me. Go.” My voice wobbles. Fury and exhaustion tangle together as tears trail down my cheeks and neck.

He releases me so fast I stumble, collapsing onto the bed.

“Keep it in this time, or the next one will hurt worse.”

Then he’s gone. The door snaps shut behind him.

“Bastard,” I mutter.

My limbs feel heavy, but I force myself to slide off the mattress, maneuvering back under the bed. I pull my knees to my chest, and the IV stings under my skin from the position. I wrap the blankets tighter around myself, every nerve in my body screaming for mercy.

This has to end.

The pain has to stop.

When I wake, my clothes are soaked in sweat, the sheets wrapped tight around me. My heart pounds like I’ve just run a mile, breaths ragged as I open my eyes.

The room is empty.