OCTAVIA
Ihave no idea how much time has passed. The drugs he’s giving me through the IV in my arm have me in and out so fucking much that I could’ve been here an hour or a week and I wouldn’t know the fucking difference. My mind is so fuzzy, so patchy, it’s all I can do to focus right now.
And I need to focus so I can get myself out of whatever this fucking is.
I blink against the blindfold that feels like silk against my skin. Confused, I frown. I wasn’t wearing it earlier. Was I? Was that a drug fueled hallucination? Or just a dream?
The bindings around my neck, wrists, and ankles are icy cold, but there’s a little bit of give to them. I think they’re leather.
“Oh look, my little dove is awake. Are you feeling better? I gave you a drip to make sure you’re not dehydrated, though you might still be a little woozy.”
His voice makes my heart race, and by the sound of the beeping in the room, he knows it too.
Nope. Definitely wasn’t a dream.
Fuck.
This is bad.
Never in a million fucking years would I have thought it would’ve been him.
I trusted him.
My heart aches at the betrayal as I try to wrap my head around my reality.
“No need to be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you, not unless you make me. I’m trying to protect you.”
I gulp and my throat is so fucking dry, like I haven’t drank anything for days. “Protect me from what?” My voice is scratchy and I jump when I feel the straw at my lips.
“It’s just water.”
I take a tentative sip. As soon as it’s clear that ice-cold water is the only thing hitting my tongue, I take a few more. It might be stupid to accept anything from him, but he says he wants to protect me, so I’m hoping he isn’t going to hurt me any more than he already has.
“There’s a good girl, little dove.” I flinch as he brushes back some of my hair and takes off the blindfold. I blink against the light, my eyes slow to adjust, but at least it’s not as bright in here as it was before. Once my eyes focus, all I see is him.
This can’t be happening.
“You need to sleep some more.”
He lifts the syringe to the IV bag beside me, and I whimper as the drug burns through my veins before my vision blurs and fades to black once more.
“Sleep well.”