Moreno frowns but doesn’t say anything. He steps across the room and opens the adjoining door. “The bathroom is through this door. There are clean towels hanging on the hook against the wall if you’d like to clean up before bed.”
I do want to shower, to rid myself of the filth that covers my body, but I’m afraid that Dante might decide to accompany me in bed.
If I’m disgusting, he won’t want to join me. Right?
“Are you hungry? Would you like me to have the staff fix you something to eat?”
I shake my head no and grimace. The movement roils my stomach. I hurry for the bathroom, toss open the lid of the toilet and expel the contents inside. There isn’t much to bring up except bread and water.
Moreno backs out of the room and I hear the lock click on the door.
I flush the toilet, rinse my mouth with water, and then stalk out of the bathroom. I try the handle to the bedroom door, but it doesn’t budge.
He’s locked me inside.
Wonderful.
From one cage to another. It’s all the same, just a different prison.
* * *
I’m tired and dirty. I don’t bother showering. I climb under the covers and flip off the bedside light.
Just when I think I might actually fall asleep, there’s a loud, forceful knock at the door, and the lock clicks.
Dante flips the wall switch, and the overhead fan light brightens the bedroom.
I squint and shield my eyes as I sit up.
“What is it that couldn’t wait until morning?” I’m grumpy when I’m tired, and it has been days since I slept through the night, let alone in a warm and cozy bed.
At least this prison I could get used to. Not that I want to, but it is comfortable.
Is this some form of torture or interrogation method? Is he intentionally depriving me of sleep?
“Doctor Blake Reiss is here to examine you after the nasty spill you had this evening,” Dante says.
I don’t correct Dante. He probably has the doctor in his pocket and they’re friends.
“I’ll wait outside,” Dante says and heads for the door.
“Wait!” I’m not sure why I stop him from leaving. While I don’t trust Dante, I trust this doctor even less.
Dante’s brow furrows as he steps farther into the room and approaches the bed.
I inhale a sharp, nervous breath. My breathing hitches just slightly, and he comes to sit at the edge of the mattress beside me. “I’ll stay here the entire time if that would make you more comfortable, but I can assure you that Dr. Reiss is an upstanding physician. He’ll take good care of you, Nicole.”
It’s the first time he’s said my name tonight. At the club, I waskittento him.
My breath catches in my throat with a slight sob. I’m emotional, a wreck, and definitely overtired. Tears blur my vision. “I prefer Nikki,” I say, correcting him.
“Of course,” Dante says. He gently rests a hand on my leg, which is buried under the blanket.
The doctor steps closer and brings out a penlight, checking my pupils, my vision, and then my reflexes. I can’t tell if he’s concerned or just a blank slate. He gives no indication whether everything is all good or if I’m dying.
“And you’ve been throwing up?” Dr. Reiss asks. “When was your last period?”
I shoot a glare at Dante. His colleague Moreno must have told him that I had vomited earlier.