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When I reach the swim platform, I heave her body up first, my muscles straining from the exertion. I’m out of breath, shaking as I climb up after her. There isn’t time for weakness. I reposition her onto her back and tilt her head before I start compressions. She looks so fucking fragile beneath my palms, and I’m afraid I’m going to break her, but the alternative is much worse. I keep going, counting down the compressions before I pause to breathe air into her lungs. I repeat the process continually, long past the moment the darkest thoughts start to creep into my mind.
“You’re not fucking leaving me,” I grunt. “Come on, Natalia. Wake up. Show me those pretty eyes.”
She’s so still beneath me it terrifies me. Death has her in its ugly grip, but I’m not willing to relinquish her.
“Come on. You’re stronger than this.” Thrust. “You can do this.” Thrust. “I know you’re in there.” Thrust. “I’m not letting you go.”
Agony makes me desperate. I push harder. Faster. Pleading with God and the Devil alike, I beg for one more chance. In exchange, I offer them my soul. I make promises I know I can’t keep, but I don’t care. I’m willing to do anything, whatever it takes to bring her back.
“Come on, baby,” I cry out. “Don’t fucking do this to me.”
Her chest heaves, and I freeze when she starts to vomit. It takes a second for me to realize what I need to do, and I turn her onto her side, rubbing her back with one hand while I make sure her mouth is clear with the other.
“That’s it.” My voice fractures. “Good girl, Natalia. You did it.”
Her eyes flutter open and shut several times, and I know she’s not out of danger yet. I need to warm her up.
“I’ve got you.” I scoop her up into my arms and force my legs to cooperate as I carry her downstairs to the shower.
I hold her against me while the water warms up, and her teeth begin to chatter as she starts to come back to her senses. Her head lolls against my chest as I step beneath the spray, allowing it to warm her body. I keep her there until the color comes back to her skin and then I carry her to the bed, wrapping her up in the blankets. Once she’s secure, I brush her wet hair away from her forehead and she looks up at me, disoriented and uncertain.
“You fell off the boat,” I tell her. “I think you hit your head. Just stay here and keep warm. I’ll be right back.”
She blinks at me, and it’s the only response I get. I ascend the stairs and go to the cockpit, checking my location before I call Manuel.
“Yes, sir?” He answers on the first ring.
“I just sent you my location. I need a Society doctor out here now.”
“I’m on it,” he assures me.
“Thank you.” I disconnect the line and stare out into the distance, gulping in air as I come to grips with everything that just happened.
I came out here to kill her, but now I know with horrific certainty it’s not an option. I don’t think it ever was.
21
Alessio
I hold Natalia in my arms until the doctor arrives with several other men in tow. He doesn’t even blink as I confess to drugging her and explain the events that followed. He tells me she’ll need to go to The Society hospital, which I already knew was a given. IVI maintains its own network of healthcare where discretion is a priority. The doctors won’t ask unnecessary questions, and they respect the hierarchy, which means they’ll abide by my orders. Right now, I need further assurances about her condition, and I’m not getting them.
The doctor directs me to pilot the boat while his guard leaves on the one he arrived on. He remains below deck with Natalia while I guide the boat to the port nearest the hospital. When we arrive, there’s another crew waiting for us. Within minutes, they’ve got her transferred to an ambulance.
The doctor and I both climb aboard, and I watch silently as he checks her vitals repeatedly for the duration of the journey. It doesn’t take long to arrive at this time of night, but there’s still a part of me that’s wondering if I was too late. Natalia’s awake but unresponsive to questions, and I don’t know what that means. She’s too weak to try to communicate. I have to assume that’s the reason. There’s nothing I can do but sit there helplessly as we pull to a stop, and they wheel her inside to undergo tests and an evaluation.
“I should stay with her,” I tell the doctor.
“You can join her after she has imaging done,” he says. “But I think it would be wise if you had an evaluation too.”
